The day before this gig over a thousand people attending an all-dayer in Manchester for the sum of £23. The need of the masses to watch the same old, same old provoked me to stay away and have a day on Anglesey with my good lady, a wise choice for sure as I don't need to stand in a room full of people you don't see from one week to the next, people who talk about the new bands but do very little and those that drop everything and abandon any underdogs when the bigger names appear - are you with me, the jaw is wagging. Now next day, a few miles down the road we had a 6 bander, free of charge, in an up close and personal gaff and showcasing a good variety of noise - surely even 10% of yesterdays nostalgia drenched crew would make the effort, it seemed a veritable must that this one should be heaving. The answer to one who has been in the mire for so long is obvious but to those who have no ties to this pit of cacophony it must look quite absurd when gigs like this struggle along and seem to go almost under the radar. To those I say 'laugh away' because believe me, nothing fuckin' changes and we cunts at the bottom who love it for what it is and are excited by the new vibes ain't budging either! And so....harrumph...to the review!

Arriving during the first bands set and catching up with a few faces I only caught the last 2 songs of The Thirtinas - and I enjoyed them. A nice lilt to this band, a nice change from the usual breeze and hopefully I can get these on a show further afield very soon. A fuller review will come next time, watch this space.

To start the review proper is a band who are really making me ill, a band who, like a fly on a turd, will not go away - and why should they. 3CR are made up of 3 veritable low-life’s who have chequered pasts and no doubt chequered futures given the chance. A tramp murderer, a dental dick deviant (don't ask) and a mannequin rapist this trio of filth indulgent pigs knock out their usual noise and of course, on occasion, play it tighter than Michael Aspel's anus (so I am told). I think this is about my 35th viewing and of that I am deeply embarrassed but I gotta admit that today was a pleasure. This was a nice surprise (unlike Boggy's weight gain) and songs such as 'Fish Bits', 'She Bummed Me' and Spit Roast' were taken for what they are and enjoyed. Sometimes it is the best way, fuck it and just have it. A few new ditties were offered, they sounded good and it is more than overdue that the crew started writing new material. 'What A Carry On’ shone ( as did the sweat of Shaun's brow due to an impending court appearance for crimes against the duffel-bag) despite being utterly overdone, totally moronic and a musical farce to titter at. I must be softening in me old age! As a footnote - when I arrived at this gig I saw Boggy getting out of a taxi and paying the driver quite a bit of cash - make of that what you will but note was made of the damp area in the drivers pants and Boggy was walking with a limp – the mind is awash with ghastly visions – help me!

Out in the sun (phew missus wot a scorcher) and back in for a few beers and then to watch The Reverends (which is spelt wrong on Graham 'Gladys' Norris' car by the way). The opening trio of songs set the stall despite the lead mike dropping volume now and again. 'Deranged', 'Pick Up The Pieces' and 'Big Society' were delivered with good melody and angst and surprised me how these songs had craftily stuck in my noggin after reviewing the bands CD a few months back - nice work chaps. The set continued with the jerky intensity of the front cunt quite absorbing and thoroughly believable as was the exact rock and roll backdrop of sound. The band were on fire today, building up a good head of steam, a few of the crowd indulged, why not, the whole cascade of cacophony grew in stature and once more I wondered why so many choose to overlook this underdog noise and its pure relevance. The pulses came thick and fast, with subtle changes in mode, such as 'Bang To Rights' an earthy song, more street-based, more suggestive of something Oi-esque it seemed but still etched with the bands own ID. The best brace of the lot for me and the sheer high was when 'Take The Money And Run’ and 'Give It Up Son' doubled up and made for a quite stunning moment. The songs seemed totally relaxed, stress free with the latter effort done with military precision and machine gun intensity - beautiful. Go check this lot out - 2 viewings so far for me and an album review and I am more than pleased - do it and do it now!

Cockrocket next, a band bigged up and bloated by the enthusiastic promoter Mr Keith 'Yes my lord I did kill her' Willocks, a veritable pearl in this manky ocean of shit arses. So it was time to get naked, strip away any bias, this is game on. Clatter fuck, sub-abstract cluck and pluck assault - the band hit the ground running, with 'Fuck Music' and 'Copy Paste People' grabbing genitals, squeezing and wrenching with utter manic glee and refusing to let go. These two initial grenades blew the room apart and an underlying possession of the senses took hold. The tear up thrashed on, minds melted and when a dedication to Satan came we knew we were all in deep, deep trouble. The insane pandemonium took its victims with promoter Keith was in need of serious mental assistance as he became more and more enthralled, sexually excited and...pissed ha, ha. This was an avalanche of unhinged noise with the vagina of decency rogered and left in a prolapsed state to be disgusted by. A mouth organ was blown (get yer minds out of the gutter please), the angle appreciated, drum, bass and vocal duties swapped throughout and a 2 song encore was given and well deserved. When the set was done it was apparent that several souls had been infected - I utterly understand why!

