Subhumans, Wellington, Bar Bodega September 2012

Arrived at Bar Bodega in time to see Rogernomix. They're sill not my thing and the two shouters come off like kindergarten teachers who have been thrown in the deep end. One minute they're dancing around happily and the next they're yelling at all and sundry. Everyone who had schoolteachers that would send you to the back if you sat near the front doesn't need reminding which is why nobody dared to get close to this band.


Rogernomix

Despite the fact, Dead Vicious have been around for over ten years, I'd never seen them before. They played an accessible melodic style of old school punk. A large proportion of the crowd surged forward for them.

Dead Vicious

Black Lick were up next. For some reason, I didn't enjoy them as much as I have in the past and don't really feel like typing much more about their set.

The Subhumans played their fast intelligent songs fast. They played a number of songs from "The Day The Country Died" but sadly didn't play "Mickey Mouse is Dead" or "Zyklon B-Movie". The old band bounced around like the last twenty years plus hadn't happened.

Subhumans

Black Lick

Black Lick are a local band who have played support to a number of internationals. With two members holding US passports, the Wellington band themselves could qualify as internationals. The band have changed drummers a few times since the release of their original demo which I picked up a couple of years back. The band bulldoze with a rumbling Motorhead bass and Dwarves speed. Of course, this three song recording is no substitute for seeing them live.

Lick

GBH San Francisco Bathhouse, Wellington 8 october

NB: Click on the pics for a larger version.


Haven't really seen a whole lot of bands over the last couple of years but decided I'd go and see GBH despite it being well over ten years since I'd even listened to one of those albums and in those days it would have been "City Baby Attacked by Rats" and "Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne" on cassette.

First band up were Shut the Hell Up, who were playing their second to last show and it was my first time ever seeing them. They played punk rock 'n' roll type stuff so I liked them more than I would have cared for any new hardcore band.




Above: Shut The Hell Up

Black Lick were up next and had a clearer sound and made good use of samples and a rumbling Motorhead style bass combined with pummeling drums.



Above: Black Lick

Gripper made their way out of their retirement home in the South Island in Nelson due to Sticky Filth not being able to play. Like last time I saw them, Gripper were a lot of fun accompanied with great banter and introduced themselves at GBH at one point.



Above pic: Gripper

GBH then took the stage and proceed to rip through their catalogue with a lot of material from Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne" and "City Baby Attacked By Rats" plus a few songs from their new album "Perfume and Piss". I remember reading a review of one of the band's London shows in the magazine Metal Forces about twenty years ago which stated that Colin was one of the best frontmen in punk rock and twenty or so years on it's hard to argue as his onstage energy puts an awful lot of younger bands to shame. The band ended their set with a cover of The Clash's "White Riot" and left the stage ignoring encore chants. A twenty-something year old in an Anti-flag T-shirt who knew two GBH songs before seeing them stated that it was the best 90 minutes of his life and more than a few much older would have agreed though probably questioned why a band with a strong catalogue played a Clash cover.

Rust - Thursday March 12, 2010

Turned up to Bar Medusa, , which has had a couple of changes of ownerships since being known as Valve. There has a been a few namechanges in a fairly short time too I caught the band Black Lick, who I'd been hoping to catch again for quite some time. They played first and played high energy rock and punk with a Motorhead influence and the frontman was often moving amongst the audience rather than staying on stage.

Napier punk band Vicious Rumour were on next. These guys always put on a good show and get a crowd moving towards the front. Their music veers towards catchy chorus-oriented street punk. The band seemed to finish abruptly and started packing up with one of them announcing, "that's it".

Hamilton band The Bludgers also play street punk. For some reason I just couldn't get into them all that much. Maybe it was the time of day. It was heading towards 12.30 and I had stuff to do in the morning so left without seeing the visiting band from Australia.

Vas Deferens and Black Lick, Adelaide Tavern, Wellington, Nov 27 2008

Vas Deferens frontman Luger Douche got in touch with me through Youtube because he liked the way I'd filmed the UK Subs at Valve. He was hoping I could film his band playing there but due to circumstances that never happened. The major reason being the venue closed down due to family illness. It really is a shame as it was a huge supporter of underground music and had sound nailed compared to most other Wellington venues.

Wellington band, Black Lick played first. I was eager to check them out, because on their myspace site, their singer didn't sound a million miles away from Blaine Cook of The Accused. I arrived while they were playing and was impressed enough with their first live appearance to pick up their CD.




Above pic: Black Lick
Below Pics: Vas Deferens




Vas Deferens, who were playing 20th anniversary shows, turned out to be a punk covers band and played songs by Zodiac Mindwarp, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Guns 'n' Roses and a few others I can't remember. Even though I went home due to tiredness during their set I'm sure Luger Douche might hold some sort of record for the most beer drunk by a frontman during his own band's set.