This show was not only Vive Le Rocks 15th Birthday party but also the last gig I went to in my fifties and is now also the first gig review I'm writing in my sixties, what a way to close another great decade of gigs.
We had intended to arrive in time for the opening act Split Dogs but due to the 3 train lines we would usually use being shut and we ended up getting to the gig by bus, we arrived in time for the last 20 seconds of Split Dogs set sadly.
Our disappointment didn't last too long, Knock Off who were on second soon blew away our frustration with TFL, with a good punchy set that opened with One Life with its singalong chorus and controlled aggression. Andy then dedicated Are You Offended to all the keyboard warriors out there getting their t-shirts in a twist, Knock Off are happy to offend you any time you like.
Last Man Standing was played super-fast and had most of the audience chanting along with them, This Ain't No Love Song just made clear they are proper skinheads, with no time for getting too nice, another relationship has gone to hell. Football Beer & Punk Rock is the bands credo and seemingly most of the audiences, Andy had a pop at any gooners in the house.
We Are Proud had loads of fist pumping for this working class anthem, they know they are going to have to work their Fingers To The Bone no silver spoons in this place. This Is Who We Are makes the point succinctly as everyone yelled Oi Oi Oi don't give a fuck about you along with them and the brash guitar.
Lowerarchy is in praise of those who know they will never reach the upper echelons and if they have enough for a few beers and a roof over there heads they will be ok. They closed as always with Jack The Ripper that was super speedy and full of bile.
Next on were Vive Le Rocks in house band Desperate Measures with the bands newest signing Mauro Venegas on lead guitar they were a bit glammier than normal, they opened with Back To The Rat that had it's normal level of bonhomie and Eugene barking out the lyrics. Sublime Destruction had a few extra guitar twists to last time I saw them. The Richtual was driven along by Phil Roadkill's full-on bass and James Sherry's driven beats as the bile was heaped on the billionaire class.
Eugene was preparing us for World War 3 on Enjoy The Ride in far more subtle ways than any of our politicians manage. They then took us back to the band's roots in New Zealand for 1984 that was hardcore angsty, unlike Seven Sisters that was covered in glitter by Mauro's shimmering guitar. Scars & Memories sounded as battered and bruised as it should do.
They closed the bands set by bringing up Gizz Butt on extra Guitar and Andy Turner from the Instigators and Kit Swing from Bite Me on backing vocals for a good louche rumble through I Wanna Be Your Dog that lacked the fire that Iggy sang it with on Wednesday.
Next on were Maid Of Ace the 4 Elliott sisters for a ram raid set that opened with Disaster Of Noise and just pummelled at our brains like we were right in there way and Alison's vocal yelps got more guttural especially on Monster as Amy and Abby really went for it. They made clear why they have The Terror cloaked as it is in hardcore punk.
They certainly had no time for any Nostalgia and were blowing any cobwebs away with the full-on Bone Deth before they closed with the bands anthemic Made In England.
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Soon enough it was time for Ruts DC who opened with Faces In The Sky that was a bit slower than usual, but they kicked up a gear on Something That I Said as Segs bass drive things on, Poison Games had a wicked guitar solo from Leigh Heggarty and David Ruffy's spot on drumming. West One Shine On Me had a cheeky intro from Segs as this classic got everyone singing and dancing along to it.
Born Innocent had a good dubby edge while Segs told us all about mind control a song that seem more relevant than ever. Jah Wars had most of the audience skanking along to this classic. Segs then told us this would be the last show Dave Ruffy would be playing with his original knee, he is about to have it replaced so he can become the bionic drummer and won't need to Kill The Pain with so many pills.
Staring At The Rude Boys was a huge great sing along with some spirited guitar. In A Rut is really a perfect song for the 2020's and this went down a storm before they closed with Babylon's Burning that only left us wanting much more from the always brilliant Ruts DC.
That only left time for tonight's headliners Cock Sparrer the bunch of long haired Herbert's who were chased onstage by the Riot Squad, the place went nuts. Watch your Back was shouted along to with loads of fist pumping like the band were still callow youths rather than the mature gents they are.
Working kept the guitars nice and brutal, before Colin showed his more tender side on With My Hand On My Heart it was about as tender as a Glasgow kiss mind, the mosh pit just seemed to grow. What's It Like to Be Old is a song that they know all about know they are a bunch of older gents.
One By One was played at a thousand miles an hour and sounded colossal, I guess the next song was Never Be One as this got more rambunctious by the song, everyone joined in on Here We Stand one of the bands more monumental anthems.
Because Your Young has more nostalgia to it that it did when they originally wrote it. Take 'Em All is a battle cry to tear down all the politicians and idiots trying to run the world and played like the world class bruisers they are.
They paid homage to those lost along the way on Where Are They Now that was properly beefy. Suicide Girls had one of the biggest pits of the night, with everyone singing along. Colin then paid tribute to Mickey Fitz and everything he did for the scene, before the whole place shouted along to England Belongs To Me before they closed the show with We're Coming Back an anthem for any band that has stayed the course and is still touring over 50 years since they formed. This was yet another classic brilliant event put on by Vive Le Rock magazine long may they run.
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