buzzcocksfan: Barb Wire Dolls + The Filth + The Approved + 57. Westgarth Social Club. 21.05.17.

Promoted by Stephen Harland / Down By The Jetty Promotions.

Four bands for eight quid. Bargain right? Well not if they’re all crap. Fortunately tonight’s line-up is anything but crap and the gig might even end up in my top ten of the year.

First up are 57. A late addition to the event and on stage at 7.15. So glad I made the effort to get here early. 57 will be remembered as one of the best opening acts I’ve ever seen. Based in South Korea this two piece features guitarist JunHong Yun (Jun) and drummer Seol Kim (Snow). From the moment they step on stage and launch into opening number ‘Making Fire’ we get nothing but ferocious energy. Hugely influenced by punk, garage, new wave their sound and stage presence is captivating. Powerful, grungy, loud. Infectious drumbeats and wicked guitar riffs take us through their short (too short) five song set. ‘Enemy’, ‘Turn Off My Brain’ - infectious beats and guitar that grab you and don’t let go. ‘Cold Face’ – moments of gentleness, swinging beats and wonderful noise. Captivating. Finishing with ‘U & I’, four minutes of banging drum beats, slashing guitar and gritty vocals from 2014’s self titled ep it’s been a superb opening set that’s left me hoping I get to see them again. Soon.

June 2017 sees the release of 57’s debut full length album ‘Like Seething Lava’.

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Do the blues belong at a punk rock gig? They do when it’s the sort of blues delivered by The Approved. Heavy, rocky blues played by the 2^nd duo of the night. Rock steady beats from drummer Darren Moore back the howling vocals, guitar playing and non-stop movement of front man Timothy Oxnard. It’s loud, it’s danceable, it’s rock n roll, it’s blues, it holds your attention and it never becomes self-indulgent. And that’s all a good thing. By the end of their set the audience has grown in number and the appreciation of this clearly talented duo by those lucky enough to catch their set is obvious.

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The Approved

By the time The Filth take to the stage the crowd has swelled considerably. They’re regulars at this venue (and others in the area) and it’s a big credit to them that they never disappoint. Delivering proper old school punk rock that’s as relevant now as it was 40 years ago. It’s a shorter set than that delivered a couple of weeks ago when supporting Spear Of Destiny but that doesn’t dull the audience appreciation for a band who tell it like it is with real attitude and great tunes. Highlights include new song ‘T Town’, ‘Revolution.Com’, ‘Punks N Skins’ and the brilliant finish to their set that is ‘Rise Of The Mods’. Energy, power, punk, pop. It’s all here in a 30 minute set that packs a punch and makes you glad you were here.

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The Filth

Barb Wire Dolls walk on to a packed out venue. It’s sold out and it’s easy to see why. Whilst Pyn Doll, Krash Doll, Iriel Blaque and Remmington open things with some atmospheric tuning up Isis Queen strolls through the crowd and gets on stage. Opening with ‘Heart Attack’ from this moment on it’s none stop full on punk rock and a set that spans their career. ‘Walking Dead’ and ‘Revolution’ from 2012’s Slit are in your face loud, thrashy, shouty noise. Grungy Nirvanaesque songs that scream attitude. ‘Blind To Your Misery’, ‘Take Me Home’, ‘Surreal’, ‘Darby Crash’ and the sublime ‘I Will Sail’ from 2016’s Desperate sound great. Somehow more tuneful than their early output the songs are certainly more modern punk but still full of meaning and relevance. New album Rub My Mind is released in June and tonight sees ’Call Me’, ‘If I Fall’, ‘Hole Of isolation’, ‘Contract’, ‘Where Mountains Drink The Wine’, ‘We Are Champions’ and the brilliantly political ‘Back In The USSA’ delivered from it. Now I know a load of these tracks can be heard via sites such as YouTube but it takes guts to have almost half your set made up of songs from an as yet unreleased album. The Westgarth crowd lap them up and if tonight is anything to go by Rub My Mind deserves to sell by the truckload. Barb Wire Dolls sound fantastic. Crashing drums, guitar riffs that get right inside you and a bass rhythm that is tight. Punk rock with a hint of melodic metal (if there is such a thing). But it’s not just the sound and the songs. Barb Wire Dolls are a visual feast (and a photographers dream). Pyn stripped to the waist giving his guitar a real thrashing, bass player Iriel with the occasional grin that clearly states she’s enjoying this gig and rhythm guitarist Remmington oozing confidence moving around, delivering backing vocals and hammering her guitar on the raised ‘shelf’ stage left. Throughout all this Isis Queen bounces back and forth like it’s the last gig she’ll ever play. Whether she’s crouching in front of the drums, jumping around with arms in the air, singing inches away from the faces at the front of the crowd or rallying them to join in with songs she’s a mesmerising front person that doesn’t take any time to slow down until after the final note of final song ‘World On Fire’.

Tonight was one of those nights when you’re really glad you went out. I’ve already been to some great gigs in 2017. This one will remain in the top few at the end of the year.

Rub My Mind is released on June 16^th.

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Loads more photos here here and here