With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Clearly I have been a bit tardy in writing and posting this review. However that is by no means a reflection of the quality on show that night. All in all it was a tremendous gig with some support that was often different, challenging and thought-provoking (in a good way) and very talented. All of this was capped by a stunning and magnificent set from the mighty Colour Me Wednesday. But more of them later. Before I begin the review I would like to say a massive thank you to Henry Raby who was the main man and organiser behind this excellent evening of entertainment.

First up was a duo of angry poets Jaz Millar and Luca Fallon, well to be more reasonable poets who gave wonderful voice to their anger in their cyphers and rhymes. I particularly enjoyed the piece on why feminists are angry and the poem about punk and how it was failing to live up to its original ethos and credentials.

Junk were the first band to take the stage. How the bloody hell can two people make so much incredible noise? Let me tell you Junk would enhance any stage that they took to. Festival organisers if you’re reading this stop farting around get off your backside and book this wonderful band.

Almost like a classy restaurants use of the mouse bouche we were treated to an ear resting moment as another poet took the stage. Hannah Davies is her name and she presents her wonderful poetry with passion and aplomb. The poem about how small boys keep so much crap in their pockets not only took me way, way back to my childhood but also made it abundantly clear how much wonderful mother love Hannah has for her son. Hannah you need to have you work published in book form!

What the hell is a Milk Crime? It sounds rather Orwellian doesn’t it? But that would be moloko. Anyway Milk Crimes are an excellent punk band who certainly appear to live by their punk ways and they also know their punk roots and history, which was well evidenced by their excellent Buzzcocks cover. I would definitely pay to see Milk Crimes again.

Finally it is the turn, all the way from south of Watford (Uxbridge to be precise) of the stunning, punky, poetic, smart, lyrical and with political and world views that many people could learn from, Ladies, Gentlemen, Humans, Aliens and anyone else I bring you COLOUR ME WEDNESDAY! Any band that despises the Tories as much as I do is definitely more than fine in my book (or indeed my blog). They played a short set which showcased some tracks from their new EP and some classic songs from their increasing repertoire. As usual there was some great between song banter covering everything from the type of herbal tea that Jen drinks to the desperate need for both a poo and a wee that lead to the Colour Me Wednesday Mobile (a.k.a the van) having to stop at Yorkshire’s equivalent of the town in the film ‘Deliverance’ en-route to the gig. They closed the show with a storming run through of my favourite Colour Me Wednesday song, “Purge Your Inner Tory”. Just to finish things off for the evening I was able to listen to the incredibly well put together four track EP in the car on the way home. DIY is in this band’s blood as every copy of the EP has been lovingly hand packaged by the band and their team at DoveTown. If you haven’t seen or heard Colour Me Wednesday yet then I suggest you get out from under the rock you’ve been living under and acquaint yourself with them. I will be at three festivals this year; Apollo (York), Latitude and Leeds, will someone please book this band for one of those!

And finally here is one of those pesky public service announcements. None of the pictures or videos in this post were taken or filmed by me. They were all obtained via Google and YouTubew