Live: Smokey Bastard @ Sub89

Smokey Bastard // Sub89 // Reading

23 October 2011

By: Chris Fishlock

Support: Claypigeon, Drones

Having worked hard on creating their latest album, ‘Tales of the Wasteland’ since summer 2010, Smokey Bastard finally got round to releasing their record (receiving a very positive review from Sound-Revolution) backed by a launch show in their hometown of Reading.

Opening the night was energetic Camberley punk band Drones, who are preparing to release their debut album in December. They played a short set of fast tunes with a great energy seeing them bouncing all over the stage, with vocalist and guitarist Daly George moving off stage for the last few songs of their set. Sadly, due their early playing time, they didn’t play to much of an audience – and despite their attempts to get people moving the crowd remained mostly inactive throughout their set. Luckily this didn’t stop the band putting a great deal of effort and energy into their performance.

The main support slot came from brilliant London ska punk act Claypigeon, having lost a key member earlier this year the band have recently returned to the live scene as a three piece act. They played a set mostly consisting of new versions of their older material, as well as throwing in a few newly written songs. The band played strongly as a three piece and maintained a decent sized audience, with a few people dancing and singing along to the set.

Reading's own: Smokey Bastard

Coming on stage to an enthusiastic hometown crowd, Smokey Bastard got things going straight away opening with an old song, getting the crowd nice and lively with Smokey Bastard’s great style of folk punk. The band went on to preview the majority of ‘Tales of the Wasteland’ for the fresh ears of the crowd who remain just as active hearing the songs for the first time as they do for the few older Smokey Bastard songs played in the set. Highlights of the set included the epic ‘Mongrel’ and danceable ‘Mong Some Hoof’. Latest single ‘Yuppie Dracula’ inspired the crowd to start dancing the waltz much like in the video for the song. Another highlight of the set was ‘Dear Mol’ bringing onstage Smokey Bastard’s former fiddle player to provide the female vocals and the crowd engaging in a circle pit for the more rowdy climax of the song.

Getting one of the best reactions of the night was ‘Wasteland’, a song about the very town they were performing in – perhaps getting a special reaction from the locals agreeing with the view of the town represented in the song. After two short poems before the encore from bassist and vocalist Mike Wood the whole band returned for a rendition of ABBA’s ‘Mamma Mia’, much to the enthusiasm of the crowd. A cover that does not fit quite so well on ‘Tales of the Wasteland’ fits perfectly well as a slightly humorous closer and sing along for a live set, it’s not often you see a mosh pit to an ABBA song. Smokey Bastard are a fantastic live band with a great brand of energetic folk punk to get people dancing and with the new album have a brilliant set of tunes to display when playing live, you are guaranteed to have fun if you see this band live.

 

Preview: Fences @ Théatre Corona

On Friday Fences, the brainchild of singer/songwriter Chris Mansfield, are set to take to the stage of Théatre Corona in Montreal. Following the release of the indie outfits self-titled debut album in 2010 Fences are touring the US and Canada besides female indie two-piece Uh Huh Her. 

Chris Mansfield // Fences

For those wanting to catch Fences on their US/CAN tour this month, there’s still plenty of chances. You can read the rest of the tour dates here. For those of you that can’t make it, check back here for the full gig review.

 

Capdown – Ska Wars @ Slam Dunk North 2010

Headlining the Vans stage at Slam Dunk Festival was, of course, Capdown. Here is the great track, Ska Wars, from the Leeds half of their one-off re-union show.

 

Skindred – Rat Race @ Slam Dunk North 2010

Skindred perform Rat Race to a great crowd at Slam Dunk North 2010:

 

The Skints – Roanna’s Song @ Slam Dunk North 2010

The Skints perform Roanna’s Song live at Slam Dunk 2010 (Leeds Date). A great set from The Skints as always opening up the Vans Off The Wall Music Stage.

 

Bloc Party, 02 Academy Sheffield, Bloctober Tour

Bloc Party, 02 Academy Sheffield

Bloc Party (Bloctober Tour)

Venue: 02 Academy

Location: Sheffield

Date: Oct 10 2009

Label: Wichita Recordings

Rating: 4.3/5

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Sheffield was the seventh gig of Bloc Party’s Bloctober UK tour. With uprising alternative rock outfit Grammatics being the sole support, it looked set to be an exciting night of live music. Doors opened at seven, and Grammatics took to take to the stage at eight. The seemingly endless wait for the band to arrive did the Leeds four-piece no favours, proceeding to play their opening song ‘Shadow Committee’ to a rather static and unenergetic crowd.

Regardless of disappointing time management, it was not long before the crowd began to realise that this hyped band really do possess a talent worthy of media attention, putting on a fantastic set filled with orchestral rhythms and the reverberating falsetto of main vocalist Owen Brinley. The on-stage harmony between the vocals of Brinley and cello player Emila Ergin created an eccentric yet powerful musical display on stage, an odd yet suitable band to set an eager atmosphere for the soon-to-come Bloc Party set.

The set list was received gratefully by the majority of Bloc Party fans – offering a selection of material from across all three albums, including the less predictable ‘Price of Gas’ and more recent ‘Zephyrus’. An even distribution of album material selection was certainly intentional and justifiable as the tour was ‘Bloctober’ as opposed to a solid Intimacy tour; Interviews with lead singer Kele reinforce the bands gig preferences, as they often claim to become quickly bored of playing the same material often.
Energy levels were raised significantly and sustained throughout the gig. The distinguishably young audience, as noticed by Kele, seemed adamant on creating havoc in the middle of the room – with lots of activity to adrenaline boosting songs such as ‘Helicopter’ and ‘One Month Off’.

The show encore was rather brilliantly clichéd in the “where are you going?”, “oh no you don’t” approach set by Kele, followed by ‘Helicopter’ and then once again with ‘This Modern Love’. Although the end of the show was somewhat reminiscent of a naff pantomime, it was still somehow great, simple yet fantastic entertainment alongside an overall good live performance. Bloc Party’s shows don’t vary much. Mid-set rambling and similar set list structure seem to be present at every performance; however a good quality of entertainment is always present, perhaps just becoming a little monotonous to the regular witness.

~ Article by James Murray