So the punk stalwarts, 999, brought January's Resolution Festival to a close (if you discount the rescheduled Conflict gig), with support from another band of the Class of '77, Menace. This was a great package to see in the spiritual home of the London punk scene.
Menace are not really big on my horizon, but I respect their position within UK punk. They play well enough but I am not overly familiar with their material, but of course I know G.L.C. with which they closed their set.
Before long, the familiar figures of Nick Cash, Guy Days, Arturo Bassick and Stuart Meadows were poised stage right. The 100 Club does not accommodate grand entrances! So is often the case the band opened up with 'Black Flowers For The Bride', but problems were just around the corner. Zap! Part way into the second number 'Inside Out' and Nick gets his first jolt of electricity from his guitar and the song comes to a rapid, ramshackle end. This wasn't a problem for Menace, nor the Subs a few days earlier. It's just the luck of the draw I guess. The interim solution is to cast the guitar to one side and crank up the mike volume. ' Inside Out' restarted and we were off once more.
Several 'new' songs now appear in the set, new in the sense that they are lifted from the most recent 999 studio album, 'Bish Bash Bosh'.... that was released two and a half years ago... it is only too easy to forget now the extended period of suspended animation that we endured so recently! 'Shoot!' (although not in tonight's set), 'Don't Wanna Know' and 'My Dad Trashed My Submarine'. Of the latter song Nick mentions that his Dad (who served in the RAF) suffered from PTSD... which would explain the otherwise rather obscure track title. Some weeks previously I mentioned this song to brother Guy (at another 999 gig at the Dublin Castle) and asked about their old man's PTSD. Guy said 'I don't think he had it..... Nick was just more annoying... he didn't trash my submarine!' Brilliant!
After a while, with the power issue resolved, Nick was reunited with his guitar and the 999 sound was once again complete. Pablo got a shout out on this night. He was present, but unfortunately I was unable to locate him to say hi. Next time.
Great to see 'No Pity' in the set and all credit to the band to rip through it. I have to say, rather selfishly that I would love to see some obscure tracks thrown in.... but what to drop? If they want an endurance test, how about 'High Energy Plan', and then there's 'Subterfuge', or 'Trouble', or 'All Of The Days', or, or, or...
Always a great night out and a pleasure to see musician's on stage that have had such a connection with The Stranglers over the years. Long may all this continue!
FLAC: https://we.tl/t-6Gz9EsnpdY
Artwork: https://we.tl/t-Sz0PMlEeD9
01. Black Flowers For The Bride02. Inside Out (Aborted)
03. Inside Out
04. Hit Me
05. Boys In The Gang
06. My Dad Trashed My Submarine
07. Feeling Alright With The Crew
08. Let’s Face It
09. Lil’ Red Riding Hood
10. Lie Lie Lie
11. No Pity
12. Don’t Wanna Know
13. Titanic (My Over) Reaction
14. I Really Like You
15. Emergency
16. Nasty Nasty
17. Homicide
18. My Street Stinks
19. I’m Alive
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