‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘REBELLION’, WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL 4-9.8.26
Rebellion Festival, the world’s largest annual punk event, celebrated its 30th anniversary this year as it returned to its long-standing home, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The Rebellion Festival is spread across four days (6th to 9th August) and it has attracted the largest bands and new emerging talent on the scene. The iconic festival attracts people from literally all around the globe. The venue has many sizable rooms including the Empress Ballroom, Club Casbah, Opera House, Conference Circle, Arena, Pavilion (including After Dark & RIS (‘Rebellion Introducing Stage’), as well as the Mazzei Cafe for DJ’s. Upstairs there was also the Almost Acoustic, and the Literary Stage and The Old Vic.
This is article two of four and concentrates on the happenings on Day Two (Friday 7th August).
The reviews of Day One (Thursday 6th August) can be found HERE.
So without further ado here’s our account…
DAY TWO – FRIDAY 7th AUGUST
MARC VALENTINE – Opera House (13:00 – 13:35)
Friday starts for me with Marc Valentine in the Opera House. Marc’s band is a five piece with two guitarists (including himself), bass, drums and keyboards. They play dirty rock ‘n’ roll and could be distant relatives of The Quireboys, The Wildhearts or even Keith Richards. Marc himself is from Norwich, but exudes a considerable degree of Noo Yawk cool. His band are no slouches either. I recognise his guitarist Richard Davies, who has his own solo band. He’s sh*t hot and no mistake. During the third song the bass amp cuts out and has to be replaced. Bassist Richie Poynton gamely continues playing anyway, even though for much of the song he is completely inaudible!
Marc asks if anyone has a hangover. Many reply in the affirmative. He tells us “this is the ballad you asked for”. Except it isn’t a ballad. It’s fast and furious and unceremoniously blows any cobwebs that may have been present away. It’s called ‘Temporary Buzz’. Marc has an album out entitled ‘Uncommon Side Effects’, and much of the set comes from that. It sounds a fine album! The penultimate song is a rocking cover of The Shirelles’ ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ (composed by Goffin and King) and they close with ‘Last Train Tonight’, which I don’t believe is on the album. If you like unpretentious rock ‘n’ roll then the Marc Valentine band are for you. They play Brighton Prince Albert on 12th September, and Kings Cross Water Rats on 1st October. You know what to do.
(Mark Kelly)
RUMKICKS – Empress Ballroom (13:35 – 14:10)
Next I toddle over to the Empress Ballroom for Rumkicks, who are a three piece from South Korea. Initially Jeong Yeawon’s guitar is all but inaudible, but that is sorted by the second song. Yeawon handles lead vocals whilst bassist Choi Seun and the drummer are on backing vocals. They have a song called ‘Drinking Every Day’, Yeawon asks us if we like drinking every day. The reply is somewhat muted as I suspect there are more than a few hangovers around! The band’s hair is extravagantly spiked, which is difficult not to admire. They seem to be a lot of fun. They explain that rather than K-pop they are K-punk, which seems more than preferable!
One song is succinctly titled ‘F*ck You’. At the end of the song they shout ‘F*ck Putin! F*ck Trump, and f*ck Peter!’ Peter is their tour manager. Poor Peter! Their music is pretty impressive. ‘Let’s Go’ features a bass solo followed by a guitar solo, and the aforementioned ‘F*ck You’ features a section in ¾, so they have the compositional and playing chops. Someone foolishly heckles Yeawon, an interruption that she handles admirably. She tells them to go away, practise for ten years, and come back when they think that they can do better than the band, finishing with “f*ck you!” Well, he deserved it! Their set closes with ‘Mosquito Fighters’ and ‘Punk Rocker’, which is very fast and features a brief drum solo. This has been a most entertaining set. Hopefully they’ll be back next year.
(Mark Kelly)
EMILY FLEA PLAYS THE DAMNED – Almost Acoustic (13:55 – 14:30)
I make my first trip of the festival up the stairs to the Almost Acoustic stage and its wonderful surroundings to watch another Brighton icon in Emily Flea. Having had a chat with Emily at a gig on Eastbourne Pier earlier in the year, the main focus of which had been today’s set of Damned songs, I have long been second guessing what Emily has in store out of a humongous back catalogue and how on earth it could be squeezed into just 35 minutes. Social media played a large part in the setlist with followers requesting songs to be played. I asked for either ‘Melody Lee’ or ‘Ignite’ and was told that one of those would be included so here’s hoping.
The Damned are Emily’s favourite band and on sneaking a glimpse of the setlist beforehand I am suitably impressed with its unpredictability. Opening with classic ‘Wait For The Blackout’ is a surefire way to get the audience onside. ‘Melody Lee’ makes an appearance, and I am happy that one of my choices has made it. A less obvious choice is ‘Little Miss Disaster’ dating from 2008 when Emily discovered The Damned and jokes that it was also their Tumblr username. Being the hardest song in the set they really hope the person who requested it is present and appreciative.
