Having just witnessed an enjoyable concert from Gaye Bykers On Acid (see our review HERE), I noted that band member Mary Byker is also in Pop Will Eat Itself. “Ah ha!” I thought to myself! Saturday 11th December 2021 will be a night of dance and jollification down at CHALK concert venue in Brighton then, as there will be a rare live performance from Pop Will Eat Itself.
Pop Will Eat Itself who are also known as PWEI and also the Poppies were last playing live in our city nearly three years ago when they thrilled music lovers at the Concorde 2 on 21st December 2018. Their 19 song setlist on that night included a couple of fantastic cover versions, the Prodigy’s ‘Their Law’ and Pete Shelley’s ‘Homosapien’ a brilliant tribute to the late Buzzcocks frontman who had died a few weeks previously on 6th December.
For those who are now wondering what that full setlist was, here it is:
‘Ich Bin Ein Auslander’, ‘Wise Up! Sucker’, ‘Everything’s Cool’, ‘RSVP’, ‘Can U Dig It’, ‘Urban Futuristic’, ‘Watch the Bitch Blow’, ‘Dance of the Mad’, ‘Preaching’, ‘92 Degrees’, ‘Nosebleeder’, ‘Bulletproof’, ‘Get the Girl! – Kill the Baddies!’, ‘Def. Con. One’, ‘PWEIZATION’, ‘Not Now James’, ‘Their Law’, ‘Homosapien’.
I wonder what delights we are going to be given on their forthcoming 11th December concert?
Pop Will Eat Itself formed in the West Midlands back in 1986 and in the following decade they had some great chart success, with hits including ‘Def. Con. One’, ‘Can U Dig It’, ‘Wise Up! Sucker’ and my fave a cover of Sigue SIgue Sputnik’s ‘Love Missile F1-11’.
In 1996 they called it a day, only to briefly reform in 2005 and now have been back together since 2010 and they have gone down a storm at Festivals and sold out shows around the country including the Indie Daze Festival 2015 and 2016.
The current Pop Will Eat Itself lineup are Graham Crabb (original drummer, later co frontman/vocalist and main songwriter), Richard March (original member and later Bentley Rhythm Ace), original member Adam Mole (keyboards), vocalist Mary Byker (Gaye Bykers On Acid, Apollo 440), drummer Fuzz Townshend (Bentley Rhythm Ace, General Public) and bassist Davey Bennett (This Burning Age).
Cherry Red Records released a 75 track 4CD set of PWEI career spanning work. It’s entitled ‘PWEI: Def Comms 86-18’ and you can grab yours HERE.
More on PWEI HERE.
Purchase your concert tickets HERE or from your usual ticket agent.
