One thing’s for certain. When you go to a gig promoted by
Fast Forward Promotions /
Dave Griffiths you can pretty much guarantee that as
well as the band you intended to see you’re going to get a cracking support
band.
Tonight this is Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons. If you
like your music loud, grubby, heavy, punk rock ‘n’ roll with a touch of
rockabilly and blues and a full dose of attitude then this is a band to watch. Consisting
of just three members – Puss Johnson on vocals and guitar, Dirty Jake on guitar
and Filfy Antz on drums – they manage to completely own both the stage and, at
times, the whole floor. Puss plays guitar, a bit, but you get the distinct
feeling she’d rather be creating mayhem amongst the crowd and she does this
often. It’s a good thing. If you’ve seen them before you know what’s coming
(almost). Those that clearly hadn’t transitioned through looks of shock and
faces that said “WTF is going on here?” to dancing around and genuine
appreciation of great tunes from a great band. The crowd swelled rapidly within
minutes of the opening song.
Blistering guitars, devilish, wailing vocals, and explosive
drums take us through a set that’s focused on new album ‘Ain’t No Pussy’. Opening with ‘One Of The Boys’ you understand
immediately where Puss stands. Over the noise of the guitar and drums she
bellows “I don’t know how to comb my hair and I don’t wear frilly underwear” together
with “My beauty ain’t measured by the size of my tits.” And so it continues. A
sonic and visual assault on the senses. Loud and in your face. Puss Johnson
decked out in leopard skin print trousers complete with tail, leather mask,
sculpted hair and four inch brothel creepers oozes energy, Big Jake built like
a tank with a 50’s rock n roll style and Antz looking like he’s
just left a sleazy 70’s soft rock band (until he hits those drums like he wants
to put them through the stage). ‘Pain’, ‘The Wasp’ – “You’re the wasp, banging
your head on the window trying to find your way out. I’m your personal hell”, ‘Ain’t
No Pussy’, ‘Surrender My Heart’, ‘Midnight Motorway’ with its addictive drone
of “Soft verges, hard urges” and sudden maniacal pounding of the ear drums.
Just one song from previous album ‘Dirty Rock N Roll’ (‘Hell
Bent’) and two from debut ‘Exercise Your Demons’ (‘Wolfman Sideburns’, ‘Lipstick
& Testosterone’). And that’s it. Another superb opening act.
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
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| Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons |
I’ve seen Theatre Of Hate a lot of times over the years.
First in October 1981 when they supported The Clash at Manchester Apollo. Most
recently on the last night of
The Great British Alternative Music Festival in
Skegness when they were, in my opinion, one of the highlights of the weekend.
Whether playing with Spear Of Destiny or Theatre Of Hate Kirk Brandon never
disappoints. Both bands just get better and better as the years pass by. But
particularly Theatre Of Hate who, after the best part of 40 years, are still a
formidable live act. Opening with ‘Rebel Without A Brain’ it’s a non-stop set
of dark, rumbling post-punk greatness. Kirk Brandon gives everything to
performing. He’s passionate, emotional, completely lost in the moment of each
and every song. When not playing guitar he’s pounding his chest, so much pent
up energy ready to be released his body literally quivers. Arms waving he
alternates between centre stage and moving completely to one side allowing the
focus to fall on the throbbing bass playing of tonight’s only other original
member, Stan Stammers who, like Brandon, performs every song as though it’ll be
the last time he ever will. Stomping round the stage the neck of his Fender
arcing just inches over the heads of those at the front. Big shout out to Clive
Osbourne playing sax on this tour, replacing John ‘Boy’ Lennard who sadly can’t be here
because of a family bereavement. The sax, played well, is such a beautiful
instrument that can fill you with all sorts of emotions and Osbourne does just
that. Hauntingly beautiful whether forming a backdrop to ‘Rebel’ or ‘Aria Of
The Devil’ or taking on a more dominant role in new songs ‘Black Irony’,
‘Maintenance Man’ ‘Façade’ and ‘Ukraine Girl’.
New songs, from 2016 album ‘Kinshi’, that fit right in with the old. Old
songs that never sound dated. Theatre Of Hate are unique. No one sounds like
them. No one else has a voice like Kirk Brandon. And of course we get the
classics. ‘Original Sin’, ‘63’, ‘It’s My Own Invention’, ‘Omen Of The Times’
before the tempo, temperature, chicken dancing / slamming and general good time
atmosphere all move up a notch as Brandon, Stammers and co power through
‘Incinerator’, ‘Poppies’, ‘Solution’ and finally ‘Legion’ by which time the
whole place is right there with them. Returning to play the rousing ‘Westworld’
and the incendiary ‘Propaganda’ it’d be hard to ask for more. It would have
been nice to hear ‘Grapes Of Wrath’ and ‘Americanos’ but hey, you can’t have
everything.
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
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| Theatre Of Hate |
Certainly a great gig, it's also the first time I've seen TOH and they were awesome. I get the impression Kirk enjoys it more than SOD. Great pics too.
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