This is the final Xmas gig of the year for me and what a gig, with a brilliant line-up brought to us by Human Punk who I thank for sorting out the list and putting on this top night.
Once we'd managed to get in having heard the first three or four songs of the Witchdoktors set by the ticket office, Planet Andy was introducing the classic No Pain No Gain that the ripped though at top speed with some super nifty guitar from Tony Major. Next up was the monster riffing of Jack Hammer driven into our brains with Guest bassist Ben's bassline thumping into our guts.
Andy tried to put a Spanner In The Works but even with a makeshift line-up they were super tight, Andy made clear that the state of the world was leaving us all in a Planet Of Pain. They got a good skank going for Freedom Fighter that had just enough Clash to really get everyone going. Black Sack was dark lyrically but still immense fun being played like this.
They all looked like they were having a blast on Keep On Running they made clear they want us all to keep on rocking in 2025 and beyond. Andy always has his Voodoo Eye on us, before they closed this joyride of a set with Before The War that nailed the bands flag to the cross, making clear why they are still an essential live band who I look forward to seeing again soon.
During the break the Human Punk DJ's played a set of classic Reggae ahead of the return to the London stage for the first time in years of General Saint, now performing without Clint Eastwood, this was a classic Jamaican toasting set, with General Saint singing over dub-plates, he opened with A Rocky Road that was nice and bouncy, he seemed amazed to be back on stage in London.
Talk About Run sounded familiar and as most of the General Saint tunes I own are on compilations, I may own it, I do know he was making me thing of my old Jamaican Spar Bill Belafonte who had a tale or two about this Queens Park legend. He introduced Babylon Your Wrong in a way to make clear not to believe everything the government says, he did some fine bogling to this choon.
While he may not have won everyone over, I was really enjoying this set and Soldier carried a crucial message to not get caught up in too much nonsense.
He told us that he'd left the music industry and was now making Computer games but for tonight it was time to Bounce Back Again the dubplate sounded pretty fine for his toasting. He said he was sad at how things had gone in Jamaica before he sang Recruit making clear that you should avoid being recruited into the wrong sort of gang.
He closed his set with two great fun covers first was Stop That Train that was a big hit for him back in the day, he took Sister Rosetta Tharpe to the dancehall, before closing this great fun set with a great sing along version of Reggae Don Neil Diamonds I'm A Believer that got loads of us skanking and bogling along to it.
After some more Reggae classics from the Human Punk dj's it was time for the mighty sounds of Ruts DC who opened with Faces In The Sky and sounded as tight as they always do, After Segs had welcomed us all and wished us a merry Christmas they went into a heavy version of S.U.S that got everyone singing along with them. Segs then dedicated You're Just A… to all the politrickians as Leigh Heggarty's guitar seared with intensity.
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It Was Cold was a song for the season and David Ruffy's drums were spot on as they were all night long. Mighty Soldier had one of Segs's heaviest basslines and got loads of us skanking to it. Segs cautioned us all not to be a Back Biter the bitter twisted lyrics took aim at all the people talking behind our backs.
Too Much was one thing no one at this gig would have claimed for this set, they were so tight it was great to watch the synergy onstage. Both Segs and Ruffy told us how much West One means to them, it was the last song recorded with Malcolm Owen and how hard it was being told by the bands label that they needed to promote the song. These days it is welcomed as the total classic it is, even better that they were playing in West One.
Bound In Blood is what they have been for 45 years now and the wonderful connection they also have with the band's audience is plain to see, this was rip roaring. Segs asked if there was any Counterculture left? He encouraged us all to continue to be a part of it. Mind Control was as heavy as can be with some great fills from Ruffy against Legh's sizzling guitar.
Jah War went down a total storm as it should before they slowed things down a touch for Poison Games, they then went deep for a great rambunctious take on Criminal Mind. Segs did his normal intro about Kill The Pain being another song about heroin, but it still sounded fresh and poignant, we all so often need something to Kill The Pain.
Segs and Ruffy were looking round for someone to blame before they blasted through Something That I Said, while they were thankful that they were getting near the end of the set and saw the place go mental for In a Rut before closing the set with the evergreen hit Babylon's Burning a perfect close to a devastatingly great set.
They came back for the inevitable encore that opened with the bands most recent classic Pretty Lunatics that is now a total live classic and this version was good and punchy in the right places. Staring At The Rude Boys had most of us singing and dancing along to it. Psychic Attack came across as an almost hardcore punk assault on our senses, before they closed the night with Society making clear you don’t know too much about me. This was a near perfect set from a band that always deliver.
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