The Flat Tops Supporting Kickback Generation 25-11-2016

It was the first time we've played in this bar, but for myself and Gilley it was our first return to Boldon Colliery after 5 years, last time we played was in the crown just 5 mins away from the flat tops, long story short, it was an awful gig being our second one as a rock band who just started out!

But anyway its in the past and this is now! we all loaded in to this interesting pub on a cold November evening, with the locals drinking and a stage layout I've never seen before, vinyl records all over the walls and big bright stage lights. It seemed to me this bar loves their local music scene!

We hopped on stage ready to take off our set, with a huge Marshall rig behind me cranked up to 11 and gilleys huge bass rig cranked up aswell, we kicked off a loud set going into our usual opening song CID by UK Subs and making it loud! we had a great crowd reaction from our mixed up set of originals and covers. i think we found the best venue to play at too! Then just as the set is going good and we were nearing the end, it just had to happen, the guitar string snapped during the song "Head in the toilet" so without stopping i had to do a quick change of guitars and carry on the song from the chorus, well its what happens when you play hard and fast! (also it was caught on video which i wasn't expecting)

we blasted through the full hour set nice and loud and even got a few encores in on the end.

We finished on Rock away beach and left the stage ready for Kickback generation, it was our first time supporting them too!

Kickback generation took to the stage with their anti-consumerism set kicking off with "Profits Not Enough" a great track to hear live along with their other track "stuff" they even stuck in a short cover of UK Subs emotional black mail!

all in all the night wen't quite well even though it was really cold and my car was frozen up with ice and frost.

Be sure to check out kick back generation on facebook >>> kickback generation facebook

The Borough 18-11-2016

Well what an unusual night it turned out to be for us!

it was a cold night to start off with and the Borough was ready for the punk rock night!

with local rockers Bleach for support on the line up and from what we saw in the borough down stairs, which was a lot of punk rock fans. turned out to be a huge huge let down on the local music scene.

With only a hand full of people, came down to support bleach and ourselves on the night, and after all the work we had put in to our drummer bringing her drum kit from home, myself and mike sorting out the back line and PA system on the night. it was a let down for both bands and the local music scene.

so with the band loaded in and ready to go, Bleach set off their set of wild screaming vocals, ear piercing feedback screaming guitar and thundering drums to the small crowd. 

with a room big enough to hold 30 to 40 people only a 3rd of that was there to watch the bands play. 

Bleach finished up their set and we were in mixed emotions for tonight's set, with being used to playing crowded bars and a relaxed environment. i was quite on edge for the nights gig. i had no clue what or how anything was going to happen during that set.

we kicked off our hour long set with UK Subs CID, going through the set at 100mph in your face punk rock, but still no one showed up. So eventually the gig became a sort of intimate gig playing to the small crowd of local punkers who showed up to support both bands.

all in all is was a night of mixed emotions but still was a great night and more experience for our new young member of the group harmony who is still getting used to playing the punk gigs round the pubs and clubs.

Museum Vaults *Symbient EP Launch*

Museum Vaults *Symbient EP Launch*

Well i don't know how to start this blog off, its been a while since i wrote the last one but here it goes!

Sunday saw us take to the stage for the first time with our new drummer Harmony, with only a few rehearsals with our newest member who joined us in August, there was no pressure to show off our guns!

I was nervous for our first gig, thinking ahead on how to help our drummer during the set in case of something happens and she forgets the song or the set, but Harmony was very nervous herself, with this being her very first band and also her very first gig with a proper gigging band, we were keeping her calm and from talking her through the set and what would or could happen, i would say anything can happen so expect the unexpected!

So we took to the stage (carpet floor) in a very cramped layout with a huge PA system towering over us and a crowd of eagerly waiting punk fans and musicians waiting for us to kick it off. 

We kicked off the set with UK SUBS CID making it a loud entrance to show we're back on the scene!

going through our set list of our original songs and the odd cover and a crowd being pushed back by the volume of the band, we were on top form, with Harmony being cheered and welcomed by the young punk crowd, and flying through the set, i wasn't expecting it but we all put in 100% of hard playing that day, even had to do a encore at the end to fill out our time limit, with that song being Pretty Vacant!

all in all the day was very successful with our newest member of Spitfire Bullets she showed some amazing drumming and performing on the day. Not to forget Symbient's amazing set with them releasing their very first EP, for their final encore i joined them on stage to play a few Ramones tracks "I believe in miracles" and "Blitzkreig bop" ending on the classic track Teenage kicks!

