Posted on May 3, 2010 - by Editor

Star Fucking Hipsters + Dirty Revolution + Throats + Defcon Zero

SFH © Kim Ford

Purple Turtle
London, UK
Tuesday 27th April 2010

Another ‘school night’ and another great show lined up in the capital. The Purple Turtle opposite the more glamorous Koko in North London has a line of crusty punks in their ripped denim and leather uniforms drinking outside the venue with the bands themselves intermingling with friends while the obviously novice bouncer in handling punk rock shows sticks to the banal formalities with searching and orderly having punters lineup to a formal queuing system to a nonexistent queue!

The first band Defcon Zero is already playing on my entrance, a four piece hardcore street punk rock band that has been playing on the London underground punk and squat scene. They are ok and have a few people paying attention but truth be told the songs get a bit monotonous and although their intentions are clear there isn’t anything of note to take away from neither their sound nor performance.

Up next is Throats, the band looking slightly out of place based on appearance alone and once they start they do attract the attentions of the crowd with their grindcore which to me honestly, becomes borecore with the lead vocals reaching into the depths of his bowls and pushing his vocal chords to the maximum but hardly ever slightly differing his screams for each song, the subtleties are hard to notice. The words also are undecipherable and in the end you start watching the mops of hair that dominate the faces of the band. It’s noisy and loud, and if you like a bit of melody well this band ain’t for you (or me). The set goes on and becomes pointless and endless despite many in the crowd staying transfixed. I know I sound harsh but it’s just a form of music I can’t relate to or enjoy but listen to

Dirty Revolution © Kim Ford

the guys for yourselves and feel free to disagree.

It’s been a short while since I had seen Dirty Revolution but they had increasingly impressed over recent times and we are still eagerly waiting their new record at Distorted. Reb with her dual dyed hair looks ever increasingly the part and more comfortable leading from the front and the whole band seems to be at ease. Their second song ‘Failure To Communicate’ and the follow up newer song ‘Sometimes Your’e Too Rude’ are diverse but show the skankability and mixture of reggae and ska that the band love to play. The set seems to pass by quickly and they seem to be enjoying themselves too which is important, the crowd dancing away at the stage edge. Reb announced their anti BNP tune ‘I Love Reggae’ which is still a personal favorite. The new record has been a long time coming more so that the band can further evolve and expand their live set from their initial EP. They end the set with a new calypso number (sorry I didn’t catch the name) and it’s a fine set ender for a band is starting to hit their stride after relentless touring and hard work.

With the crowd well oiled for headliner, Star Fucking Hipsters play a different London venue for the first time and start off their set with ‘Until We’re Dead’ with far from angelic Nico in her strained but powerful female vocals and Stza with his rasping distinctive vocals intermixing. It’s the most lively I have seen the band, especially Nico at the centre of the stage far more involved and engaging and the band seem to be enjoying it too.

SFH © Kim Ford

The dual vocals are best represented on more recent songs like ‘Design’ and the mixed crowd of punks are involved in a fun but frenzied pit in the small venue, assisting each other to the air and for the most part easing each other back down with afore mentioned bouncer looking on edge and ready to pounce, watching intensely from the stage side. The band has already released two albums in a relatively short space of time and the eclectic mix of crusty/hardcore, ska and melodic punk rock certainly won’t appeal to everyone but it’s a mix I really enjoy on record and live.

During the set the bands set list disappears into the crowd’s pockets leaving the band a little bit disorganized and playing off blurred memories. ‘3000 miles Away’ is a great song live-better than on their latest record “Never Rest In Peace”. They tease that there might be surprise live guest for their ska track ‘the Civilization Show’ which on the record was collaborated with Dick Lucas of Citizen Fish but they do play tribute with a Sub Humans cover.

SFH © Kim Ford

Stza in the stop start set due to the missing set list announced that Peter on drums only had one kidney before they start off with their most poppy track ‘Two Cups Of Tea’ before joking about the bouncers addition to the band as he has edged in so close to the guitarist on stage which in turn brings out a smile from the security man and relaxes his intentions to the crowd.

Although the band and energy are great the set moves into some disarray as they lose focus of what songs to play next and even allow for requests such as from Choking Victim. The band departs to cries of an encore of “One More Song” which the band dutifully and pleasingly fulfill with (I think) ‘S.F.H Theme’ to loud applause and grinning and sweat-dripping faces.