Tonight was going to an interesting night as it was a kind of an almost changing of the guard with a nod to one of the Godfathers of punk along with the almost New Kids on the Block. I`d been wanting to catch Essex-based punk duo The Meffs for some time but somehow the opportunity had up to now passed me by. They release their second album `Business` in September and this duo, Lily Hopkins (vocals/guitar) and Lewis Copsey (drums/backing vocals) have had some rave reviews. They’ve picked up supports with The Sex Pistols, The Undertones, Frank Turner, Kings of Leon, Alice Cooper, The Damned and will be on the bill in May for Vive Le Rock`s 16th Birthday celebrations. This along with slots at Glastonbury, 2000trees, Bearded Theory, Beautiful Days and Download Festival has really sharpened their politically charged, hard-hitting music.
The duo hit the stage with little fuss and head straight into the blistering `Deathwish` from their debut album `What a Lie` with Lily menacingly stalking the stage before sharing `So Modern (Keep Up)` from the forthcoming album along with `Stamp It Out` where the duo had this intimate audience singing along.
There`s a superb cover of `Breathe` a Prodigy classic from thirty years ago which was originally written about confrontation between Maxim and Keith. There`s a few cuts from the forthcoming release with the new single `Business` which takes aim at the challenges found within today’s music industry, the anthemic `Disorder (Wake Up)` and the racing `Fight` where i`m sure Lily organised a crowd mosh pit. One of my favourites towards the end was `Broke Britain, Broken Brains` a scorching diatribe which touches on the frustration with social and political conditions. Also thrown in throughout this forty five minute set was a cracking version of X-Ray Spexs` `Identity` a band who sadly I never got to see live. I have to say I was blown away by the Meffs and the raucous noise that two people can create. If you like raw, high-energy punk with a politically charged social commentary then the Meffs are a band for you. Get to see them in a small venue while you still can.
I first saw SLF at the Institute in Birmingham over forty years ago in May 1979 with Robert Rental and the Normal and Essential Logic. Then my mate`s reggae band Weapon Of Peace toured with them, so we got passes to see them at the Birmingham Odeon in 1981 with a band, in support, called Another Pretty Face who later became the Waterboys. We ended up at a party in a nearby hotel and I have to say the fellas were the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet. I still have my signed concert ticket today.
As usual, the marvellous `Go For It` is piped through the pa and has the faithful mumbling along and fist pumping the air as the lights dim and the boys hit the stage and smash straight into `Tin Soldiers`, `Nobodys Hero` and Bunny Wailer`s `Roots Radicals Rockers & Reggae` before coming up for air. There`s a new song with `Raise your Heart` which I read on the socials was inspired by events surrounding Donald Trump, a brave move as singer and guitarist Jake now resides in Chicago since 2004. It`s been a couple of years since I caught the band and was pleasantly surprised with tracks that I hadn`t expected such as `Back To Front`, `State of Emergency` from the debut album `Inflammable Material` which was the second song the band put together, `Walkin Dynamite`, the reflective `Bits of Kids` and `Listen`.
Jake reminisces about joining his Dad for a pint as his father tried to talk him out of leaving his job at the Steelworks they both worked in, in Belfast to make music and shares `At the Edge` which when his dad saw it on Top of the Pops tried to claim royalties off his son, I think you can guess what his son`s response was.
Local heroes The Specials `Doesn`t Make It Alright` gets an airing before the guys close the set with a triptych of numbers that really ignites this frenzied crowd with `Wasted Life`, `Gotta Getaway` and `Suspect Device`.
The quartet are encouraged to return and do so with an extended Bob Marley cover `Johnny Was` which depicts the senseless nature of street violence and was on Marley`s `Rastaman Vibration` album fifty years ago. The final track as usual is Alternative Ulster` a song that The Almighty`s Ricky Warwick, a fellow Ulsterman wishes he`d written and that ended this eighty minute tutorial of how to structure a set and hold an audience in the palm of your hand.
Next year is Stiff Little Fingers fiftieth anniversary as a band so expect something incendiary from these Celtic punk rock legends.