‘Shadow Of Love’ is Emily’s own choice of song and a tribute to Roman Jugg who gave Emily a signed copy of the single at a show in Southend. Emily’s dad makes an appearance onstage for what turns out to be an extended version of ‘Neat Neat Neat’ to end a highly enjoyable set as time is up. I really found this acoustic set refreshing and the personal touch from Emily is as endearing as punk gets. Emily definitely smashed it but sadly didn’t have time to smash it up. Emily does though say that they will endeavour to play the missing song at their set in The Old Vic tomorrow.
(Andy Murphy)
BROKEN 3 WAYS – Club Casbah (14:35 – 15:05)
Friday was an excellent day of surprises and Broken 3 Ways were one of the highlights. The ska-punk band consists of Scott Hyland, Jay Aldred, Ben Preston, Chris Gartmann, and Ben Green. The performance was so much fun I left my spot at the barricade and joined the dancing in the pit. I couldn’t keep still and my step count for the day was heavily influenced by Broken 3 Ways’s set.
What I loved about the band was the trumpets in punk music. Ska punk is an excellent sub genre of punk and the magic of Broken 3 Ways was how much the trumpets were integral to their songs. It was such unique music that I’ve had on repeat since. The band were humble and funny, being shocked at how many people showed up to see them: “I just blinked and feel like I’ve seen more people than I’ve ever seen.” They deserved the big crowd they drew in.
I really enjoyed their song ‘Doghouse’ which they described as a song about being in trouble with a partner after having a night out that ended face down in garlic sauce. As an enthusiast of cheesy chips with garlic sauce, this really made me laugh. The song is the title track of their EP for a reason and it really brought the energy to new highs.
One of the highlights of the set was ‘Hangman’ from their EP ‘The Doghouse’. The song was first written about the former Prince Andrew where they said he should be “stuck in a noose.” Whilst it was about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, they said it could apply to lots of other “nonces” in the wake of the Epstein files. After ‘Hangman’ they said they were going to have a big switch from a song about nonces to a song about love. This again got a big laugh. Broken 3 Ways are incredibly talented lads and I look forward to seeing where they go from here.
(Iona Murphy)
CAROL HODGE – The Old Vic (15:15 – 15:45)
It’s nice to rest your feet once in a while during the four-day marathon that is Rebellion and there is no more pleasant experience than doing so in the company of an ex-Hastonian for a year in Carol Hodge. She starts three minutes late but that’s her prerogative as the artist. Carol explains about her neurodivergence and why she can’t stop talking, but to be fair that’s what we expect and love about one of her shows as she talks and sings about interesting topics relatable to her life and many others.
Opening with the beautifully sung and constructed ‘Stop Worrying Baby,’ a song about separation, Carol already feels like she has ruined an East End knees-up given that we are seated in The Old (not Queen) Vic. In the past I have found this venue a bit frustrating as there is often a lot of background noise, but Carol has the audience captivated and I am oblivious to any annoying people talking. The second song, ‘The Price’ has Carol getting the audience in cabaret mode by pitting one side of the room against the other in a sing off. Giving her vote to the other side of the room she feels like she has lost 60% of the room which I must dispute as there are obviously more punters on the “winning” side.
‘Scream Of The Sea’ is about how Bob Mould deals with tinnitus and is probably a good tip for those sufferers in attendance with the Irish Sea just down the road. ‘The Witch Is Dead’ was written by Carol the day that Thatcher died and strangely enough is only ever requested by a Rebellion audience. Punks not dead! ‘The Queen Of Fitting In’ is very personal to Carol with regards to her neurodivergence and how she has learnt to deal with it. Finishing off with ‘Twenty Miles Up’ really does have us keeping hold of hope. The multi-talented Carol has already shown three sides to her repertoire at Rebellion and it’s not even 4pm on Friday. From playing with her band to Crass songs and now her solo set, you are extremely unlikely to find any other performer showing such diverse and creative musical talent this weekend.
(Andy Murphy)
THE HOTKNIVES – Empress Ballroom (15:25 – 16:05)
The next band The Hotknives are of particular interest to me as they are originally from Horsham, where I live. However, there are no original members left now as, according to current vocalist and bassist Mark Carew “they’ve all retired”. However, most of the current band members have been with the band for quite some time. Carew himself having been involved since 1994.
The band were known as a ska band, but some of the songs today seem a little pedestrian. ‘Looking At The Rude Boys’ is about ska, but the music is a trifle bland. However, as the set proceeds things do begin to improve somewhat. Keyboard player Richard “Bosky” Allen (who also joined the band in 1994) turns in some impressively jazzy keyboard solos. There is a hint of later Madness about much of the material. The Hotknives are not going to change the world, but the sheer infectious enjoyment of Carew and Bosky make them an entertaining live act. Well worth a watch if you get the opportunity.
(Mark Kelly)
CATFIGHT – RIS in Pavilion (15:50 – 16:20)
After relaxing in The Old Vic, I need to get back up to speed and so I make my way to the RIS Pavilion on a promise that Catfight will liven up proceedings.
There isn’t a great deal of information available about the mysterious Catfight which makes me all the more intrigued. First impressions, I’m liking what I see and although I miss the opening song, the second tune in is the dark, sneering ‘Gym Lads’ about the manosphere and how they’re killing the planet, and it has me hooked. A song which certainly makes you sit/stand up and take notice.
