This was always going to be an interesting gig, Los Fastidious the Italian Ska Punk outfit haven’t played Liverpool before so when Peter Bentham and the then Dead Sound Promotions crew announced it there were ripples throughout the Liverpool Punk community.
The gig lived up to the buzz. A packed house and three excellent bands who hit top form on the day. For a name band like the Dinner Ladies to go first on the bill shows both generosity from the band in sharing the stage and demonstrates the quality we were to see in Jimmys.
The Dinner Ladies gave an upbeat performance, old classics like Controlled by Buildings and Hey Yuri! were played and to me it seemed a more wired up performance than I’ve seen them play in a while, they seemed more aggressive musically (obviously not aggressive as people) and it made their songs kick more than other times I’ve seen them. The chaotic on stage appearance was there but as ever underpinned by a musical tightness that most bands would be jealous to posses. Peter Bentham has a way with crowd interactivity that gets everyone on board and even sitting down during Hip Potater. Songs come with brief explanations of what the background is and their subject matter is wide ranging, cosmonauts mix it with conceptual artists, all delivered with dead pan vocals and savage blasts of guitar.
Then came the Down and Outs. They really are one of my favourite bands. Their take on pop-punk has so much aggression contained in it, you can still hear more hardcore elements that seem to carry over from various band members more thrash oriented band days. ‘We’ve recorded an album but can’t be arsed finishing it’ (or words to that effect) vocalist Mark McGill announces before ripping into their next track at 100 mph. I want to hear this album. Fast, loud, barley contained aggression, saying what they mean; whats not to love.
Los Fastidious have an injured singer, his arm is in a sling. This in no way slows the band or the vocalist down. Songs are poured out an an amazing place. Skank gives way to big pop punk choruses. They play without missing a beat. The introduction of their road manager and second vocalist half way through gives extra depth with two vocals (and singers) bouncing off each other. The politics are there, worn on their sleeve with their hearts. Anti-Fascist, against racism, sexism, homophobia. It’s a whirlwind set and the audience joins in dancing (or just plain jumping up and down at the crowded front of stage area). Despite the inherent political messages (or maybe because of them), this is feel good music and when its over it leaves a sweaty but happy audience.
This is my second contender for gig of the year, and its only March.
Words: Richie Yates, Photos: Johnny Reay/Richie Yates
Links
Peter Bentham and the Dinner Ladies
Down and Outs
Bandcamp: https://downandouts.bandcamp.com
Los Fastidious
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/losfastidios