It must have been October 1981 a few months before the `Westworld` album was released when I first got to see Theatre of Hate. They were due to play The Opposite Lock/Bobby Browns club on Gas Street in Birmingham. As we arrived at the venue Kirk Brandon and Stan Stammers were standing next to a transit van and asked as to whether we were going to the gig. It had been moved to The Cedar club in Constitution Hill which was part of the Eddie Fewtrell empire. The legend is that in the 1960s he`d stopped the Kray twins from terrorising the West Midlands, as they did London. We were herded into the tour bus and when we had about a dozen souls we were driven to the show. After the gig we were given `Rebel Without A Brain` posters and the guys signed them, I still have mine forty years on so I hold a deep affection for Kirk, Stan and TOH.
Tonight Theatre of Hate`s eight date tour in support of the bands forty fifth anniversary arrives in Brum and along with Kirk and Stan are Chris Bell on drums and Clive Osbourne on sax. There is a loose structure to the show tonight as the band will play the `Westworld` album in full for the first time live along with singles and b sides.
The lights dim as the quartet arrive on stage and open with `63` and `Judgement Hymn` with its haunting sax intro, a delightfully dystopian listen. The rhythmic beat of `My Own Invention` rings out with lyrics that maybe didn`t register at the time about serial killers and dictators before we move into the hypnotic `The Wake`.
Of the few additional tracks that were thrown in I have to say `The Hop` really stood out. `Conquistador` with its oriental/middle eastern flavour was a track I’d forgotten about and was wonderfully meditative.
But it was the final few cuts that really hit home such as `Legion`, `Rebel Without a Brain`, the pounding Poppies` and show closer the tribal `Do You Believe In The Westworld` which ironically saw the band make their only Top Of The Pops appearance, being introduced by long-time fan DJ John Peel.
The guys were encouraged to return for an encore and I have to say it was with a triple bill of crackers beginning with the questioning `Incinerator`. `Original Sin` which had me reminiscing for my early twenties when everything seemed achievable before they left us with the incendiary `Propaganda`.
It was for me a pretty emotional evening, thinking back on times gone by but I have to say TOH were as always wonderfully tight, explosive, powerful and still retain that edginess about them. I`m sure the younger and uninitiated audience members appreciated the night as much as us more mature seasoned spectators.
There`s another five dates left on this current tour and I can assure you that it`ll be a night to remember if you can get along.
