FUNGALPUNK GIG REVIEWS

So we kick off the event with Mrs Spits et al serving up a great vegan curry, jacket spuds and coconut flapjack @ Peoples Kitchen where folks can get great scram for a suggested donation of £3.50. If you can't afford it you pay nowt. As with the gig all the proceeds go to street children via Casa Alianza.

After grub we are treated to some Dead Flowers. Who said romance is dead? Anyway something garage your way cometh, in the form of Dead Flowers who know damn well punk is more than 40 years old despite what the tabloids tell em'. Swampy and groovy playing it their way with a little help from their Seeds. Vibes taken from a time when psych and blues ignited many a heart to do their own thang and do it with style. They get several rocking, swaying and involved. The Sonics, MC5 and The Wailers (not Bob's crew, awesome as they were) pulsate and run in the veins of Dead Flowers. Their track ‘Bitter Path’ reminds me that reviewers can still use weird analogies. Like the Headcoats having rumpy pumpy with Jason and the Scorchers. Yep really that good. It rocked with a mother groove. ‘Witches Brew’ was obviously magic and the titles pun will be lost on those who don't think Miles Davis was a punk, beautiful. All their other tunes were somewhat on the special side too mind you. Not a bad tune in the bunch. Dead Flowers love what they do and make us feel good. A wonderful thing to behold.

Next I was blown away by a group of youngsters Runoffthestatic (no that’s not a typo) with passion, energy and bloody good songs indeed. They were like receiving that thing you've always wanted as a surprise Christmas present. Loud and angular and an inability to keep still. We need young blood in the scene and Runoffthestatic are like an exploding blood vessel. They are inspired and original, bouncy and meaty (probably to make up for the vegan curry) and quite simply shit hot. The problem with being so original is it leaves the reviewer without too many reference points. Good job I like to be challenged. They sound nothing like Slaves but in me they conjured up the same feelings of exhilaration . Anyway I have done my best to review them now promoters give them a gig and punters get to see them ASAP. Awesome and then some.

Finally The Bleach Boys with a hard job to do in following Runoffthestatic but they did it. These guys have been around for decades and I hadn't seen them. Twat that I am. They still have passion for their craft and give it 110%. Fun and irreverent, catchy and tight. This is not a band living in the past. Sure they have their classic tunes ‘Chloroform , ‘Death Squad Bitches’ etc. which were a pleasure to hear played with passion and bollocks but their more recent stuff is also spot on. I loved singing along to ‘Guantanamo Baby’ and ‘Kill All Celebrities’ etc. as did the punters who were singing, dancing and going slightly ape shit. A full on fun set of sincerity and belief. I certainly won’t leave it another 40 years - top notch punkage indeed squires.

A few thank you's for helping Punk 4 The Homeless help street children. The bands, the Punk 4 The Homeless and Peoples Kitchen crew, Rich for the sound, Jack for setting up, The Sumac volunteers and the punters - respect.

review by Eagle Spits (28 February 2016)