On Friday night (21st February) I went to Hitchin to see the Bleach Boys perform at Club 85. The gig, organised by the Balstock charity as a fundraiser, saw three bands on the undercard and my favourite punk band headlining. Regular readers will know that I have written a number of Bleach Boys gig/music reviews in previous posts; in fact there is a risk that some might even think that I am an acting publicist for the band. To be clear, I am not, but I am more than happy to contribute to the cause!
All that I have penned before remains accurate so rather than repeat myself in this piece, you can read the previous articles by clicking through to them.
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/1/post/2013/08/bleach-boys-and-chron-gen-at-club-85-in-hitchin-a-gig-review.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/1/post/2013/05/the-bleach-boys-overload-and-rsi-punk-rock-with-king-billy.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-bleach-boys-and-the-horn.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-bleach-boys-a-cd-review.html
This post needs its own theme and that is going to be “a feeling of immense wellbeing”. But I’ll get to that in a moment.
Firstly a bit more about the evening; upon arrival in Hitchin, I got out of the suit that I had been trussed up in all week and donned a rugby shirt and cargo pants. I went to the gig with my close friend Mike and my sister Tina - that guaranteed good company and good music too.
The event was organised by Balstock chief, Graeme La Roche or just ‘G’ for short, who introduced the evening and fronted the band “Hostages to Smack”. Tattooed, sporting a short Mohican and wearing a stupidly-cool knitted Slayer Christmas jumper, he looked the part and is clearly a real character. His partner Rebecca ran the Balstock merchandising stall was/is also a good laugh.
The first band on stage was an outfit called Nocturnal Pirates (a Biggleswade based three piece) and I have to say that the pirates did a good job and I enjoyed the set. Sometimes the first band of the evening is the weakest link but not the case at this event.
Next on the agenda was a Stevenage band called “The Grass Is Hairy”, a weird name for a group of teenagers whose music rather failed to hold my attention. In fact after a couple of songs Mike, Tina and I headed downstairs to the bar to chat and watch the rugby. This is a complete digression but watching the Welsh outclass the French was delightful – my joy compounded on Saturday when the English beat the Irish (that’s the Six Nations thrown wide open again).
Anyway back to the stage; next up “Hostages to Smack” fronted by G. After a sound check, which turned into a lengthy palaver (and the drummer’s microphone never did get turned up), the band finally got going. To be frank the set ended up a bit disjoined and whilst there were some high points, I’ll admit that when chatting to Rebecca and John Profit (the unsung fifth Bleach Boy), I suggested the band wasn’t great and she pointed out that G was her other half – a hilarious foot in mouth moment!
By around 22:15 it was time for the Bleach Boys to start setting up and that meant my evening was about to take off. Fuelled by a number of pints of Doom Bar, my spirits were high and the weight from another week at work was falling from my shoulders.
Despite the fact that the venue had a fair contingent of teenagers present, it took an old git like me to get the dancing for the Bleach Boys underway. I use the term dancing loosely of course, barging and jumping around like a lunatic is more descriptive. I really am getting a bit long in the tooth to be doing this kind of thing.
I don’t know what I looked like, a buffoon for certain but I was having a marvellous time and I couldn’t have cared less how stupid I looked. I haven’t had so much fun, or felt so young in ages! For an hour or so I was just ridiculously happy, free of cares and living solely for the moment.
In total, the Bleach Boys set was about fifteen songs in duration and I bounced around for every tune. Others came and went from the dance floor including one attractive woman who danced with me for a while (although “Strictly” it wasn’t). Despite my slightly inebriated state, I think there was some potential for chemistry between us, although it’s more probable that I was completely wrong.
Of course nothing happened, the fact is that neither of us made any effort to make anything happen; but even the prospect that there was potential something could have, was good for my soul. I stated at the start that the theme for this piece was immense wellbeing – I still have enough stamina to dance the night away and younger women may (or may not) still find me attractive!
Blimey!
The Bleach Boys played flawlessly (even with new drummer, a chap called Mark who I was introduced to at the end of the gig), at pace, with energy, commitment, enthusiasm, humour and irreverence; if you like punk music and you haven’t made it to one of this band’s gigs then put it on your to do list.
Punk has a reputation for being the music of disaffected, angry and aggressive youth but, and here’s a revelation, the stereotype needs to be reconsidered; it can make one (even middle aged fellas like me) feel happy and on top of the world, at least while the alcohol is coursing through one’s veins.
On the subject of booze, on Saturday morning I’ll admit that I woke up feeling a little jaded, the high followed by a low of a hangover - but that was gone by 11:00am and was a small price to pay for such a good night out.
