I promised. I did, I did, - I bloody well promised...that I would take things easier, in my own time and keep on top of a backlog this year - and thus...it is only the middle of bloody February and I am all over the show. 'Piss, Balls, Wank' to quote a belly dancing friend. So after a week mooching around 8 wildlife sites, 3 days of work, numerous reviews worked upon I find myself at a gig fagged out and rushed after a morning looking at insects and other natural wonders. My head is so frazzled I even forget the bottle of QC I had planned to slurp - now that is drastic.

Arriving in good time some merry banter was had with many a fine person and a few beers were downed. The temperature already was beginning to plummet and my kidneys were feeling the pinch especially as they were once more laden with those fuckin' bastard stones. A piddle, another one, a beer and up and at it for the first band.

Due to the aforementioned mania and idiot schedule I am making this assessment brief as well as giving bands who have had due time from my tired text creating digits just a brief verdict. Come on ya buggers - I do me whack!

So Black Light Mutants - they have had a few reviews and so get something swift. The best I had seen em' for sure and that is saying something because this band always impress. They looked more settled tonight, more 'in the zone', more at ease with the cacophony and thus as a result more profitable with the production of solid noise. How’s that?

Potential Victims - ah only had one previous review - my goodness - I must do better! Today was a rip roaring stormer I felt and many agreed. The band offer so much more than given credit for and from the opening belt to the last twat of tuneage there was much bluster, must technicality and much articulate accuracy that made this a showcase for raw punk and roll and all its intricacies. The band are old school and are more than a little well worn - in fact if punk was a retailer of shoes and the bands were the said footwear here we would have a quartet of knackered old slippers with steel cap toes. They may look a little buggered but they still have some 'ooomph' in the kick! The songs were familiar and some unfamiliar but I was struggling to find a true dog end and thought they really upped the state of the gig and helped contribute to what would be a decent day. The power of the guitars, the neatly applied bass, the raping of the drums skins all contributed to a good upheaval and the added tweaking and strings is a delight to behold and seems to be carried out with well rehearsed know how. The songs dealt with usual punk fare - the detriment of the TV, having a shit job and so on but was delivered with believable intent and so absorbed this Fungal fruit for the entire set. Stand out song 'Chewing Gum For The Brain', something new, something to definitely masticate along to (no nothing sexual there). I loved this and like I say - so did many others - there is still life in the old whelp yet - let's have some more! Advice - PV – See!

No Decorum - another set of bastards who have had some good keyboard mileage from Fungal - here's a quickie. Same as but, oooh here I go, may I suggest a trifle loose today and with a sound that didn't saturate as the previous two bands had. I love this lot, like the attitude and am keen to push onwards and now is the time to start pecking and poking. Advice - I reckon a second guitarist and exaggerate the division between the power sections and the skankier moments - there ya go. Not bad and highly likeable but I have seen sharper and reckon they now need to look at rising another few notches.

Epic Problem - well I had no problem at all downing a few more ales outside. Missed this and did so deliberately - I have seen em' several times locally and need to see em' elsewhere - I refuse to keep on a loop - I may have to correct this myself by bunging em' on a gig. The feedback was mixed, some loved it, some found it good but kind of too samey - I understand thoroughly! Come on lads - less local, go bum a yokel (and play some toons) out in the sticks somewhere!

Geoffrey OiCott - what a lot of bat and balls (oops and arrers). Utter genius in a strange way - punk rock, cricket and darts all blended into a really impressive show. Strip away the tomfoolery and you get songs with a good clout and, vitally important this one, a good sing-a-long style. The lads love what they do and hit many a punter for six with some good well driven songs. Any toss within the weave is full, any googlies well timed, any outside edges nicely squeezed in. The frontman is a connoisseur of cricket it seems and a bit of an educated darts man too - I wonder if he has ever slept with Peter Locke or in fact 'Big' Dave Whitcombe - emphasis on big in a very naughty way I hear. Back on track and yes - what a grand do all round this was - loved it and the crowd readily indulged. Songs about Monty Panesar, Gary Thompson and other such people all intrigue and just do the darned business. It is a piss take, it is a bit of frivolity, it is vulgar in parts but it is such fuckin' good stuff. This was a fair innings and a tidy wicket that has seen a fair few legends clock up some good points and I reckon the GO army have done themselves no harm whatsoever. Nice.

And at last...oh no wait...let me have swift beer. That's better...and so to Special Duties - a crew I hadn't seen since 98 and then I was half cut. I expected an average sort of do with typical 80's gobbage and riffs but...I came away surprised. This was a keen delivery filled with pick up and play songs and easily digestible punk rhythms. It was perpetual noise and each song was nailed and given a little something extra with the new bassist on board. Nowt wrong with the odd frill here and there! The band seemed intent on a good set and gave one and after several songs the crowd livened up and a very merry jig was had by a few eager beavers. 'Police State', 'Bullshit Crass' and 'Violent Society' were obvious hits with the punters but the mob took to the lot and I gotta say I was loving this. The cover of 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' was one of the best I have heard and it cemented the belief that these guys are back and ready to fire hard. Talking to the stringmen outside it seems as though some new stuff is going to be released which bodes well for the future and I hope the SD lads stick at it and get a few rewards along the way. No complaints at all - whoosh I'm gone.

Busy day in busy times but a fair gig to have a tipple and enjoy the company and noise. The atmosphere was real sweet tonight and I like that, the mixture fine and the turn out - well better than expected although many local faces were missing - but that is always the case. Dean my man - cheers and see ya at the next one - hopefully with a bit less frazzling of the noggin!

review by Fungalpunk/OMD (18 February 2013)