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| MANGLED CHOCKING SUSAN RUST 3CR GIRLFIXER FIGHTING IN SOMEONES HOUSE Swinging Sporran, Birmingham UK August 4th 2009 The Swinging Sporran is fast becoming the latest city centre punk hangout for Birmingham. This time a "Night of Punk Rock" on a drizzly summers evening was more than a welcome respite. As is the norm these days, this gig was put on by those heart resuscitation ambassadors of punk the... 'Punks Alive Collective' in this prelude to the big Blackpool Rebellion festival taking place in 3 days time. After last years downpour I wasn't even slightly tempted to hit the North West once more, so made the trip from my Wolverhampton wasteland in the vein hope of witnessing a rare back from the dead, Dead Wretched warm up set. Having missed their recent performance at the old Wharf. My last sighting was as far back as the early 80's at Digbeth. Gotta say they were probably my fave punk band from these parts since Suburban Studs after getting the classic 'No Hope For The Wretched' EP many moons ago. However a few days previous there were rumours on the net of a no show, so still no hope for me and anyone else who come for those dulcet tones off Bill Idiot or Bazz's buzz saw rifferama. Not really sure why they didn't p lay, no-one I asked seemed to know either? Must've been conserving their energy for Rebellion? Anyway to cut a long story short I'd already booked the night off work so it was left to Chocking Susan, Detroits latest punk rock exports to show us what we were missing and was more than a sizzling alternative. I'm accompanied tonight by Kaz (from Stafford) who was/is an early 80's punkette and well into Dead Wretched aongst others from that era. She even used to come to gigs with (Stench) in the mad, bad old days, where violence, snot and all sorts of other obnoxiousness behaviour were afoot. She's been dipping her Dr Martin boot into a few lower key punk gigs and enjoying herself and has started to appreciate the hidden gems that lurk out there in today's new breed of punk. You can almost feel the punk surge crawl all over her once more as she tells me of her drive up to Blackpool on Friday to catch a few bands and driving all through the night back in time to catch her beloved Leeds Utd who are playing the next day... phewww! Tonight it was purely punk entertainment in all its ugliness that lured us in and has bought us all here from all corners of the globe. Dave Decadent our genial blonde spiky haired host greets us as we descend into the Sporrans murky depths where all tonight's action was taking place. He's accompanied by Waddy who has a video camera to film some of the events about to unfold. It's a fiver for the service and seems actually busier for a Tuesday night than I was anticipating. The bands and their entourage out number the paying customers at this early stage and most are secreted around the venue eyeing up the rivals waiting to make their move. The downstairs bar is shut and bands are still arriving as I trudge upstairs to get a round of drinks in. My only real concern about this latest venue in Brums revolving door of punk bastions, is it can be difficult for parking up and unloading gear. Wonder if that's why bands pull out? But for punters like me or you its a plumb location. Future gigs are being booked as we speak which is a healthy sign for the Brummy punk scene. The action begins with first band on, local outfit Fighting In Someone's House. I ain't seen these since 2004 when they'd first got together. Not sure about members? But singer PK is the continuous theme and slimmed down and lean these days. He looked sufficiently set and primed for his on-stage performance minutes away. This geezer has more hyped up energy than a drugs den full of cocaine addicts or playground full E. drenched kids. Running from the stage area bawling into a mic and jumping up on the tables of the shocked surrounding audience and back again was a sight for sore eyes. He done this for practically all of their set and is a candidate for hyper activity or just a camera man's nightmare. But hilariously entertaining. What they lack in subtlety and finesse they more than make up for in energy. Definitely the most in your face singer your likely to see for a while. The band seem to be in it for fun with no pretensions and are quite happily playing on as their lead singer does his level best to scare the audience. His trek became a sort of run way and not once did I see a splash of beer spilt from his nimble Dr Martin foot weave. F.I.S.H. seem to be a perpetual support band which is probably inevitable with hilarious songs titles like...'Jeff's Been Sectioned', 'Grab A Granny' and 'Dwarf Porn'. And the one about sexual gadgets complete with the "whoo whoo" chorus has to be heard. If you don't take your punk too seriously F.I.S.H. are always a good warm up. And as luck would have it the downstairs bar was NOW open! I was told that Dragster and the another novel sounding band None Of Your Fucking Business were also missing from tonight's bill. So it was left for us to gaze at the very slick looking Girlfixer from Nottingham. Who surprisingly add some Janis Joplin with a strong Brody Armstrong vocal rrrrrasp to tonight's diverse array of sounds. I'd heard a lot about Girlfixer on the net who boast a two boy/two girl line-up featuring a really powerful girl drummer and a singer whose got a striking photogenic appearance. If you cast your minds back very similiar to Anne Marie from Skeletal Dance in looks. The guys in the band are bearded (arrrghhhhh) and irrelevant image wise but very good musicians, offering a tight metallic punk sound. They've had a fair amount of zine coverage over the past couple of years but this being my first sighting aurally and visually leaves a lasting impression. Gotta say they sound very competent and with the confident looking singer in Natalie you could almost imagine them gracing the pages of Kerrang in the not too distant future. They're the youngest band on here tonight which may account for no real audience banter, but resplendent in her red Rancid top there's a definite aura about 'em and they were the first to create an audience in the awkwardly shaped stage area. Their sound is powerful hardcore with some ever present metallic edges which suits Natalie's raw delivery. But I can see them veering away from the punk scene towards a more metallic market as the Mohawks go and the coverage somewhat enhanced. A band like this with more big anthems would slay all in their wake, but they don't seem to be into that mode and aim for a more complex approach with the emphasis on bass solos and that stop/start guitar sound which just don't have the same