Simon Kelly Memorial Concert In November last year I wrote a piece about the passing of Simon Kelly, the long-time front man of my favourite punk band, the Bleach Boys.
RIP Simon Kelly
I reprise that post because on the evening of 1st April 2016, Simon’s band mates headlined a fundraising gig at Club 85 for his family, friends and fans. The first was of course April Fools’ Day and though the gig took place after 12pm, there was still plenty of scope for fooling around – which was kind of appropriate bearing in mind that Simon was legendary for this when he took to the stage.
Obviously I went to the gig and I can report that it was brilliant and a fitting memorial; if you are interested, you can read all about it.
Over the last few decades, Club 85 in Hitchin has been a regular venue for the Bleach Boys, I have lost count of how many times I have seen the band perform there. So the date was spot on and in terms of a choice of location for a send-off, Club 85 was just right too.
On the undercard for the evening were Sarah Pink, Mighty Collider and Monkish.
But it was when the Bleach Boys began that Club 85 really started to come alive, the place suddenly packed. During the set, old photographs of the band featuring Simon Kelly were beamed on to the back wall, it was a moving reminder to everyone present that we were all there to celebrate a life.
The set list as follows:
The moshing started with track one (damn well proving that we weren't just a bunch of cants) and I was in the thick of it from the get go until the end (over an hour of looking more like an idiot than usual...and hot and sweaty with it too). Whilst I am really too old for this kind of nonsense, my view (and that no doubt shared by my fellow wreckers) was that it wouldn’t have been right without the dancing. We all owed it to Simon’s family and the band to make sure that the gig was as exuberant as possible.
I went with an old school buddy and met another one that I hadn’t seen in 25 years. It was amusing to mosh with a few of the same guys I moshed with when I was a teenager.
Even as I write this piece, I am still bruised (yellow) from the outing and I even have a carpet burn from one of the occasions that I ended up on the deck. On the bright side, it was a great work out, I am glad I still have enough stamina to cope with the demands and it was damn fine fun.
Despite the existence of a mosh pit in front of the stage, the gig was poignant, respectful (no one got hurt), funny in places and the most family orientated punk event I have ever been to. Simon’s wife, daughter and brother were present as well as numerous friends. Simon’s daughter even ended up on the stage with the band during Chloroform.
The family feel continued later when the wives and girlfriends of the Bleach Boys climbed up on the stage to join in with “Slapper”.
All in all it was the best Bleach Boys gig I have been to in years, it was a great send off for Simon Kelly – he would have thoroughly enjoyed the event. What’s more, almost a thousand pounds was raised on the evening for the charity Bloodwise.
John Barnett (Bleach Boys) and David Visick (Mighty Collider) organised the event and it was a real credit to them. There will be more Bleach Boys gigs in the future but none of them will have quite the same feel as this one. If you missed it then that’s a shame but all is not lost - you can still share in the experience. Peter Gill took some great photographs and at least one audience member filmed the gig. Links are shared below.
RIP Simon Kelly
I reprise that post because on the evening of 1st April 2016, Simon’s band mates headlined a fundraising gig at Club 85 for his family, friends and fans. The first was of course April Fools’ Day and though the gig took place after 12pm, there was still plenty of scope for fooling around – which was kind of appropriate bearing in mind that Simon was legendary for this when he took to the stage.
Obviously I went to the gig and I can report that it was brilliant and a fitting memorial; if you are interested, you can read all about it.
Over the last few decades, Club 85 in Hitchin has been a regular venue for the Bleach Boys, I have lost count of how many times I have seen the band perform there. So the date was spot on and in terms of a choice of location for a send-off, Club 85 was just right too.
On the undercard for the evening were Sarah Pink, Mighty Collider and Monkish.
But it was when the Bleach Boys began that Club 85 really started to come alive, the place suddenly packed. During the set, old photographs of the band featuring Simon Kelly were beamed on to the back wall, it was a moving reminder to everyone present that we were all there to celebrate a life.
The set list as follows:
- You cant
- Stealth
- Taking the ‘O’ out of country
- Nuclear war
- Death before porno
- Pogo
- We hate you
- Guantanamo baby
- Death list
- Shithead
- Tapeworm (new)
- Stocking clad NDSB
- IMA Lesbian sex commando
- Wake up Wako
- Toxic (new)
- Weirdo
- Bicycle song
- FFFFISV crouton
- All over you
- Move it
- Psycho semtex sex
- We got the bomb
- Chloroform
- Slapper
- Zombie
- You cant (and just as much fun the second time around)
The moshing started with track one (damn well proving that we weren't just a bunch of cants) and I was in the thick of it from the get go until the end (over an hour of looking more like an idiot than usual...and hot and sweaty with it too). Whilst I am really too old for this kind of nonsense, my view (and that no doubt shared by my fellow wreckers) was that it wouldn’t have been right without the dancing. We all owed it to Simon’s family and the band to make sure that the gig was as exuberant as possible.
I went with an old school buddy and met another one that I hadn’t seen in 25 years. It was amusing to mosh with a few of the same guys I moshed with when I was a teenager.
Even as I write this piece, I am still bruised (yellow) from the outing and I even have a carpet burn from one of the occasions that I ended up on the deck. On the bright side, it was a great work out, I am glad I still have enough stamina to cope with the demands and it was damn fine fun.
Despite the existence of a mosh pit in front of the stage, the gig was poignant, respectful (no one got hurt), funny in places and the most family orientated punk event I have ever been to. Simon’s wife, daughter and brother were present as well as numerous friends. Simon’s daughter even ended up on the stage with the band during Chloroform.
The family feel continued later when the wives and girlfriends of the Bleach Boys climbed up on the stage to join in with “Slapper”.
All in all it was the best Bleach Boys gig I have been to in years, it was a great send off for Simon Kelly – he would have thoroughly enjoyed the event. What’s more, almost a thousand pounds was raised on the evening for the charity Bloodwise.
John Barnett (Bleach Boys) and David Visick (Mighty Collider) organised the event and it was a real credit to them. There will be more Bleach Boys gigs in the future but none of them will have quite the same feel as this one. If you missed it then that’s a shame but all is not lost - you can still share in the experience. Peter Gill took some great photographs and at least one audience member filmed the gig. Links are shared below.
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