So John, Mark, Matt, Mark (and John P.) thanks for putting on a great show. I’ll look forward to seeing you all again soon.
And if anyone can remind me of the name of my female dance partner, let me know, she deserves a medal!
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All that I have penned before remains accurate so rather than repeat myself in this piece, you can read the previous articles by clicking through to them.
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/1/post/2013/08/bleach-boys-and-chron-gen-at-club-85-in-hitchin-a-gig-review.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/1/post/2013/05/the-bleach-boys-overload-and-rsi-punk-rock-with-king-billy.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-bleach-boys-and-the-horn.html
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-bleach-boys-a-cd-review.html
This post needs its own theme and that is going to be “a feeling of immense wellbeing”. But I’ll get to that in a moment.
Firstly a bit more about the evening; upon arrival in Hitchin, I got out of the suit that I had been trussed up in all week and donned a rugby shirt and cargo pants. I went to the gig with my close friend Mike and my sister Tina - that guaranteed good company and good music too.
The event was organised by Balstock chief, Graeme La Roche or just ‘G’ for short, who introduced the evening and fronted the band “Hostages to Smack”. Tattooed, sporting a short Mohican and wearing a stupidly-cool knitted Slayer Christmas jumper, he looked the part and is clearly a real character. His partner Rebecca ran the Balstock merchandising stall was/is also a good laugh.
The first band on stage was an outfit called Nocturnal Pirates (a Biggleswade based three piece) and I have to say that the pirates did a good job and I enjoyed the set. Sometimes the first band of the evening is the weakest link but not the case at this event.
Next on the agenda was a Stevenage band called “The Grass Is Hairy”, a weird name for a group of teenagers whose music rather failed to hold my attention. In fact after a couple of songs Mike, Tina and I headed downstairs to the bar to chat and watch the rugby. This is a complete digression but watching the Welsh outclass the French was delightful – my joy compounded on Saturday when the English beat the Irish (that’s the Six Nations thrown wide open again).
Anyway back to the stage; next up “Hostages to Smack” fronted by G. After a sound check, which turned into a lengthy palaver (and the drummer’s microphone never did get turned up), the band finally got going. To be frank the set ended up a bit disjoined and whilst there were some high points, I’ll admit that when chatting to Rebecca and John Profit (the unsung fifth Bleach Boy), I suggested the band wasn’t great and she pointed out that G was her other half – a hilarious foot in mouth moment!
By around 22:15 it was time for the Bleach Boys to start setting up and that meant my evening was about to take off. Fuelled by a number of pints of Doom Bar, my spirits were high and the weight from another week at work was falling from my shoulders.
Despite the fact that the venue had a fair contingent of teenagers present, it took an old git like me to get the dancing for the Bleach Boys underway. I use the term dancing loosely of course, barging and jumping around like a lunatic is more descriptive. I really am getting a bit long in the tooth to be doing this kind of thing.
I don’t know what I looked like, a buffoon for certain but I was having a marvellous time and I couldn’t have cared less how stupid I looked. I haven’t had so much fun, or felt so young in ages! For an hour or so I was just ridiculously happy, free of cares and living solely for the moment.
In total, the Bleach Boys set was about fifteen songs in duration and I bounced around for every tune. Others came and went from the dance floor including one attractive woman who danced with me for a while (although “Strictly” it wasn’t). Despite my slightly inebriated state, I think there was some potential for chemistry between us, although it’s more probable that I was completely wrong.
Of course nothing happened, the fact is that neither of us made any effort to make anything happen; but even the prospect that there was potential something could have, was good for my soul. I stated at the start that the theme for this piece was immense wellbeing – I still have enough stamina to dance the night away and younger women may (or may not) still find me attractive!
Blimey!
The Bleach Boys played flawlessly (even with new drummer, a chap called Mark who I was introduced to at the end of the gig), at pace, with energy, commitment, enthusiasm, humour and irreverence; if you like punk music and you haven’t made it to one of this band’s gigs then put it on your to do list.
Punk has a reputation for being the music of disaffected, angry and aggressive youth but, and here’s a revelation, the stereotype needs to be reconsidered; it can make one (even middle aged fellas like me) feel happy and on top of the world, at least while the alcohol is coursing through one’s veins.
On the subject of booze, on Saturday morning I’ll admit that I woke up feeling a little jaded, the high followed by a low of a hangover - but that was gone by 11:00am and was a small price to pay for such a good night out.
So John, Mark, Matt, Mark (and John P.) thanks for putting on a great show. I’ll look forward to seeing you all again soon.
And if anyone can remind me of the name of my female dance partner, let me know, she deserves a medal!
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