SHOOTING FISH
Upon arrival at the Barn local act Shooting Fish were already on stage, blasting they’re way through a punk version of Don Henley’s classic “Boys of Summer” – a track I’ve heard other so called punk bands attempt, but it has to be said that Shooting Fish do it better.
I may have missed half their set but it was a good way to start the evening, not just the cover but the female led vocals of Shooting Fish being backed throughout with a solid rhythm section too.
MATT BLACK AND THE EMULSIONS
Hearing these guys sound check I thought it was going to be messy, and that I’d have to give them kudos based on the name alone, but luckily when it came to playing they were far more than just an amusing band name.
Hailing from Brighton, these guys had fantastic stage presence feeding off the duel vocals as they played ska-punk tunes filled with energy. The likes of “Raise it up” getting the crowd going, and whilst a couple of newer numbers may not have gone as they planned I don’t think anyone noticed or would have particularly minded.
There were various influences on offer here but with reggae and ska often being a natural mix providing great skanking numbers similar to that of bands such as Rancid, then adding some more aggressive hard core numbers with the lead vocalist rolling around the floor and Matt Black and the Emulsions were a definite highlight to the night.
THE SPORADICS
Keeping the skanking going Bournemouth based Sporadics have the ska-punk combination well and truly sussed, “Truth and Rights” for example being the perfect balance of running on the spot music with anti-establishment lyrics, along with “Freaks” being dedicated to those of us who have been shouted at in the streets for not conforming to the norm.
The Sporadics slow it down a bit for “Hard Times”, a dub infused track complete with stunning guitar solo, before they get the crowd moving again by transforming Toots and the Maytals classic “Monkey Man” into the appropriately titled “Crusty Man”, ending the Sporadics set in good humour and the bands “Hear it is” album has hardly left my stereo since.
FOREIGN LEGION
Last minute replacement to Roughneck Riot, Welsh punks Foreign Legion complimented the ska music with some more down to earth loud shouty punk – much of which came with either a back story or the obligatory anti-government ranting, which with tunes about poverty and lack of jobs etc being just as relevant now as when the band were originally around back in the eighties.
In contrast to the Foreign Legion classic sounding “There Aint No Punks” chanting about the lack of punks in their town, they were however definitely out in force in our city tonight as several joined Foreign Legion on stage for backing vocals to a well-executed cover of the Clash’s “White Riot”, bringing another great punk night at the Milton Arms Barn to a close.
Here’s to the next one – the punk weekender next month in June.
Mr Teeth
http://mattblackandtheemulsions.co.uk/
