GBH + THE VARUKERS + FACE UP! – THE CON CLUB, LEWES 16.12.23
As far as I can recall, it’s been 14,884 days since I’ve witnessed GBH play a headline gig! The last time being 40 years ago on Thursday 17th March 1983, when I rocked on up to ‘Xtreems’ aka The New Regent which used to stand near the bottom of West Street in Brighton on the opposite side of the street from the Top Rank Suite (now PRYZM). That was a fabulous club and I saw many varying acts there – more on that at the foot of this article!
GBH (also sometimes written as G.B.H.) were formed back in 1978 and they were originally known as Charged GBH. Back then they had Colin Abrahall, guitarist Colin “Jock” Blyth, bassist Sean McCarthy and drummer Andy “Wilf” Williams in their ranks. Sean was replaced by Ross Lomas. The band then suddenly became one of the essential players from 1981 to 1983 on the hardcore punk scene, which is often referred to as “UK82”. Some said that punk had died, but it had simply gone underground and this new harder off-shoot was born. There were many new bands coming out of the woodwork, all sporting spikey hair and studded leather jackets. They along with Discharge, Broken Bones, The Exploited, and The Varukers were at the forefront of the scene, one which was bolstered by the No Future Records label which had Blitz, Attak, and Peter And The Test Tube Babies on the books. It was Stoke based Clay Records that were releasing the GBH and Discharge material. At that time I used to collect the releases from both labels, but when the funds were needed to get on the property ladder, a trip up to Camden Market was organised and three of us with arms fully laden of 7” and 12” record boxes were taken into the basement of one of the punk record shops. We all left much lighter, except my wallet! I do regret having to sell them all, but it was a necessity at that time…sob sob.
Back in 1981 GBH released the seminal ‘Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne’ 12” mini album on the aforementioned Clay Records. This was a must have vinyl disc for any self respecting UK82 fans, as well as their 7” ‘No Survivors’ and ‘Sick Boy’ singles, which dropped the following year. 1982 also saw the release of GBH’s first LP, ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’, which reached No.17 in the UK Albums Chart, as well as No.2 in the UK Indie Chart. The band’s singles had also reached the UK Indie Chart, leading to an appearance on the UK TV programme ‘The Tube’, where they performed ‘Give Me Fire’ (UK Indie Chart No.2). The success of the first album was repeated with their second LP, ‘City Baby’s Revenge’, in 1983 and saw more extensive touring in America and Europe and higher profile UK shows, one of these being the aforementioned 17th March 1983 gig at ‘Xtreems’.
Wind the clocks forward 40 years and GBH – who are still Colin, ‘Jock’ and Ross, along with drummer Scott Preece who has been in the band since 1994 – announced a 40th anniversary celebration of ‘City Baby’s Revenge’ with a UK tour. This thankfully included an extremely rare Sussex concert and they are here tonight in the ever popular Con Club in Lewes courtesy of Death or Glory Promotions. There are two support bands on the tour, more from them shortly.
GBH take to the stage at 10:01pm and blast through 23 tracks during their 67 minute set which triumphantly ended eight minutes after the proposed 11pm curfew. But hey, it’s Christmas! Interestingly, I noted that all three bands had the same format, namely lead vocalist, guitarist who is on backing vocals, bassist who is also on backing vocals, and finally a drummer. Clearly a popular format in the punk world!
On arrival this evening, as always the exterior door was ajar, and the immediate inner door was closed. You then usually walk a few feet to the table where the promoters are located and they let you pass and you go through the inner door which is usually ajar. This was not the case tonight, the inner door was closed shut and so maybe some punters might have been confused as to where to go. They had to follow their ears and open up this inner door to be greeted by the promoters. I reckon that because this inner door was closed, that the venue tonight was actually hotter than it usually is. So by the time GBH kicked off with ‘Diplomatic Immunity’ and ‘Drugs Party In 526’ both from 1983’s ‘City Babys Revenge’ album, I was already a tad sweaty, as was everyone else!
