HOLIDAYS IN THE SMOKE 2001
At the London Astoria – 24. & 25. November
24. November, the first day of the Festival. We early arrived to the concert hall, ASTORIA, where already some punks and skins, including some Japanese punks with their photographic cameras in their hands were. Doors were opened at 12 hours, with the normal banks and distributions on the 1st floor. A little bit later, with the English punctuality started the gigs.
The first band as we expected didn’t have many public. The punk-rockers sick from the bus and travelling - and Beerzone with their sing-a-long streetpunk play for a few people. The 3rd band was Splodge, classic punk band of the 70´s with their funny sound and attitudes. Obvious that didn’t miss „Two pints of lager & a packet of crisps please“. With more people in the room was next band Varukers, a band that don’t need presentation. Very good concert with a lot of energy – one of the bests of the Festival. Songs like „Protest to survive“ or „Soldier boy“ were set and started a real mohican parade! Next was UK Subs. British punks veterans, dedicated us pearls like „Warhead“, „I live in a car“, „Cid“, „Keep on running“, between others. Frontman Charlie Harper still knows what he is doing… In the sixth place played The Partisans, for me one of the bands with more level that I could see. With their herbert look, The Partisans gave us lesson of class and had then high moment with „Blind ambition“. Next was The Dickies. They have merited of putting everybody dancing and laughing with their funny and melodic punk-rock. They have played tracks of their long discography and in the bass was Olga (vocals and guitar of Toy dolls!). Was played too a Misfits cover and another from Toy Dolls („Nellie the elephant“ with Olga in the vocals). Slaughter and the Dogs was next. They did their job in a medium gig. „Where have all the bootboys gone“ or „Mystery girls“ sounded like it was the first time but the beer belly isn’t deceitful…
Closing the first day was by Stiff Little Fingers!! Excellent, fabulous, beautiful…they are one of my favourite bands so I had a psychological orgasm! All with football shirts of the band with their name. They were the most conscious band and the band with more political messages of the festival. Played were all the classics like „Suspect device“, „Alternative Ulster“, „Gotta get away“, „Wasted Life“, „Tin soldiers“, or „ Never surrender“. The best in the end of the first day of Festival. It was 22hours. Time to meet more people of all parts of the world, since Argentina skinheads to Italian punks…
The second day started again really early with Death Threat – American Hard Core band that play to +/- 20 persons. Not more people saw the 2nd band, The Distillers – the band of Tim Armstrong (Rancid) wife, that gave us a monotonous concert. Street punk of Funerall Dress (Holland) was next. In the fourth place came Broken Bones. They almost cancelled the concert but got their presence. I was never a big fan of this band but they did a great gig. Next was the big disillusion of the Festival, the Vice Squad. The guitar player with more metalic influence, completely out of the band feeling, they gave us a cold gig. Songs like „Stand strong, stand proud“ or „Last rockers“ didn’t sound the same! The only positive thing was the singer Beki Bondage that still have the best pair of legs of the punk-rock scene! Peter and The Test Tube Babies and their street punk contaminated everybody and parade of insufflate dolls could started! Always with a funny attitude they played some oi! classics like „Banned from the pubs“ or „The Jinx“. Agnostic Front were a positive surprise. I have seen before nice concerts of them especially in small rooms in Spain but the fact of being hardcore band in a more ´77 style let me dulcify festival. They adapted perfectly and everyone has recognized their value. They’ve played all their classics like „Liberty & justice“, „Gotta Go“, „Believe“ or the Iron Cross cover „Crucified“. Roger Miret, Vinnie Stigma & Co. did a good job but the best should have come! In the end of Agnostic set walked up to the stage The Business, represented by vocals of Micky Fitz and guitar player Steve Whale, and played with Agnostic „Harry May“! It was the real delirium in the hall – full of skinheads and punks by the time. Next was G.B.H.! After seen them in Portugal in an excellent gig in 1996 and in a terrible gig in 1999, I was expecting a bad concert like the last gig. Fortunately I was wrong, they did a sober and competent gig and played punk hymns like „No survivors“, „Big woman“, „Generals“ or „Sick boy“. After GBH was Anti-Nowhere League. Everybody expected a big circus and no one was deceftionated. The frontman Animal is still provocations master and the band is more solid than ever! They know what punk is about…and played jewels like „Streets of London“ or „For you“, until „I hate people“ and the band hymn „So what“. To close the Festival with a gold key, the band that proporcionated us maybe the best gig of the Festival. And for sure the most intense – Cockney Rejects! They walked up to the stage in a boxer pose and started with „War on the terraces“. The Astoria crowded could see now living legend of oi! classics like „Police car“ or „ I’m not a foll“. All these songs and more others were presented, with people of all bands on the stage, as happened before with Agnostic Front!
They played until 23hours – it was the end of the Festival in the best way. Time to say goodbye, contacts trade and „see you next time“ !!!
RATTUS
Possible mistakes in this text didn’t write original author /Rattus/ but me, because I’ve written it in my very short spare time! So, please remember this! Thanks! SLUT