Another 40 gigs...

The rules. Following on from the first 50 gigs post. Time to follow up with a further 40 gigs that spring into my head - in no order specific order of brilliance - although...

1) The CTMF - Koko (AKA Music Machine) - 2018. As part of a gig to celebrate 30 years of Damaged Goods records. Wild Billy Childish, Nurse Julie & Wolf Howard played a truly uplifting and suitably spirited set that brought the house down. Highlight - A cover of Hendrix's Fire...

2) Paul Weller - Sydney Opera House - 2017. The first of three nights was a truly joyous experience, don't think I've ever seen Weller quite so happy and comfortable on stage. Highlight - Have you ever had it blue...

3) Graham Day and The Gaolers - Lexington - 2018. I've managed to see Mr Day in a few different guises, first time with the Gaolers and suitably pugnacious. Highlight - Seeing the whisky bottle being passed around...

4) The Galileo 7 - Garage Islington - 2016. Punchy psych garage guitar pop (or variations thereof). Supporting Ebbot Lundberg and the Indigo Children and quite frankly, stealing the show. Highlight - The bouncing bassist...

5) The Pop Group - Komedia. Messrs Stewart and Sager delivering a blistering evening of dub, funk/punk. Happy night in the darkest of days. Highlight - Being passed the microphone to sing 'Where there's a will, there has got be a way"...

The Specials - Enmore Theatre
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Chords - Richmond Pub
Chalk Horse Music - Towner Art Gallery
The The - Sydney Opera House
Johnny Marr - Enmore Theatre
Billy Bragg - Manning Bar
A Certain Ratio - Islington
Blur - Hyde Park
Richard Hawley - De La Warr Pavilion
Nick Heyward - Concorde 2
The Style Council - Southampton
Stormzy - Enmore Theatre
Ben Watt - The Basement
Purple Hearts - The Lyceum
Wire - Sydney Arts Theatre
French Boutik - 100 Club
The Fallen Leaves - Hope and Anchor
Martin Stephenson and the Daintees - Town and Country Club
The Fall - Garage Islington
The Jesus and the Mary Chain - Sydney Opera House
Echo and the Bunnymen - Top Rank
Arctic Monkeys - Homebush
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleroes - The Astoria
Robyn Hitchcock - Social Club
Run DMC/Public Enemy - Brighton Conference Centre
The fReds - Sydney Opera House
Massive Attack - Steps of the Sydney Opera House
Martin and Eliza Carthy - Hailsham
Animal Nightlife - Ace Cinema Brixton
PIL - Enmore Theatre
Dexy's - Enmore Theatre
Morrissey - Paris
The Damned - Enmore Theatre
Linton Kwesi Johnson - CND March

The Fall

The first time I heard them was on 'City Hobgoblins', the b-Side of 'How I wrote Elastic Man'. I can't recall how come I'd managed to by the single in the first place. It must (almost certainly) have been via John Peel.

Spiders know these things 
Gremlins know these things
Tap, tap, tap, tap
You think it's the pipes
But who turns on the lights?
Our city hobgoblins
Our city hobgoblins
Ubu le Roi is a home hobgoblin 
And at nights all ready
Our city hobgoblins
Our city hobgoblins
Infest my home at night
They are not alright
Ten times my age
One-tenth my height
Our city hobgoblins
Our city hobgoblins
Buzz of the all-night mill
Ah but evil
Emigres from old green glades
Pretentious, eh?
Our city hobgoblins
Our city hobgoblins
They'll get yer
So Queen Victoria
Is a large black slug in Piccadilly, Manchester
Our city hobgoblins
Our city hobgoblins
And they say
We cannot walk the floor at night in peace
At night in peace

They have been a part of my life ever since then. On and off, off and on. For a fortnight once a year, every year, I only listen to The Fall. Friends, family and neighbours know to give me a wide berth during those two particular weeks.

I own pretty much every studio album they've made (and they have made a hell of a lot). I've seen them live a few times. In fact they've played twice in Sydney in the last 18 months and... This is the point I suppose I'm trying to make. I am worried, I'm always worried...

The Fall played at the Metro Theatre here in Sydney on Wednesday night and the core band were great. Greenway is a brilliant guitarist and the rhythm section are astonishing. Elena on keyboards took her coat on and off a few times, played a few neat riffs but was so low in the mix. However, that all paled behind my concern over Mark E Smith. Of course I know better than to expect, "and here's the title track off our latest LP" etc but he just seemed so utterly shot. I hope it was a combination of jet lag and one lager shandy too many but I suspect not.

But anyway...

It was unforgettable all the same.

No Respects / Venice with the Girls / I'm Not from Bury / Wise Old Man / Dedication Not Medication / First One Today / Hittite Man > Junger Cloth / Pledge // Theme from Sparta F.C. // Auto Chip 2014-2016 // I've Been Duped (w/o MES)

Teenbeats

Hastings' finest, the Teenbeats formed in 1979 their line up was - Huggy Leaver (vocals), Ken Copsey (lead guitar), Paul Thomas (rhythm guitar, vocals), Eddie Mays (bass), and Dave Blackman (drums).

The Teenbeats were one of the better bands on Britain's late '70s mod revival scene. Their timing was impeccable, making their debut just as the mod revival was gathering steam -- they further fired up the movement with a fine cover of the Troggs' 60's hit "I Can't Control Myself", and followed this up with the even better self-penned "Strength Of A Nation". Safari released both 45's, however ,neither single made a real impact on the UK charts but they did score a hit in Canada.

Teenbeats had the attitude, the look and by far away the best button badge/logo! They snarled away at the punky end of the mod sound but sadly they never recorded a complete LP. However, their songs made it onto many a mod revival compilation. Including; 'Uppers On The South Downs' & 'Mod City'. Most recently Castle Records' released 2003 Mod Revival Generation: Time For Action.

Live they were a very different proposition to their tamer studio sound. Huggy (ex lead singer of semi legendary punk combo The Plastix) was a hugely charisamtic front man and his sheer force of personality would often galvanise even the most reluctant audience into a frenzy. Normally, that was not an issue though as the Hastings/Eastbourne Mods were a pretty vocal mob and needed no encouragement to roar along with the band. I was fortunate enough to see them a fair few times and apart from when they ruled the roost on Hastings Pier, their best gig was at The Dublin Castle, supported by The Lambrettas. They blew the place apart. Fantastic!

Rumour has it that a reformation is in the offing. It's just a pity that Hastings Pier is no longer there to host it!

Small point of interest. Huggy went on to appear in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels as one of the other 'firm'. Not a lot of people know that!