Both Bleach and Symbient played amazing sets on the day with Raish of Bleach performing twice by stepping in on the drums for Symbient as their main drummer Jay had broken his thumb.

we have alot more gigs coming up! so keep a look out on our facebook page

The Black Bull - Supporting The Band for Disease Control and Prevention 28-05-2016

It was another one of those last minute decisions that we had on a late Friday night!
with all the guys having a free Saturday and nothing to do we needed to play a gig for the night
and behold there was an opening at our favourite punk pub the world famous Black Bull!


The Band for Disease Control and Prevention we're playing and there was no support bands confirmed for the show, until a quick phone call to shev soon sorted that out right away!!

Down at the Bull nice and early to set up our gear, we had the usual hiccups with equipment, since our good 'ol drummer hopped in the car with us, saving the journey in two cars, we could only bring what would fit in a tiny Nissan Micra, which is amazing in the list of items we actually fitted in the car. p.s google Nissan micra to see what i mean, its a 5 door one

3 Guitars in cases
1 Marshall amp
2 pedal board cases
1 merch case
1 bag of drum cymbals
1 snare
1 bass drum pedal
1 bass player
1 drummer
1 guitarist/ the driver

eventually we got sorted and kicked off a very intense 45 min long set, of blood sweat and snapping strings, kicking off with our favroite song CID by uk Subs we blasted through the set list and enjoying the view from the stage, and we could see T,B,F,D,C & P watching us perfrom and i spotted lead vocalist Marcia dancing along to our tunes! always great to see that during a show!!

coming close to the end of our set, we we're running out of songs and during the song R.A.M.O.N.E.S pop goes the string on my trusty SG, looks like my heavy strumming did it again!!
so quick guitar swap during the song and carried on, ending on the clash's White Riot!!!

old black strat had to take over for the end of the set

With our set over and sweat dripping down the side of my face, it was a good time to get off the stage and make way for the headliners T,B,F,D,C & P! which i've been wanting to see for a very long time!

they kicked off the set with a very loud track! but i missed a few of the songs during the set as there was a little issue involving a car sitting very very close to my dad's and spent most of the time looking for the owner to see if he could move it....but anyway back to the band.

T,B,F,D,C & P blasted through a great set of originals, and of course their very own version of blondie's 11:59 track which is something you must hear yourself!!

be sure to check out  The Band for Disease Control and Prevention on facebook >>> T,B,F,D,C & P

Museum Vaults 08-05-2016

Sunday's show was a very eventful one! with Support from some great local bands! Fire Lady Luck and new young punk band Symbient. this is one for the blog!!

It was a very hot Sunday which would mean a lot of thirsty people and plenty of pints going down.

I was down nice and early moving tables and chairs, while setting up the PA system ready for the bands, after hearing the PA was on the blink and blew up last time. So there was no pressure to make sure the system worked fine and nothing blew up!

soon all bands turned up and things kicked off, apart from the last min issues of missing HI hat stand and, a few repairs. Symbient kicked off their covers and original set, with the band playing fast, loud and Daniel giving it all he could on his vocals. Their main bassist had ended up in hospital from a very bad asthma attack so lewis of Fire Lady Luck stepped in on the bass to help them out, with only one day practice with them, he pulled it off well! then another issue popped up of a runaway bass drum! young jay's beatings was sending it off so with a few bricks that was fixed straight away.
with Symbient playing a great set of covers and originals they dedicated their set to their bassist who was in hospital. good on the guys!

Photo credit
Stephie Jay Budge.

Fire Lady Luck took to the stage opening their set with some tracks from their new album. some which i haven't heard before. But with blasting through a great 45 min lively set of originals from their new album and tracks from their previous albums. With Lewis changing from bass to his trusty Les Paul junior.

Photo credit

Stephie Jay Budge

Soon it was time for ourselves to take to the stage, setting up and sound checking with some help from lewis running the PA we kicked off our 45 - 1 hour set of covers and originals with our favourite opening track by UK Subs CID! going through our very long set list, blasting out our two new tracks "I Don't Remember" and "Flying Fortress" which had a great reaction from the crowd, we kept blasting through the tracks, but a gig wouldn't be a gig without the odd hiccup on the PA which was easily fixed, we soon ended our set with a few encores and a new cover we only had a rough rehearsal on, which was none other than white riot by the Clash! And finally ending our set with a fast punktastic cover of House of the Rising sun!

all in all Sunday's gig was very eventful with the sun out and a good all round feeling chatting to various friends and making new friends on the day, it was a great show!

big thank you to Symbient and Fire lady luck for performing some great songs 

check them out on Facebook and give them a like!
Fire Lady Luck

Symbient