The Dregs
The Dregs kick off the night to an already well assembled crowd. They play all the tracks form their new album ‘Inner City Kids’ plus tracks from earlier releases from their ep and live albums. Their political charged rock and roll and the reggae-tinged track about their own lives ‘When We Were Young’ are well received. Their album is out now and you can get a copy through their fb page.
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Dregs/100063678662763
Under The Cosh
The last time I saw Under The Cosh was when we played with them at a gig for the homeless in Boston in February 2024. Since then, they have a new singer and a new drummer who also plays for other bands. Don’t know how he finds the time.
As their name suggests Under The Cosh are as in your face as you might get. They kick off their set with ‘Unchained’, 2024 EP track ‘Marked For Glory’ and the excellent story and riffs of ‘Rock City Girl’ from their 2022 album ‘Better Late Than Never’.
You can tell they have influences such as the Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer and the like but the guitar riffs are more bluesy and at times like Steve Jones era Professionals. The wonderful story that is ‘Corby John’ follows as the crowd get more into their set and move forward. This is right on cue as they launch into catchy 2023 single ‘Once Warriors’ which is as tight as they come with a cool guitar solo.
Recent written Georgie Boy is a great tribute to a friend they lost and is a wonderful song. They pick up the pace again with 2022 single ‘Firebrand’ with a guitar riff which seems like a cross between Chelsea and The Ruts and is one of the best tracks for me. They can really play and the new drummer has made them even tighter than they were.
The final section is full of mass singalongs, many from their 2022 album. ‘This is Our England has an opening riff you can shout along to, ‘Skinhead Life’ is ultra catchy with another great tune with people at the front singing along which by now is hard to resist for most. ‘Raise a Glass or Two’ has a bit of, dare I say it, an AC/DC feel to it and is a song many Oi bands might have wished they had written. They finish with the anthemic ‘We Salute You’, the local crowd now won over. Catchy stuff – I must see them again soon – We Salute You.
Check them out!
https://badnewsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/better-late-than-never
Crux
With Oi legends and local boys crux playing after nearly 10 years away in their hometown it’s no wonder the room is rammed especially with their stomping ground, Camphill, being about 5 minutes from the venue. But this isn’t just a local crowd some people have travelled some distance.
From the opening lines of ‘Brighton Front’ released on a compilation album in 1982 the crowd are clearly up for a good sing along and ready to bounce. Crux can really play and the bass player who has recently started playing with them is very skilled. ‘Riot’ keeps up the momentum and they then launch into the cool ‘Streets At Night’. Released in 1982 this is classic Oi and the crowd are well into it.
There is no let-up in the set as ‘Liddle Towers’ (not the upstarts song) kicks off another mass singalong. This is one of the catchiest Oi songs you will hear as they ram the chorus down our throats with the ‘do da do da days’. Their full-on rendition of Shams Borstal Breakout is cool and the packed room bounces along. ‘Frankie’ follows before they launch into the full speed Oi assault of ‘I’ll Die With My Boots On’ originally released on No Future and can be found on the labels singles collection.
‘You’re nicked’ and ‘Skinhead’ are great stories and take us hurtling into ‘Keep on Running’ the lead track on their 1982 EP of the same name. It’s a catchy as when it was first released and covers a subject most of us were talking about at this time with 1984 clearly in our sights.
They play an excellent version on the Angelic Upstarts Police Oppression as a tribute to one of the bands that were a major influence on them as a young band. They finish with War and their classic anthem CLA (Camphill Liberation Army) about the area of Nuneaton were they came from. This provides the perfect end to their set and has the assembled local faithful leaping around and singing along.
This is a triumphant return for Crux and I’m sure their other shows will be just as intense. They have written some great new songs which fit well with the old stuff and makes the set seamless and powerful. Great stuff.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Crux-Oi/61565567516962
Excellent night again at the Queens Hall yet again and massive thanks to Dude who put the gig on as the crowd went away buzzing.