Showing their Riot Grrrl credentials, they play a cover, arguably better than the original, of ‘Deceptacon’ by Le Tigre. There is a short break towards the end of the show where we are shown their knitted cat mascot. Ending the set with the magnificent ‘No Breakfast’ with its thunderous bass and guitar introduction, it’s no wonder that Steve Ignorant is watching in the audience as this song veers towards anarcho-punk. Finishing with that number confirms I am right in my reckoning that this band have something about them.
The merch stall is deservedly busy afterwards where the band are selling the cat mascot’s handmade kittens. Is there no end to their talents? The t-shirts are also cool with a pink fluffy looking love heart on front with the song title ‘Security F*cking Love Me’ on the back, which may or may not suit a 62 year old man. With this being bassist Hazel’s last gig due to other commitments, the band is after a preferably London based bass player. If you want to be famous, then apply forthwith. In the meantime, I look forward to finding out more about, and hearing more music, from Catfight.
(Andy Murphy)
RADICAL ARCHITECTS – Opera House (16:50 – 17:30)
Poison Girls are another absolute favourite of mine, so I had to check out this tribute version of the band, put together by Peter Jones (Paranoid Visions/Molly Vulpyne Band). In fact, Molly Vulpyne herself fronts the Radical Architects today, filling in those impossible shoes of the late, great Vi Subversa.
This special performance began with a surprise appearance from ‘Andy T’, who recited one of his highly impactful poems, before the band played ‘Jump Mama Jump’. Next up was ‘Old Tart’s Song’ and a nice version of ‘State Control’ which reminded me of how brilliant ‘Poison Girls’ songs were (as if I needed reminding). This five-piece band played these songs well, and the sound was hard hitting. ‘Ideologically Unsound’ is a great song, and ‘Radical Architects’ did the song justice tonight. Molly Vulpyne handled the vocal duties very well too, putting her own stamp and energy into the songs. I like the fact that she didn’t try to mimic Vi’s vocal style, which was a good move.
‘Cry No More’ is an epic song, and one that is sure to make us all teary eyed. Tonight’s rendition had that desired effect, and once again reminded me of how incredible Vi’s lyrics were. Of course, tonight’s set wouldn’t be complete without ‘Persons Unknown’, which is a bona fide anarcho-punk classic. Peter Jones (guitar) has done a great job putting this tribute together, and we all left the room happy and inspired by the sounds of a truly unique band in our punk history.
(Sonny Tyler)
IRVINE WELSH – Literary (17:15 – 17:55)
In need of a sit down after all my dancing, I was buzzing with excitement to see Irvine Welsh in conversation. I fell in love with Welsh’s ‘Trainspotting’ when I first read it in 2014 and whilst we’ve crossed paths at Bradford Literature Festival, I’ve never been able to see him speak. All this changed on a wonderful afternoon in the literary hub of the festival, which was an excellent addition to the event.
Welsh is so charismatic and I couldn’t stop laughing throughout the conversation. He opened by talking about how Britain is already healing under Andy Burnham as his train to Blackpool was only fifteen minutes late! I could one-up him here as mine was only four minutes late! Welsh would jump around between being funny to candid, talking about falling in love with therapists right after discussing how he uses writing as a tool to work through his past mistakes. He also spoke about how we are all getting addicted to our phones, making me wish I had a pen and paper to take notes with rather than having my phone unlocked on the notes app!
A lot of the conversation centred around his new book ‘Can Nothing Save Us?’, due for release on 13th August 2026. It was very special to get an early insight into the novel before anyone else. Other Welsh novels such as ‘Trainspotting’ are set in Scotland, but for ‘Can Nothing Save Us?’ he chose Las Vegas instead. The novel focuses on three generations in a family and their lives in LA. Whilst we may expect a book set in America to be highly political regarding people like Donald Trump, Welsh wanted to “keep the bastard politicians out of the book as much as possible.” The novel has been a long time in the making as “everyone thought the first draft was shit” which Welsh himself couldn’t believe. He said it wasn’t till he started working on making it a TV show that he realised it actually was “shit” and needed restructuring. Now we are lucky enough to have a perfected version of the novel, which I look forward to reading.
Welsh used to be in a band called Pubic Lice, which the interviewer asked about. Welsh said that whilst it was fun, they had no talent and a reunion was definitely not on the cards. Whilst Pubic Lice fans may be disappointed to hear this, ‘Trainspotting’ fans can go back to getting their hopes up for ‘Trainspotting Three’ as a maybe. Whilst it didn’t seem likely, I’ll take a maybe and keep my fingers crossed.
As the event finished, Welsh told us to “grab a drink or a line of crystal meth” and come back to the literary stage for the next event. It was a hilarious way to end the event and I really got an insight into the mind of one of this generation’s great writers.