The hot numbers flowed with the 1982 ‘Sick Boy’ and ‘Slit Your Own Throat’ both from the ‘Sick Boy’ single, followed by ‘Dead On Arrival’ from the 1981 ‘Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne.’ mini album. I noted that Scott’s (who is also in Bomb Everything) drums sounded a treat, especially when that UK82 double bass drum sound rang out, which was initially most notable on ‘Sick Boy’. No less than eight consecutive tracks from 1982’s ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album were given a hearing next. Clearly this is what the punters were after and enthusiasm was high, although I must thankfully note not as boisterous as the aforementioned 1983 Brighton gig. GBH were always on the harder side of punk, but to this point in the set I had actually made two notes stating that they are now more melodic than they used to be and surprisingly not as heavy as the previous band to grace the stage this evening.
Vocalist Colin, who is also in Mystery Guests with members of Agnostic Front, still looks the part and still cuts a slender figure. Copious amounts of water between tunes might be a giveaway of a healthier lifestyle than many? The first of a trio from 2017’s ‘Momentum’ album was served next in the form of ‘I Never Asked For Any Of This’, which Colin explained was written about being in a band. After which we had the second of only two cuts from 1981’s ‘Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne.’ mini album, this being ‘Generals’… wot no ‘Lycanthropy’ or ‘Necrophilia’, oh well. The classic ‘No Survivors’ single was next, and followed by the other two cuts from ‘Momentum’, these being the almost psychobilly meets rock’n’roll sounding ‘Fifty What?’ courtesy of ‘Jock’ (who is also in The Wernt and Balsall Heathens and was in Sensa Yuma) on his V design guitar, and then the album title track.
Set highlight ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ was up next, it very much was a corker with its bass work from Ross (who is also in The Wernt and was in Sensa Yuma) and a decent one to end the main set on, although only Colin vacated the stage and so after a short while they finished off with the title tune from 1983’s ‘City Babys Revenge’ album, after which we had ‘Time Bomb’ from ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ and they closed with a Motörhead cover in the form of ‘Bomber’, which obviously had that heavy bass drum sound.
GBH:
Colin Abrahall – vocals (1978–present)
‘Jock’ (Colin Blyth) – guitar (1978–present)
Ross Lomas – bass (1980–present)
Scott Preece – drums (1994–present)
GBH setlist:
‘Diplomatic Immunity’ (from 1983 ‘City Babys Revenge’ album)
‘Drugs Party In 526’ (from 1983 ‘City Babys Revenge’ album)
‘Sick Boy’ (from 1982 ‘Sick Boy’ single & 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Slit Your Own Throat’ (from 1982 ‘Sick Boy’ single)
‘Dead On Arrival’ (from 1981 ‘Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne.’ mini album)
‘Wardogs’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Maniac’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Gunned Down’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘I Am The Hunted’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘The Prayer Of A Realist’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Heavy Discipline’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Boston Babies’ (Slaughter and the Dogs cover) (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Bellend Bop’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘I Never Asked For Any Of This’ (from 2017 ‘Momentum’ album)
‘Generals’ (from 1981 ‘Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne.’ mini album)
‘No Survivors’ (from 1982 ‘No Survivors’ single)
‘Fifty What?’ (from 2017 ‘Momentum’ album)
‘Momentum’ (from 2017 ‘Momentum’ album)
‘Give Me Fire’ (from 1982 ‘Give Me Fire’ single)
‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘City Baby’s Revenge’ (from 1983 ‘City Babys Revenge’ album)
‘Time Bomb’ (from 1982 ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’ album)
‘Bomber’ (Motörhead cover)
Main support this evening came in the form of The Varukers who originally formed in 1979. The band were one of the first to play the musical style called as D-beat, created by Terry Tezz Roberts, the drummer of Discharge, after whom the genre is named. Vocalist Anthony Martin, better known as’ Rat’, is the only permanent member of the band and he is also in Arbitrater and Warwound and was also in Discharge. Tonight he is joined by ‘Biff’ aka Ian Smith who is also in Death Sentence, The Backstreet Abortions, Metal Messiah, and Sick On The Bus. Alongside him is Les Doherty who is also in Butcher Baby and The Backstreet Abortions and was in Left For Dead. Completing the quartet is ‘Kevaruka’ aka Kev Frost who is also in Anti-System, The Backstreet Abortions, Dick Likkas, Helvis, Metal Messiah, Paralex, and has also been in Cerebral Fix, Sick On The Bus and Hard To Swallow. They, unlike GBH, have recently played live in Brighton, the last time being at The Pipeline on 3rd June 2022 and prior to that at The Hope & Ruin on 25th May 2019.
