Upon arriving at the deaf institute with my brother it wasn’t what a thought it would be. Not many gig venues have a cafe/bar in them where the band were having a bite to eat before the gig.
So we go upstairs, pay and enter the music hall (which it know as), buy a t-shirt (£10 not bad) and get ready to watch the first support act. I didn’t catch their name because the vocals were not loud enough so you couldn’t understand what they were saying and signing. They had a punk/metalcore sound going which isn’t for me if I’m being honest but hey ho each to there own. A few of the guys in The Computers came out to watch them play so I tapped Al (singer in The Computers) on the shoulder and told him how much I was looking to watching them tonight and he said thanks for coming enjoy.
So after the first band had finished it was time for Crowns play and they were nothing like excepted when setting up their stuff they brought out an a Acoustic guitar and A mandolin but they were very good. All of the songs in there set were toe tappers, they sounded fresh and new, I enjoyed them very much a good support band for The Computers. They had a folk/punk sound going on which was something I didn’t think I would like but I very much did!
So after Crowns finished my brother went and brought a 7” record by them don’t blame him really they were good. Then I see Aiden Sinn (drummer in The Computers) waiting to set up his drum kit so I when over for a chat with him. I asked him if he wished that Johnny Marr was going to turn up tonight (earlier in the day they tweeted him to say they were playing and Johnny said that people should go and watch them) for me to find out that Johnny is a fan of their’s and he would be there but he was in Bristol visiting his son. I went on to tell him that my dad got me into The Computers which he was very happy to hear and said how gutted my dad was not seeing them tonight.
Now on to the main event the best band in the world The Motherfucking Computers walking on the stage to a nice piano intro all dressed in matching burgundy suits. Opening with Bring Me The Head Of A Hipster and then into Love Triangle, Hate Squares (Title track of their new album) but lead singer Al (who is a very good frontman) decided that it’s time for me to play the gig on the bar (the bar was at the side of the stage) so the whole band are on the stage and he played all but 2 songs off the stage which was very good. So playing most of the songs from the new album they truck on playing Mr Saturday Night with Al still on the bar but this time walking up and down it. Then into Rhythm Revue this time Al is in the crowd. So in the middle of Rhythm Revue they play a snippet of the classic Trashmen song Surfin’ Bird with bass player Nice Ron giving the iconic Surfin’ Bird intro before finishing back into Rhythm Revue. Then going on and playing more songs from there new album with Al still dancing on the bar and sometimes jumping down in the crowd to dance with a some people before arriving at Music Is Dead (which is the last song before the encore). were the first and last mosh pit of the last night happened they get to the last chorus of the song and Al splits the crowd into 2 and walks to the back of the venue were he wants a wall of death to happen and it go off to great effect with Al joining in to some degree before leaving and then returning for the encore. Crawling on his knees to tell the crowd that his shoe lace is broken and also he told the crowd that he had broken his guitar. They launched into Single Beds this time Al is on the stage playing but not for long before moving back to the bar the play a cover version of The Clash’s Train In Vain which is a very brilliant version of the song by this time the night was coming to an end with Tell Me Something which sees Al end up in the crowd again swiftly making his way to the back of the crowd before the last chorus he thanked us all for coming and sung is way through and made his exit through the door at the back. We go up to the stage and I get a setlist and my bro get a drumstick as we were leaving we bump into Al on the stairs we ask for a picture him saying that he didn’t look his best we still got one a nice chap he was! Overall a very very very good gig!
The Computers 11 out of 10
Crowns 9 out of 10
Photos are my own taken on my iPhone 4S
It’s the first I’ve ever been to the alter ego in Manchester and I won’t be forgetting it in a hurry. Me, my brother and my dad arrived at the venue to be greeted by Black Years a band from Chester (If i’m being honest they were not my cup of tea).
So we went through to the bar and the merch table where lead singer and guitarist of Bleach Blood Jamie Jazz (formally The King Blues) was sat. My brother brought a t-shirt and got a photo with Jamie, he was a nice guy and cool as fuck if you ask me so we get a drink and go back through to watch Bleach Blood set up and start there set. They started with Pleased To Meet You they were full of raw energy and punk blood, they ran through a very good set of Anything Anything, London In The Rain, Born In a Rave, Punk Rocker (a cover) and finally finishing with Let Your Heart Sing which brought on a little mini sing-a-long. I was very impressed with Bleach Blood as a live band their punk sound, youthful lyrics and freshness, just what we need for the end of 2013 I can see them going far.
After Bleach Blood we go back to the merch table where sat is the drummer from Sharks (Sam Lister) and we spoke about the new album and how hard it was for them to get a copy in the U.K because they are signed to an American record label because no English label would have them (I don’t really understand why you wouldn’t want Sharks on your label they and the future of punk rock) after our chat with Sam we wander back into the venue we bump into Singer and Guitarist James Mattock of Sharks so I ask him what it was like to play a few shows with blink-182 down under he said to was a very good time and that Tom Delonge (blink-182) said that Sharks are like The Clash mixed with Social Distortion.
So It’s time for Sharks to come on and play under quite tones the band begin to play by starting of with Selfhood (the title track from there new album) which is a brilliant live track if you ask me, they then proceed to play some classic tunes from The Joys Of Living 2008-2010, No Gods and New album Selfhood, James doesn’t have much to say during songs which is quite cool with the odd thank you here and there. Finishing with the big songs It All Relates and No Gods (which I was looking foward to seeing live). Their raw guitars, James’ vocals and lyrics mix well together live after seeing them in a tiny club in the future I hope that they will being playing shows to 2,000+ people one day. Sharks 10/10 Bleach Blood 9/10
Photos are my own and taken on my iPhone 4S
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