(Iona Murphy)
MERYL STREEK – Club Casbah (17:20 – 18:00)
I make my way to Club Casbah for something completely different from what is perceived by many to be punk rock. Having previously seen Meryl Streek’s captivating performance in the same venue two years ago, I could ill afford to miss him this year, especially as I am on holiday during his October tour of intimate venues to promote his eagerly anticipated third album ‘Stories They Don’t Teach You At School.’ As much as I enjoyed the last time, I saw him at Rebellion I am yet to purchase any physical music by Meryl Streek which surely must change given that the upcoming album has Steve Ignorant’s seal of approval.
I am prepared for an uncomfortable 40 minutes but my mood is brightened up beforehand by a security guard handing out Starburst, of which I got a soft blackcurrant one, so my old teeth didn’t fall out. I even notice Meryl Streek smiling before he comes onstage which makes me think that we might be in for an easy ride this evening. What a fool I am. The photographers pit is the busiest I have seen so far with well over ten snappers angling for the best photos. His stage persona is intense to the level that you just do as you’re told by him.
It’s only a couple of songs in and he’s already taken off the hoodie and jacket he was wearing and is wanting to get in the pit. He gets off the stage and then puts out a hand in my direction asking for a helping hand over the barrier. I obey and assist him into the pit where he is swiftly followed by a security guard. Musically I love the vulnerability shown for ‘Paddy’ a tribute to his uncle, which goes out to all who have lost someone special in their lives. The highlight for me though is the hard-hitting truth ‘Death Of A Landlord’ which is relevant to my line of work, and I wholly agree with his sentiment. For the second day running I leave a show drained of all mental energy.
(Andy Murphy)
CHRON GEN (Acoustic) – Almost Acoustic (17:50 – 18:25)
Due to stage clashes, I wouldn’t get to see Chron Gen’s last ever performance in the Empress Ballroom this weekend (well, in its entirety anyway), so I booked myself in for the next best thing, which is a unique acoustic performance by this legendary band. I saw Chron Gen recently in London at the Vive Le Rock 16th Anniversary shindig, and they were on fire, so I was looking forward to seeing what an unplugged set would bring.
I never saw Chron Gen back in the early days (I was a bit too young, and lived out in the sticks), but I first saw them play when they originally reformed, at the first ever ‘Holidays In The Sun Festival’ in 1996, in this very same building. Can it really have been 30 years ago? The mind boggles…Of course, the band had a big crowd in the ‘Almost Acoustic’ room today. They started their unplugged set unpredictably, by performing a Nine Inch Nails cover, would you believe? The song in question is ‘Hurt’, but in the style that Johnny Cash recorded. They pulled it off very well, and my alarm bells should have been ringing, as Glyn Barber was wearing a ‘Johnny Cash’ t-shirt after all.
The rest of the band’s set was in familiar ‘Chron Gen’ song territory, beginning with a classic rendition of ‘Reality’. ‘Hounds In The Night’ came shortly afterward, and by this time, the crowd were singing along. ‘Nowhere To Run’ from their 2nd mini album of the same name came next, followed by the much requested ‘Birds Don’t Sing’. The band ended this very enjoyable set with ‘Outlaw’, proving that these songs work really well in this stripped-down style. It was a unique experience to witness ‘Chron Gen’ in an acoustic scenario, and I imagine there won’t be a dry eye in the Empress Ballroom tomorrow, as the band prepare themselves to play these songs for the very last time.
(Sonny Tyler)
JOHN OTWAY & WILD WILLY BARRETT – Opera House (17:50 – 18:35)
One act definitely well worth watching are John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett. Indeed, I’ve been waiting to see them for the best part of fifty years, so am more than a little excited about their appearance at Rebellion. They are appearing at the somewhat plush Opera House, as befits gentlemen of their advanced years, and their audience too, most of whom are of similarly advanced years. The guys don’t so much hit the stage as amble onto it. Wild Willy is surprisingly on violin (well, it’s surprising to me – I didn’t know he played it!) and is obtaining a bass drum sound by tapping his foot on the base of his mic stand. He also has a wheelie bin which he periodically opens to reveal the legend “who’s a tw@t” written on the inside of the lid. I’m not entirely sure of the purpose of this wheelie bin, but I suspect that Wild Willy may have an extra speaker for his amp in there. I could of course be wrong. It’s happened before.
So what did they play you ask? They start with ‘Louisa On A Horse’ from their imaginatively titled 1976 album ‘John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett’. It’s reminiscent of The Who’s version of ‘Summertime Blues’ from their ‘Live At Leeds’ album. This is not entirely surprising as it’s one of the tracks on the album that was produced by The Who’s Pete Townshend. Early on we get “The Hit” ‘Really Free’, featuring Wild Willy playing a ludicrously distorted electric guitar of unknown origin. Let’s just say that it looks like it’s had a very tough life and leave it at that. “The Hit” is followed by its B-side, the really rather wonderful ‘Beware Of The Flowers Cos I’m Sure They’re Gonna Get You, Yeah’. Apparently in 2000 this was listed at number 7 in a list of the greatest lyrics of all time, just behind The Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ which was at number 6. I have heard Otway say this a number of times. I’m not entirely sure how true it is, but I shall give Otway the benefit of the doubt.
