Posted on August 12, 2010 - by Editor

Star Fucking Hipsters + The Filaments + Moral Dilemma

Star Fucking Hipsters © Kim Ford

Underworld
London, UK
Wednesday 4th August 2010

The second night of Camden Carnage sees a slightly more raucous affair but the ska elements are still visible on the bill. Sadly I missed out on Moral Dilemma, the London local hardcore threesome have become far more visible on the touring scene in the past 18 months and been rewarded with higher profile shows and deserve all their merits.

Essex heroes, The Filaments, back on a more regular bases and not promising any more “final shows” play horn fuelled punk rock, filled to the brim with high octane levels of energy.

The amassing crowd obviously has its fair number of dedicated fans on the night and as singer and guitarist

Moral Dilemma © Kim Ford

Jon Fawkes take to the fore flanked by the equally capable and important horns section and guitars and vocals of Mike Jones, the Underworld is brimming in anticipation. With a healthy back catalogue including  ‘Bastard Coppers’, ‘Hiroshima’ and highly favoured ‘Trevor’ the crowd are rushed through a set full of angsty sing alongs, mini circle pits, stage divers and spat along lyrics from a band that carved its way into many people’s hearts and into UK punk rock folklore. It’s a little bit more difficult for an outsider such as myself to get as wrapped up in the occasion, no doubt the band is very very good, but there seems to be as much nostalgia as quality on display as the band and some crowd members pull back some of the years (the band only broke up a few years ago in 2006, not exactly a generation gap). With newer songs like ‘Statistic’ already receiving a healthy vocal feedback from the crowd along with older classics, the signs are certainly positive for the band and with a album in the works it will be interesting to see their progress over the coming months and years.

New York based squat kings Star Fucking Hipsters who are more than perennial visitors to the UK, return with what I think is the first consecutive line-up since visiting the capital. As a follow on band to Leftover Crack,

The Filaments © Kim Ford

Stza/Sturgeon has moulded what I think is perhaps the most accessible yet still meaningful band with SFH. The ever crazy eyed and diminutive but powerful Nico compliments  Stza’a own high pitched and razored vocals, while the band is full of chaotic energy and although there has been a rotating membership they never disappoint.

With two albums already released and a third in the pipeline, the band has already forged a powerful set;

Star Fucking Hipsters © Kim Ford

‘3000 Miles Away’, ‘The Civilization Show’, ‘Until We’re Dead’, still politically and socially conscious songs feeding off the to and fro contrasting styles of Stza and Nico. The band rarely seems completely sober on stage and their previous London show, which mid set had their prepared set lists stolen by front of stage fans, resulted in a chaotic but funny repetition of songs

played and a rather sloppy but intimate show. There are some similar signs this time round, but the band hold it together better, with regular calls for alcohol, the band can also deliver incredibly catchy but equally poignant songs with ‘Two Cups Of Tea’ and ‘Immigrants and Hypocrites’.

The set is regularly interrupted with shorts bursts of banter and Stza calling for time checks (as he seems to do with every show) but the band mix up their crusty punk and ska and pace which enables the crowd to skank and circle pit away. It’s another fun set by SFH, their lives seem rather shambolic and disorganised but they seem to somehow consistently deliver live, despite the unorthodox nature of the shows themselves!