This was the fourth annual Vive Le Valentine ball brought to us by Vive Le Rock magazine and on a night where there were loads of great gigs to go to in London had for me one of the best line-ups on offer on this particular night even if it didn't sell out.
We got in early as we really wanted to see Paul-Ronney Angel & The Blue Valentines a special one off scratch band playing what may well be the bands only gig Paul-Ronney had roped in Slim Cyder on Keyboards, the Rev Gavin Smith on Double Bass, Joe Le Tropic on Drums, Daniel Jeanrenaud The Camden Cat on Guitar, George Simmonds on Trombone and Stuart Dace on Sax. They opened the night with a very cool version of Rumble that sounded remarkably tight for a band who only had one rehearsal.
Oh Lonesome You was the perfect rye Valentines song for the night and the brass really helped bring out some of the pathos in the lyrics. They then went full on Mardi Gras with a great version of Iko Iko that had loads of us singing along with them. I think this was when Paul-Ronney and The Camden cat swapped guitars so that the Camden Cat was back on his trusty electric Guitar in time for a wonderful version of Endless Sleep that was almost as swampy as the Tav Falco version of this classic.
They then threw in an Urban Voodoo machine cover with a nice tight version of No Bail Blues that has Joe Le Tropic doing his best not to copy J Roni Moe and Jary's usual antics on the drums and just keep it nice and cool. They then went full on old school gospel with a very cool and almost spiritual version of Oh Mary Don't You Weep that had some really nice piano from Slim on it and it was cool to see him playing a Roland a far more modern instrument that anything I've seen him play over the years.
They then finished with a rollicking riot on Lucille that had the Camden Cat really going for it and shooting Paul-Ronney a glance or two to keep up. This was a great opening set and what a way to open an evening.
Next on were the Witchdoktors playing by far the biggest gig I've seen them play as normally I've seen them either at the old 12 Bar Club or the 100 Club and they've always been a great support act and tonight is no different from the opening Moviestar they are in our faces adrenaline fuelled hyperactive rock & roll.
Tie Me Up In Chains raced by in a blur of guitars and attitude that was followed by the bands next single whatever it was called it sounded pretty damn fine either way. They then did a fine version of I'm Sick that was as good as I've heard them play it.
It was time for a bit of romance on I Told You To Go well as romantic as they get, it was fast and furious and really told the target of the song what they thought of her as they made the most of being on a bigger stage and moved around loads. They kept it romantic on Big Black Sack oh what it's a song about murdering someone oh well it sounded great and had a cool break down in the middle of it.
They then gave us the second clash cover of the night with a good and brash version of Guns Of Brixton that nailed the feeling of the song nicely. Seven Days went by like they thought it ought to be seven seconds as they played like they had all had a few grams of speed before going on.
I have the next song down as You Got Me Back and was a plea for redemption of sorts only in the bands normal style you're not sure how they mean it. Jack Hammer was rammed through like they had a couple of Jack Hammmer's going full speed before they had learnt how to Walk The Talk something they do very well indeed. They then did the closest thing they had to an actual love song as whatever it was it had a chorus of I Love You's spat out at the object of the bands desire.
They then closed with Common Prayer and as is normal on the bands set closer the bass player Zig C disappeared into the audience where he found himself face to face with Dave Tregunna so he flung his bass over to Dave who gamely took over and went onstage for a nifty unprepared bass solo to help bring the set to a close. Then Paul-Ronney came onstage to encourage an encore and he stayed up there to help them sing Suffragette City it was a nice good and ragged version to close another fine Witchdoktors set.
After the interlude of some weird bloke who pierced himself to some Bowie classics it was time for the Peckham Cowboys who I have been meaning to see since I reviewed there second album 10 Tales from the Gin Palace a couple of years ago. They are one of the many bands of Timo Kaltio Finnish Guitar legend who at least this time didn't fall off the stage like he did the last time I saw him playing a while back.
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They opened with Not Guilty and no matter how much swagger the singer Marc Eden had it lacked something after the previous two bands and Timo's guitar needed to be turned up a little bit. Twist & Twirl sounded ok and had some fine boogie woogie piano as did most of the set. Bromley Girls was just about sleazy enough and they had the cocky swagger to pull it off nicely.
I have the next song down as Rock senses and it did attack our senses but not quite enough it was like the rhythm section was letting them down a bit even if the drummer did look like a Zombie Dan Baird. Debt Collector was one of the strongest songs of the set and really went down well. Ain't That Something again sounded like something was missing it might have needed a stronger bass line but it was a bit flat.
Rock & Roll Star was nowhere near the best song of that title but still had enough to be pretty cool and after some cajoling the audience was persuaded to cheer enough for an encore and they did a damn good version of South London Thing. I'm glad I've finally seen them but they were the weakest band on the night.
Then after some more Bowie themed cabaret it was time for The Pukes to do there Punk rock Ukulele thing once more as ever with more members and types of Ukes than makes sense they kicked off with a very speedy version of Sheena Is a Punk Rocker that got the place going and was followed by a frenetic London City Lights to really get us going.
Last Man Standing was introduced with a joke about how we had stayed long enough to see them of course this was the point that some folks left to catch the last train home re-enforcing the point. Next up was Will I Learn off of the bands Too Drunk To Pluck album that had plenty of fun interplay going on in time for them all to scream they were Proud Of Being Me a great song of empowerment.
They then did a cool version of The Misfits I Ain't No Goddamn Son Of Bitch that seemed speedier than much of the bands already speedy songs. 453 brought out the bus spotters in the audience for a bit of a hoe down even if they were starting to sound a bit samey as they decided it was time to Talk About Jazz.
12XU was one of the highlights for me possibly as it's one of the songs I know better than the other songs they cover. Still it was very speedy and nice and spiky. Baby Baby kept thing fast and frentic as did the mass sing along on the UK Subs Teenage. Soon enough the cry went up that they were Guilty Guilty and who would argue with that. They then said it was time for some sing a-long a Discharge as let's face it State Violence State Control was always meant to be a ukulele sing along song right of course it was.
Holiday In Cambodia was rampaged through in no time at all before they got all romantic an covered The Exploited's Sex & Violence one of Punks premier love songs of course and a prefect set closer.
They came back for a swift encore of Part time Punks that sent us all off into the night with smiles on our faces having seen a great night of music even if the best two bands went on first.
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