In the past it has occasionally frustrated me that Otway has become something of a novelty act. In recent years that hasn’t been so much of the case, but here’s a prime example of it coming up, which I must admit is quite amusing. Otway covers ‘Body Talk’ by Imagination. To make this song more interesting than it otherwise would be, he makes his body ‘talk’ by placing drum pads under his clothes which he then plays rather disjointedly. He also plays theremin, which he reckons now makes him a “musician” (you already were John). Wild Willy adds some musical colour on guitar, which then develops into a guitar and theremin jam, with all the connotations that dredges up. They then cover Theodore F. Morse’s ‘Two Little Boys’, which was a hit for the Antipodean Whose Name Shall Not Be Mentioned in 1969. They wonder whether they should still play it, but decide that if they don’t mention the Antipodean’s name then it’s okay. Otway starts off on theremin and then moves to guitar, while Wild Willy is on banjo, which gives the song something of a bluegrass feel. Wild Willy tells us that he is Otway’s full-time carer. Bless.
‘21 Days’ is dedicated to anyone whose wife or girlfriend has been in prison recently. Well, we’ve all been there haven’t we? They start ‘Cheryl’s Goin’ Home’ from Otway and Atilla The Stockbroker’s rock opera ‘Cheryl’, but Otway has forgotten his capo and Wild Willy has to remind him. Maybe he isn’t kidding about being Otway’s carer! They finish with what is probably Otway’s best song: ‘Geneve’. However, it rapidly becomes clear that this is not going to be an ordinary performance of the song. Wild Willy has a nylon strung acoustic guitar which he claims belongs to “Otway’s daughter.” If so, she shouldn’t have lent it to him, because he first attacks it with a saw, and then knocks holes in it with a hammer, before throwing it onto the stage. He then brings out some bagpipes made out of a toy Bagpuss cat, which clearly don’t work, and thus the set ends. Wild Willy tells us that he sells the wrecked guitars on the merch stand afterwards for “around £35”, and reassures us that none of the money will go to charity. Sweet. Otway and Barrett will be touring in the autumn, playing amongst other places at Shoreham Ropetackle on 5th September.
(Mark Kelly)
ROMAN JUGG BAND – Opera House (17:50 – 18:35)
Dashing between stages can be hectic and I arrive slightly late for the Roman Jugg Band, but appropriately enough after seeing Emily Flea earlier they are playing the one song she chose for her set ‘Shadow Of Love.’ Roman is wearing a ‘Phil Campbell and the B*stard Sons’ t-shirt in memory of the deceased Motorhead lead guitarist, which is a nice touch.
The set is pretty much a tribute to The Damned with whom Roman was a full-time member for around seven years back in the eighties. I find it hard to judge this against the originals as in my opinion no-one is ever going to match Dave Vanian vocally when performing The Damned catalogue of songs. It’s still an enjoyable set and I can’t fault his backing band. Any setlist that includes one of my favourite tracks in ‘Just Can’t Be Happy Today’ can’t be bad, but I have to say that my standout song from this set is the performance of ‘Street Of Dreams’ which is near damned perfect. I also really enjoyed ‘Dozen Girls’ as I can’t remember the last time that I heard it played live. There is just time to squeeze in ‘Neat Neat Neat’ at the end of the show which is always a good song to go out on and leave the crowd satisfied.
(Andy Murphy)
A MURDER OF CROWS – RIS in Pavilion (19:10 – 19:40)
As a horror and mythology fan with Scottish Heritage, seeing A Murder of Crows was a no brainer for me. The band rests on the premise of telling Scottish folklore through song, from hauntings to history. The whole band came out in kilts which really added to the unique aura of the band. Not only was the set entertaining with all the charisma and musical talent, but also educational. I learnt about the haunted South Bridge Vaults in Edinburgh, the Wicker Man, the last public execution to take place in Scotland, and haunted areas in Glasgow. The five piece band is made up of Hoe McDermott, Doug Barr, Neale Mathieson, Crag Hayworth, and Jamie Scrymgeor.
As a band from Fife, each member had a strong Scottish accent which led to them making a great joke about the pronunciation of Gaelic, telling us that they are not saying “garlic” no matter what we think! I loved their humour and garlic came up again in the form of vampires, with a vampire impression saying “the number of the day is one… you are one great audience.” This caught us all off guard and we laughed a lot. They were such lovely people and really made the crowd feel part of the set.
Not only did the band keep Scottish traditions alive, the crowd did too, starting an impromptu ceilidh during the set. The band loved this and it felt magical seeing Scottish culture celebrated at a punk festival. Their horror punk retellings of Celtic myth on their EP ‘Ghouls, Gaels & Gaols’ was such a treat to hear live. I particularly enjoyed ‘Laugh Off Your Head.’ I loved the concept of the band and they exceeded my expectations. I hope to see them back at Rebellion on a bigger stage.