impact. Although 'Regret This' comes very close as their best track. They've just recorded a new 7 track EP and with an extensive gigging regime will be playing somewhere near you soon! From sexy to ugly 3CR are on next. The trio of Mancs who look like they just stepped outta a detoxification unit ain't really my favourite band at all. But credit where credits due, they seem to be a lot of peoples idea of a good band to watch here tonight. So what would I know? I just can't see the attraction myself. The jokes seem laboured, the songs don't do it for me, but you can appreciate the musicianship is still tight, which is their best asset. A few years back they seemed to be playing every toilet from John O' Groats to Lands End, but the recession is hitting punk hard and venues are closing or opting for the SAFER covers/tribute acts. Maybe that's why we ain't heard of 3CR gigging quite so much? Or could that be coz they sound exactly the same as when they were last in Brum? No major progression, no suprises just the same old piss stained rug. Dunno if they played their best tune 'Oldhams Burning' but I did recognise the other stand out track 'I fell In Love With A Minger' as I was ordering a pint and even spotted the choreographed fingered salute. The giant singer Boggy still looks like Oliver Hardy with a red Mohawk and still has the Betty Boo bass. But I doubt, the novelty aspect of a second rate Macc Lads tribute could pull in punters for much longer? But I spose there's always the eternal support slot that needs filling on these kinda punk bills. Lots of liggers here tonight...spot 2 Drongo's, and one GBH who tells me their new album is being produced by Rancid and coming out on Hellcat Records. Oh and Spain's Viki Vortex and even a Spurt were amongst the bar horde. Rich Lard ex Dogshit Sandwich was singing the praises of the new Runnin Riot album, which I totally agree with (review up soon). I did spot Midge Diabolik Brum's premier punk gig snapper who was busy taking pix, and kindly offered some shots for this review. So cheers mate, a Snakebite will be on its way next time. For trivia freaks: ex GBH drummer Wilf now drives football hoolies to Blues matches and the reclusive Becca Puke and a GBH have been spotted out and about round town. There was probably more gossip and innuendo but im too old to finger the kids lol. Back to the music. Next on were Rust first of tonight's international punk rock acts who had bought a hefty but well behaved skinhead presence to the proceedings. They came all the way from Sydney, Australia not for the Ashes but to play Rebellion and do a short UK tour in the process. They had the menace of a skinhead outfit but supply rowdy raging street punk rock with a dose of early 80's Black Flag. The singer takes on a quasi Henry Rollins stage presence along with occasional 70's overdoses from vet Aussie punk guitarist DD Black. Rust entertained the audience with quite a large following in attendance having played Kent, Stoke, Leeds, Brighton and Crawley before hitting Brum and seemed to be worthy of our attention. The lead singer Gazz had a massive 4 pint jug of lager to keep him lubricated during the tight set, and looks set to be gracing fanzine covers once he hits a bigger stage. Rust have all the swagger of Australia with a devil may care attitude which I quite like. And if the music and that just walked in off the street stage presence can back it up (which it did) its a great new import for these shores and im sure they did their best to conquer. Best band so far. By now the Sporran was comfortably full as Chocking Susan who had been making camp by the bar take the stage. I think everyone in here tonight including members of Rust (some of whom were in the front rows) realised they were in for something special. I wondered if the only American band on the bill would disappoint or turn out to be lamer than the car industry back home. But these Michigan misfits are definitely neither of those. They supply us with a 12 song set that from the off with 'Waste My Time' you knew you were in for sleazy ride Detroit style. Colleen Caffeine the charming front woman complete with red hair, lepard skin tattoos and a Michigan drawl is dressed liked she just come off the trailer park outside MC5's HQ circa 1970. She was flamboyant, vulnerable, sultry and zany all within a breath. And this 36 year old could give any of the punk rock vamps a run for their money. All the X factor any of smarmy Simon Cowells fabricated hopefuls could ever muster was loaded into one of her stack heels. The tunes they despatched are definitely Detroit in sound and origin. The delivery is more energetic than Destroy All Monsters and less frantic than say Texas Terri. Who you could mistake for Colleen's older sister. This mid paced punk combination will secure their stake in punk rock. Its quite rare on this kinda bill to see a band who can deliver authentic punk without sounding jaded. Miss Caffeine also owns the best pair of legs since Niagara Falls and dances around the stage like the spaced out bird outta Daisy Chainsaw pulling her hair. My only real gripe was her vocals were a little low to really make it a killer show. I think the sound-man could've pumped her up a bit more as she was sometimes lost in the mix of the powerhouse power of the big hefty Jocks playing behind her. However with a heroine like her you just knew she was gonna steal the show from everyone's grasp as she got down on all fours and starts howling like a dog and crawling around the floor as the band unleash an impressive version of Iggy's mesmerising 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'. I love the nihilistic vibe they create and the subject matter of their own numbers covers a wide sweep of human failings and quirky malfunctions. From broken relationships to silicone implants, Anorexia and Dolly Parton. They end with 'Punker' that's berates the poseur in us all. I bought the t-shirt, I got the CD prior to seeing 'em play live and now Birmingham has. I hope you do too coz they certainly show Detroit ain't no spent force in spewing out inventive punk. Colleen is such a down to earth girl even when I ignorantly asked her if her name was Susan? She replied..."no honey, but you can call me that it you want?" lol. They went off to cheers!!! Didn't fancy Mangled's task to close tonight's proceedings following such a strong set. And it was 5 minutes till my last train was due to leave, so we had to make a quick exit and speed walk to the station missing Mangled's GBH inspired barrage. Last I heard Chocking Susan went down well at Rebellion...errr how could they not? Words: PETER DON'T CARE Photos: MIDGE DIABOLIK |
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