Zoo Party next, a band I have been waiting to catch up with after reviewing their 2 albums and finding them a complete joy.  A chat earlier and a CD to review and a T-shirt to say thank you for my efforts (thank you indeed - really much appreciated) and my jowls were salivating at the prospect of what surely must be a grand set. Any worries of a let down were immediately banished as Zoo Party hit their tight and efficient mode of hard riffed rock and roll poppology with all tones tuned in and blended perfectly. This is a well oiled unit looking to keep things easy, fluid and highly melodic with attention to detail very much the name of the game. The songs came thick and fast and rocked and soothed in equal measure with 'Get Over It' a prime expulsion that encapsulated this approach - magnificent and noise that is surely for the connoisseur and not the mentally deficient or sonically numb. Every outburst hit my sonic erogenous zones in the most primitive and convincing style - I am a fan tha' knows! A flower seller wandered in, he left defeated, I'll be fucked if I let these Swedish swashbucklers of sound go the same way - this leak free delivery deserves my textual applause. The high came with the superb brace of 'PMA' and 'You Must Be Joking', a quite rattling two punch that got me in the face, in the ticker, in the soul - cheers chaps. Again I wondered why so many soaked up the rays instead of the sound, why miss this musical pleasure that is just passing through - hey ho, fuck the fuckin' scene - Zoo Party was my pleasure and several other viewers agreed - that is all we can do. Thank you and here’s to the next time - in the interim I shall wear my T-shirt with pride!

Outside, a chat with the SS - Shaun Shit in case you are worried. We covered a few subjects one of which was with local face Colin and his plans to book a studio where we can get pissed and record the racket made. I mentioned that we could all removed our foreskins, dry them out and play them like elastics - Shaun’s reply of 'jeepers' seemed to have hit the spot and so we full stopped the conversation and went inside to watch the final band of the day - it seemed the best option - see ya next time kid - respect!

Pete Bentham and the Dinner Ladies are a band I am currently reviewing on CD and I was very much looking forward to this one. Last time I was in the same room with the band I was so drunk I couldn't see a fuckin' thing so today the lid was kept on the ale (to a certain extent)  and my assessing eyes were peeled. This was a captivating finish that groomed the crowd and had them eternally hungry for more with songs about a wide variety of disconnected themes and with varied acoustics touched upon and duly nailed. Drums were attended to with care and accuracy and fed the strung waters with certainty and necessary support whilst the bass was absolutely mastered by a lass who threw herself into the melee and gave one of the best performances of the day. The sax came from a smiling lady who blew it smartly (oh for goodness sake) when required and jigged and smiled with utter sincerity and which exuded a pleasure with the chosen art. At the fore was the vocal chap and the six string manipulator who led this whole affair with accomplished expertise and burst many a vessel whilst dictating the path and blowing out the verbals. With umpteen good tunes, a rapport with the crowd that, at times, was irresistible and variety of rhythmic angles supported by cute wordplay this was a master class of pure punked fun without those rules and regulations that force out noises that sound spiked but are nothing of the sort. Best performance of the year thus far due to nothing more than the aforementioned points and the downright commitment to the cause. A fitting exclamation mark to a fine day that provoked much thought and much pleasure.  Best song, well the one about that testing art attacker ‘Marcel Duchamp’ was a pip but there were so many crackin’ songs it would be wrong to pick one, so as per, I’ll be wrong and stick with my choice wink, wank, wink!

I thanked Keith after this one, gave him my due respect, regards and thanks for a fuckin' fine day and for all the work he does. What he does is DIY, simple unassuming pub rock of the highest and lowest order and that for me is what it is all about. Getting out there and showcasing the natural overlooked noises and getting well and truly off on it. Today was a snapshot of what I adore, it is in the blood and even when I can't make the odd gig or two due to my hectic life my spirit is always there. Keep on mate and encourage all the people you come across out there to do the same - a few of us are trying, a few of us are still infecting the overall arse of the scene - up the DIY bastards who never know when they are beat!

review by Fungalpunk/OMD (19 May 2014)