(Iona Murphy)
THE COATHANGER SOLUTION – RIS in Pavilion (20:00 – 20:30)
Next up for me is a return to the RIS Pavilion to catch Irish punks The Coathanger Solution. Following on from Meryl Streek this is my second act of the day to hail from Dublin. The musicians make their way onto the stage and after a little banter with the crowd they play the intro to ‘Somebody Will’ before lead singer Klaire makes a grand entrance some twenty seconds in, from stage left, wearing a black and white striped dress with white polka dots on red trim. Maybe not the best description but I’m no fashion expert. Klaire is larger than life, the Irish Bet Lynch, it’s the hair, of the punk world. It’s plain to see who the boss is, and she totally owns the stage.
Language is choice but fairly harmless with tracks such as ‘F*cker On The Bus,’ ‘Life Of Brian’ a slower number about an about an absolute c*nt called Brian, and ‘Kiss My C*nt’, so if you are easily offended then you are at the wrong gig. The well crafted two minutes of ‘Except For You’ is my favourite song of the set as it flits between ska, punk and Klaire’s voice even has a tinge of Lulu during the verse. I can tell that Klaire is looking for a piece of moshpit action, but when she looks to join the crowd, she notices the gap between the stage and the pit before sensibly deciding against doing so. It’s a nice surprise to stumble across another entertaining band who will hopefully make more trips over the Irish Sea in future.
(Andy Murphy)
I, DORIS – Almost Acoustic (20:15 – 20:50)
I decided to see I, Doris after seeing leaflets around Winter Gardens where they advertised themselves as “International menopausecore pop-tart kitchen punks on a mission to make lesbian cowboys of us all.” It sounded so wacky I knew I needed to hear what they were all about. The members of I, Doris also run the Loud Women Sunday event at Rebellion which I was very excited about. Not only are I, Doris an incredible band, but also support other female fronted punk bands. I commend them for all the hard work they put into the festival.
The set opened with a pledge to become a Doris, we all put our right hands up and pledged that “I Doris” will help others out and not vote for a fascist. After our pledge, we all became Doris and were addressed as such. Doris (aka Patsy) told us that the band name came from an ex boyfriend’s mum who for five and a half years called her Doris. Apparently she did the same to his previous girlfriend. After the relationship ended, she decided to own his mother’s attempt to put her down and become I, Doris.
Before playing their song ‘HRT’, the band shouted “whose had their HRT tonight?” to which there were a few cheers! ‘HRT’ is a song about perimenopause and it was so refreshing to hear women talking openly about something that too often gets shrouded in stigma. They spoke about symptoms in a humorous way whilst also conveying how women’s health is not taken seriously in a patriarchal society.
‘Cowboys Cry Too’ always requires a volunteer to help out the Doris’s and tonight it was none other than Attila The Stockbroker. This was a wonderful surprise and made for some hilarious moments including Attila asking which key he should be playing in and no one else knowing, telling him it was the key of “yeehaw” (the actual key ended up being A)!
I also enjoyed their song ‘Beach Body Ready,’ a song about body positivity. Songs like this are especially important when women’s bodies are under constant scrutiny and pressure from diet culture. Their message was that if you have a body and put it on the beach, then you’re beach body ready. It was very refreshing and important for the audience to hear.
This Doris thoroughly enjoyed the acoustic set by I, Doris and I’m glad I found the leaflet that led me to their show.
(Iona Murphy)
TOMORROW BURNS – RIS in Pavilion (20:50 – 21:20)
This Midlands-based band are up-and-coming new kids on the block (so to speak), who already have a self-released EP and new album (‘Dark Days Ahead’) under their collective belts. They mix punk and metal styles in the way only Midlands bands can, and their singer, Dave Jones, has also been a long-term DJ at Rebellion Festival. Their music reminds me of early Chaos UK meets Police Bastard, so you could say this outfit are my cup of cider.
The band came out of the gates running today, with a song called ‘No Future’ from their new album. Tomorrow Burns definitely give off Disorder/Chaos UK vibes in their songwriting, which reminded me of my olden days. The third song in their set was a new one, followed by an old school metallic crust song called ‘Politicians’. At times, the band goes down the late 80’s/early 90’s anarcho-punk route, which is a winner in my book. They blasted out ‘Force Fed’ from their 1st album too, and treated us to a song called ‘Spitting Venom’ from their first EP. The bass had a nice and beefy sound and Dave Jones picked up his loudspeaker at this point in the proceedings. Towards the end of this enjoyable set, they played songs called ‘Slave To The System’ and ‘Broken And Bruised’, which totally brought to mind fellow Midlanders, ‘Doom’. Tomorrow Burns produced a sizeable cheer from tonight’s audience, and left the stage triumphant. Short, sharp blasts of punk rock, played how it should be.
(Sonny Tyler)
THE SAMPLES – Arena (20:50 – 21:30)
I’m a little concerned that after The Roman Jugg Band’s set, whatever follows is going to be an anticlimax. Not a bit of it though as I head to the Arena for The Samples. The Samples actually started out circa 1978, but with a lack of record company interest they folded in 1986. Around 2020 they decided to give things another go, but then Covid came along, and tragically their vocalist Sean Taylor passed away from cancer. However, you really can’t keep a good band down, and with bassist Paz taking on lead vocal duties and Jake joining on drums, here they are. It’s touching that although he’s gone, Sean’s mic stand is still very much part of the band’s stage set, adorned by his bandana.