For a band celebrating 44 years, they sure don’t act like it, as they burn through 20 songs in a mere 49 minutes, commencing at 8:47pm and concluding at 9:36pm, which was actually six minutes later than their set was supposed to end. And they had listed a further handful of tracks according to their setlists littered around the stage. The Varukers have not gone soft in any way shape or form. It’s as though it’s still 1982 with Rat’s (non-wilting) double Mohican still on the go as the quartet blitz through their set, with only the very briefest pauses in order to sneak a swig of beer. The 100mph onslaught was a career defining set with tracks from as far apart as 1981 to 2017. Every track is a blistering slam inducing sonic nugget. Whilst the backbeat of drums and bass is a constant frenzy and Biff blasts out riff after blistering riff.
With a setlist full of crowd favourites including openers ‘Led To The Slaughter’ and ‘Die For Your Government’, as well as ‘Massacred Millions’, ‘All Systems Fail’, plus 2017’s title track ‘Damned And Defiant’, The Varukers are still very much at it and the crowd here tonight are damn pleased with that! ‘Soldier Boy’ goes down extremely well and a moshpit kicks off courtesy of the Electric Cowboy Club guys that are in attendance. In Fact it appears that frontman Brandon Parker knows a majority of The Varukers lyrics and on at least two occasions has the microphone thrust into his face by Rat so that Brandon can deliver the next line.
The set closes with the highlight ‘Protest To Survive’ and they have thrown down the gauntlet this evening. The Varukers are a band that needs to be experienced live and no doubt my ears are going to ring for days after tonight’s gig but hell it’ll be worth it!
The Varukers:
Rat (Anthony Martin) – vocals
Biff (Ian Smith) – guitar, bv’s
Les Doherty – bass/bv’s
Kev Frost (Kevaruka) – drums
The Varukers setlist:
‘Led To The Slaughter’ (from 1984 ‘Led To The Slaughter’ EP)
‘Die For Your Government’ (from 1983 ‘Die For Your Government’ single)
‘Murder’ (from 1998 ‘Murder’ album)
‘F*cked It Up Again’ (from 2005 ‘Hellbound’ EP)
‘Tortured By Their Lies’ (from 1994 ‘Nothings Changed’ EP)
‘Nothings Changed’ (from 1994 ‘Nothings Changed’ EP)
‘Massacred Millions’ (from 1984 ‘Massacred Millions’ EP)
‘Nowhere To Go’ (from 1983 ‘Bloodsuckers’ album)
‘Deadly Games’ (from 1984 ‘Another Religion Another War’ mini album)
‘Will They Never Learn’ (from 1985 ‘One Struggle One Fight’ album)
‘I Don’t Wanna Be A Victim’ (from 1982 ‘I Don’t Wanna Be A Victim!’ EP)
‘Damned And Defiant’ (from 2017 ‘Damned And Defiant’ album)
‘No Masters No Slaves’ (from 1982 ‘I Don’t Wanna Be A Victim!’ EP & 1983 ‘Bloodsuckers’ album)
‘Thanks For Nothing’ (from 2017 ‘Damned And Defiant’ album)
‘The Last War’ (from 1984 ‘Another Religion Another War’ mini album)
‘Another Religion Another War’ (from 1984 ‘Another Religion Another War’ mini album)
‘March Of The SAS’ (from 1983 ‘Bloodsuckers’ album)
‘All Systems Fail’ (from 1983 ‘Die For Your Government’ single)
‘Soldier Boy’ (from 1981 ‘The Varukers’ EP)
‘Protest To Survive’ (from 1981 ‘The Varukers’ EP & 1983 ‘Bloodsuckers’ album)
Completing the bill tonight were opening act were West Midlands (Coventry and Birmingham) based hardcore unit Face Up! who combine elements of punk, metal and hardcore. Their 2018 debut album ‘The World Is Ours’ established them in the scene, and they’ve since landed support slots with the likes of GBH, The Exploited, and the UK Subs.
