This show was 999's annual autumn London show and part of the bands 50 years of Punk and 999 tour, thankfully in a larger venue than the last couple of years, the Lexington was packed out for this great triple bill. Damage UK were already on by the time we got into The Lexington and Cauldron Of Fire was burning its way into the audiences' minds at a cracking pace, Brian Damage introduced Code Blue as being for all the emergency workers and it's in praise for all their hard work with some nifty guitars. Interesting Void seemed a bit speedier and Alan Davidsons guitar a bit edgier.
So Far So Good was tempting fate and thankfully survived ok being tight and good fun. Like they normally do they covered the Pretty Things classic Rosalyn sounding gruffer and dirtier than David Bowies version. Right To Protest thankfully didn't have as much fire as the french protests over the weekend but was a timely reminder that peaceful protest is always needed. They hoped we didn't have to experience the Chaos Of The Clampdown and could all live free, that only left them time for a rumble through Magazines Shot By Both Sides that packed plenty of punch and reminded me of Noko & Dave Formula's magical version at Rebellion in the summer, but without all the synths.
Next on were Acton's finest The Satellites who were more than ready to try to prevent a New Holy War by means of Alan Davidsons Hard edged guitar attack, Derek Gibbs then celebrated all the Hi Rise Hillbillies he loved to hang out with back in the day, with Alan Galaxy's drumming crucial to getting the right energy for the Last Of The Mohicans to depict the trail of tears properly in this speedy rampage. Derek apologised for any young fans who might be offended by the classic single Lucy Is A Prostitute and all her wicked ways that needed loads of bottom end from Mary's little boy Roger Millington. They took a good look at the newspapers on Windscale Boy that was hoping we might avoid a nuclear winter.
Derek took us on a west London equivalent to the Bronx nastiness of the Wanderers, while he stalked the stage and upped the intensity, delivering yesterday's news about the Sick Planet were living on, seemingly getting sicker by the day. Derek claimed The Sea was about oil wheels and his hippy past, while Roger's bassline drove this on, in time for them to get down and get funky with James Brown like a bunch of Turnham green sex machines. The horrors of war and Vietnam, being on the last helicopter out allowed Alan Davidson to strafe us with his guitar. They were all living in a Nightmare a song that in these times is so believable, before they closed with the bands legendary single Urban Gorilla that had most of the Lexington shouting Eeyore Eeyore at the band on the chorus to close a great fun set.
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Soon enough 999 came on and burst into Send Black Flowers To The Bride like a band on a mission, grabbing us all by the scruffs of our necks, while they flew through Inside Out powered on by Stuart Meadows drums and Arthur Bassicks super solid bass, They went back to the first album for Hit Me with Nick Cash leading the charge and really giving his all on vocals, while I tried to work out where the feedback squeal was coming from, probably Nicks amp. Nick then announced they were going to play a new song off the next album they are putting out next year, he introduced Ticket To Oblivion that seems to sum up the state of the world right now, with super brash guitar from Guy Days and Nick this sounded like a 999 classic in the making.
Nick put his guitar down for Feeling Alright With The Crew to make sure he could whip us all up properly to sing along to this classic while making clear that we are all part of the bands crew. Shoot took us back to footie mags of the 70's with plenty of energy, Arturo's bass really kicked Boys In The Gang along. Little Red Riding Hood still seems to fascinate Nick with his dirty grin and wink while singing it. The second new song Resolution also seems to be an advert for 999's next London gig at the Resolution Festival in January, it has some incisive guitar from Guy and immense drums from Stoo I need to hear it more to figure out the lyrics.
They are still chasing The Biggest Prize In Sport while not getting caught on the take of course. They dug deep for Last Breath that I don't remember hearing them play live, it was a good treat before the anger and bile of Lie Lie Lie and all the pain caused by the never ending lies we all hear. Let's Face It we are lucky bands like 999 are still touring, sounding this great in 2026, long may they go on. No Pity was every bit the angry screed it has always been, before Nick put his guitar down and they flew through Emergency complete with some band intros and thanks, before he picked his guitar up to close the show with Homicide that had the whole room singing along while they really went for it before Nick and the boys said goodnight and apologised that they wouldn't have time for an encore.
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