The band as they are now are a classic power trio, and their music is political, fast and powerful. They have a new album (their debut!) entitled ‘Speak Truth To Power’. This includes lyrics that Sean had written for the album before he passed. Many of the lyrics refer to past events, although those events are starting to look disturbingly relevant today. ‘Thatcher’s Boot Boys’ for example is about police brutality during the miners’ strike of the mid 1980s. ‘1984’ is about the fear of a nuclear holocaust. Something that is becoming an increasing possibility. ‘Suspicion’ is about Tory oppression back in the day. Now there are numerous directions from which oppression could potentially originate. ‘Burning Down The Wall’ features guitarist Dave on lead vocals and includes a reggae interlude. ‘Empire Strikes Back’ includes a quotation from ‘Career Opportunities’ by The Clash, and ‘Fires On The Ground’ seems to be very much based on the Thatcher era. The Samples are a cracking band, and should give considerable hope to anyone in the fifties or sixties. See for yourself. They play Islington’s Hope and Anchor on 19th September.
(Mark Kelly)
THE PUNCTURISTS – After Dark in Pavilion (21:40 – 22:00)
Now I pay a visit to the Pavilion stage for another band who are not quite in the first flush of youth, these being the intriguingly named Puncturists, who are based in Barnsley. They’re a four piece, guitar, bass, drums and vocals. A lectern at the front of the stage is emblazoned with the legend: “Politicians lie!!!” Well, we’ve had plenty of evidence of that over the last decade or two. Many of The Puncturists’ songs are about politics, although not all of them.
‘Vampire Friend’ for example is about “that friend that drains the blood out of you”. Well, we’ve all had one of those at some point. ‘55’ is about the age at which vocalist Gail Townsend started singing in a band, and features a short but cool bass solo from Dale Farrow. ‘Wish I Was French’ is about how unlikely any kind of decent retirement is for many people, and another song is about the percentage of a band’s merchandise taken that many venues scoop up. This is actually quite criminal as the income that a band make from merchandise is often the only profit that artists make from playing live. Remember this folks, and buy a bloody t-shirt!!! The Puncturists’ set is short but enjoyable. They have an album out entitled ‘I’m Not Alright’ which is well worth a listen, and they have some gigs coming up too, but nothing dahn saaf unfortunately. They do however play the On Board The Craft festival in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire on 10th September.
(Mark Kelly)
LENE LOVICH – The Opera House (22:10 – 23:00)
I have never seen Lene Lovich play live before but after another long day spent mostly on my feet the thought of sitting down in The Opera House circle is highly appealing. As an added bonus for my weary body, she arrives onstage some 10 minutes late due to previous bands overrunning. Everyone of a certain age is probably familiar with her hits but other than that I can’t say that I had listened to much of her material so tonight promises to be interesting.
Straight off the introduction to ‘Savages’ grabs my attention with its B52s like keyboard sound. Lene is the last person to enter the stage dressed in what looks like a fancy beekeeper’s outfit from up in the circle. I probably should have expected something out of the unexpected as she is well known for being quirky back in the day and obviously that hasn’t changed. Something that does take me by surprise is when 77 year old Lovich’s vocals kick in and they sound as good as way back in the late 1970s. When I tell my daughter Iona how old Lene Lovich is, she is astounded.
If I’m honest, I only know four of the thirteen songs in the set, which is more than I expected to know, being the obvious ‘Lucky Number’, ‘Say When’, ‘New Toy’, and the set ending ‘Home’ complete with “La, La, La” audience participation, all of which are performed impeccably. She oozes charisma and stage presence and her backing group certainly seem to be enjoying themselves also, which makes for an entertaining show. Despite being sat down in the warm Opera House and it ending after 11pm, amazingly I don’t feel particularly sleepy which is a testament to Lene and her band. This performance will certainly have me delving into her back catalogue as I am left with the utmost admiration for Lene Lovich and glad that I made this last-minute choice to catch her performing live, proving that 77 is my lucky number.
(Andy Murphy)
SHAM 69 – Empress Ballroom (23:00 – 00:00)
The time has now come for the headliners, Sham 69 to be respectfully ushered into our presence. The current line-up features three quarters of the 1977 lineup with Jimmy Pursey, Dave Tregunna and Dave Parsons all present and correct, plus Spike T Smith on drums. He joined the band in 2023. Jimmy Pursey appears to be ageless, although he perhaps isn’t quite as mobile as in past years. He seems to spend a lot of time between songs standing and staring at the audience. Nonetheless, there’s still something oddly regal about him. Even when he sits on the drum riser for Dave Parsons’ guitar solo during ‘Borstal Breakout’.