Onstage today they are a quartet who deliver a hugely energetic and impressive performance from the off at 8:01pm until conclusion at 8:29pm. Lead vocalist Roxx has a powerful stage presence and a strong, punky look, and she’s putting in maximum effort and is clearly winning the punters over with her bubbly demeanour and is the star of the band. Their sound is massive, with guitarist Tom adding backing vocals and mohawked bassist Gav bounds around the stage, and is complimented by the excellent (often double bassed) D-beat style drumming of Bez Smash. There’s tons of energy here with this outfit during their nine track set, which is culled from their two albums, 2019’s ‘The World Is Ours’ and this year’s ‘FU!’ album. The punters’ chanting ability is put to the test for set highlight ‘Stand, Fight, Live, Die’ and they are a band I would like to enjoy watching live in the future.
FACE UP!:
Roxx – vocals
Gav – bass
Tom Harris – guitar, vocals
Bez Smash – drums
FACE UP setlist!
‘Stand Together’ (from 2023 ‘FU!’ album)
‘A United Chance’ (from 2023 ‘FU!’ album)
‘The Few’ (from 2019 ‘The World Is Ours’ album)
‘Savage State’ (from 2019 ‘The World Is Ours’ album)
‘In The Dark’ (from 2019 ‘The World Is Ours’ album)
‘Rise Now’ (from 2019 ‘The World Is Ours’ album)
‘Stand, Fight, Live, Die’ (from 2023 ‘FU!’ album)
‘Warning System’ (from 2023 ‘FU!’ album)
‘The World Is Ours’ (from 2019 ‘The World Is Ours’ album)
Further reading on the lost venue that G.B.H. played in Brighton:
A few years back the Brighton & Hove News put together detailed information on the concert venues or Brighton past and present. This included two listings of where G.B.H played. The actual venue was called The New Regent, but they had special gig nights that went under the banner of ‘Xtreems’. Here are those listings:
The New Regent, West Street, Brighton, BN1 2RA.
I used to really love this compact venue. It seemed as though I was here every week in the early 1980’s, but that was when it was usually an Xtreems night. I have therefore added an Xtreems listing later on. I located a post that stated that Siouxsie & The Banshees played at The New Regent on 25th November 1977 with support from The Crabs and Wrist Action. It says “opening night” and thus I suspect that refers to the opening night for The New Regent and not opening night of the tour, as I can’t find any earlier mention of the club prior to this. The early concert tickets for the venue state “Foxes at The New Regent”. The New Regent eventually called it a day around mid 1983. They had hosted some terrific acts in their day including U2, Buzzcocks and X-Ray Spex. They were certainly well ahead of the game. (see also Xtreems)
Xtreems, West Street, Brighton, BN1 2RA.
Xtreems was a club run at The New Regent located at the Eastern side of West Street near to the main A259 coast road. The club was the brainchild of brother and sister Johnny and Dinah Clarke. Xtreems started on 3rd September 1981 and died around Easter 1983, after a raucous King Kurt gig and the actual New Regent club followed shortly afterwards. I have many wonderful memories of gigging in the ‘golden triangle’ in the early 1980’s. This was made up of this venue plus the Top Rank Suite which was directly across the street and Jenkinsons which was around the corner. I spoke to Blancmange here backstage, I was one of those described in the link below as standing and watching Nico – ‘Janitor Of Lunacy’ was the best track. It still haunts me to this day. Other than that performance, Xtreems was nearly always boisterous and I used to endeavour to hang just inside the door arch on the left just in front of the stage in order to avoid getting my head kicked in. But if you really want to know what Xtreems was like? Then read this account written in 1989, then updated in 1999 and I would like to add in 2020 that Dinah is still glamorous, but there’s certainly nothing granny about her. She does actually now go out to gigs all of the time and is always seen bopping along at the front with her blond locks flowing over her black tops. She’s not adverse to taking the odd photo of a buff chap on stage either. Lastly, one thing that has been missed was Dinah’s dedication in re-purposing the previous unsold tickets for another gig with white patches stuck on the front. She did every single one by hand! (see also The New Regent).