For many years now Sham have been covering The Clash’s ‘White Riot’. Before they play it tonight, Pursey announces “some people don’t like this song. We do.” Quite frankly, if people don’t like ‘White Riot’, perhaps thinking that the song is in some way racist perhaps, then they haven’t listened to the lyrics. Naturally tonight’s set has its own cavalcade of classics, including ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’, and ‘If The Kids Are United’, which ends the main set. When the band returns, Pursey tells us “I wanna do the f*ckin’ gypsy song”, and the band pile into ‘Hersham Boys’. I always thought that Hersham was a slice of stockbroker belt, and didn’t connect it with gypsies, but what do I know. Proceedings are brought to a close with ‘Hurry Up Harry’ and its bellowed refrain of “we’re going down the pub!” which echoes around the hall. Ladies and gentlemen: Sham 69. Always a pleasure. Never a chore.
(Mark Kelly)
DEAF DEVILS – After Dark in Pavilion (23:25 – 00:00)
Having been sitting down in the Opera House for the past hour it is a struggle to muster up the energy to go to the RIS Pavilion After Dark and stand, but I make the effort based on the rave reviews I’ve read of Deaf Devils. This Spanish foursome is Valencia based and I’ve chosen them over the likes of Spear of Destiny, Rezillos, and Sham 69, for my late-night slot, so I’m hoping they make it worth my while.
At 11.24pm The Doors ‘Light My Fire’ comes on over the PA, followed by an air raid siren as the band enter the stage in all-white torn shirts and jeans and burst into their opening song ‘Tonite.’ From the very first chord/drumbeat/word, there is so much going on as the band covers every inch of the stage, that it’s hard to keep up with the set in their effort to fit in 11 songs into 35 minutes. Guitarist Pipe Head taunts the audience “we’re from Spain, we’ve given you a lesson in football, now here is a lesson in rock ‘n’ roll.” Lead singer Lucyfer warns not to let the bassist abduct us halfway through the set and then disappears offstage for an outfit change, giving Pipe Head a chance to take on the vocals for ‘Nightstalker.’
She then returns in an all-black rubber outfit with a devil star on her peaked hat. It’s hard to pick one particular favourite song, but I would probably side towards the first half of the set as a whole for its unrelenting energy. Health and safety have obviously put paid to any burning setlists after a couple of years ago, but the band still transfer all their equipment into the moshpit, which proves quite tricky as Murphy Jnr takes a slight knock to the head from a drum, for their finale which ends with ‘Fire!’ Surrounded by moshers, it is an amazing end to proceedings for what must be the most energetic performance I have ever seen at Rebellion. Everything about this show was punk at its finest. We really need to see them in a face-off with Electric Cowboy Club next time they visit Brighton.
(Andy Murphy)
BITE ME BAMBI – Arena (00:10 – 01:00)
Sham may have been tonight’s headliners, but they’re not the last band on. That honour falls to Bite Me Bambi who fill the rather loud and noisy graveyard slot in the Arena until 1am. Bite Me Bambi are a ska-punk band from Anaheim in California. They are fast and furious from the off, and it beggars belief quite how anybody can be so energetic at this time of night! The musicianship is superb too, with some very cool sax. Singer Tahlena Chikami asks how many people are so drunk that they can see two of her. Nobody puts their hands up. Then again, if they were that drunk they wouldn’t be able to put their hands up!
We get a Prince cover: ‘When You Were Mine’, and also what sounds like ‘Want You Bad’ by The Offspring, but that could be my ears. There’s a song about telling people to “go f*ck themselves”, and also a song about Tahlena getting divorced. These songs could possibly be combined! For one song we have to shout out “bitch!” and “whore!”. Apart from the lyrics the song sounds like a 1950s rock ‘n’ roll classic! Tahlena wears a leather jacket for the whole set. I’m amazed that she hasn’t got heat exhaustion!!! It’s a storming ending though. There’s more tomorrow!
(Mark Kelly)
THE BUSINESS – Club Casbah (00:10 – 01:00)
‘Harry May’ by The Business was a childhood favourite of mine, which made me rush out to buy the album with my pocket money at the time. Mickey Fitz was their singer, and was a force to be reckoned with. Sadly, he passed away in 2016, but I was lucky to have seen the band on a number of occasions with him at the helm. The Business have very occasionally played gigs with guest singers, but I had yet to see it – until tonight that is.
The Club Casbah room was full to capacity tonight, as The Business took to the stage. The first guest singer of the night was from UK Oi! band, ‘Crown Court’ who performed some of the band’s latter-day songs, including, ‘The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth’, from their 1997 Lars Fredrikson produced album of the same name. The second singer to take to the stage was Roi Pearce from ‘The Last Resort’, who led the crowd through a rabble-rousing version of ‘Guiness Boys’, amongst many others. Steve Whale was bouncing off the guest singers very well, whilst throwing the crowd some guitar shapes. Things really took off though, when Jamie Flanagan from ‘Tear Up’ ran on the stage. He was given the band’s cream of the crop songs to sing, and his voice and delivery was the closest to that of Mickey Fitz. All the classics were played, including ‘Smash The Discos’, ‘Suburban Rebels’ and, of course, ‘Harry May’. The crowd were singing along in one big mob chorus, paying a fitting tribute to one Oi!’s greatest bands.
(Sonny Tyler)
The dates for next year’s Rebellion Festival are 5th to 8th August 2027.
Tickets are on sale and can be purchased HERE.
