Good Riddance, Manchester Academy
Despite carrying out numerous interview and gig reviews over the past year or two, it’s still all a bit weird at times. Like when you walk down the road to the Academy and see Russ from Good Riddance standing in a phone box outside before you stroll inside to interview Jason fucking Shevchuck. It’s all a little overwhelming.
Which, I’m sure they would agree, is how STRIKE OF 59 were feeling when they hit the stage as ‘local’ supports (despite being from ‘dahn saaf’). After insulting the frankly gorgeous Katya before the gig (“So how did you scab onto this gig then?” … yeh, I could have phrased the question about 3000 times better, I know) I was eager to try and redeem myself by concentrating my full attention on the band and hopefully enjoying their laid back ska rock a little more than I did on CD. Unfortunately, as with me earlier in the evening, it was all a little overwhelming for Strike of 59 and, technical problems included, they generally stumbled through their set, appearing both bashful and almost embarrassed to be there. Katya’s voice is extremely powerful and the focal point of the band, but it isn’t backed up by the somewhat limited lyrics and the unimaginative, if not toe-tappingly catchy, music backing it up. (5)
After that somewhat stalling start to the evening, it was time for what I considered tonight’s main attraction. NONE MORE BLACK are made up from part Kid Dynamite, part Kill Your Idols in personnel, and generally take a poppier yet grittier approach to the former in terms of musical style. With Jason Shevchuck taking both vocal and guitar duties, the sound is thick and layered, while ‘Everyday Balloons’ and ‘Ice Cream With The Enemy’ are grin inducing and highly satisfying. NMB were everything I hoped them to be. Energetic, fun from the off, tight as fuck and generally note perfect. Every song is a winner, but it’s the bouncy, yet jaunting sounds of ‘Dinners For Suckers’ that takes the biscuit and leaves everyone in the crowd as happy as larry. If Kid Dynamite were Shorter, Faster, Louder, then None More Black are deeper, slower and incomprehensibly satisfying. (9)
GOOD RIDDANCE have a hard act to follow after Jason’s triumphant return to the stage, but despite a dauntingly slow start, it slowly picks up before hitting fever pitch somewhere in amongst the hordes of brain-dead stage divers. But more about that later. Firstly, Russ and company seem somewhat subdued tonight, especially the aforementioned frontman who seems to be slightly in a world of his own and probably with his mind on either getting home (it being the last night of the tour) or the days earlier KFC protest. Either way, the music speaks for itself in the most part, and the likes of ‘Yesterdays Headlines’ whip the crowd into a frenzy. However, where was ‘One For The Braves’ and arguably the best song off the new album, ‘Theres No I In Team?’. Despite these glaring omissions, GR’s set was exactly what you’d expect from such an established and professional band. (8)
Still, what makes people think that everyone has paid to see them drag their flabby arse onto the stage, stroke various members of the band before taking a good five minutes to launch themselves disappointingly off the front of the stage into a crowd of people who are more than likely pissed off to the eyeballs with your saggy breasts hitting them in the face every split second? Seriously, I can just about stand stage divers if they’re energetic, inventive and generally follow the rule of ‘Get on Stage. Turn Round. Launch Yourself Into Oblivion’ and opposed to the infidels code of ‘Clamber awkwardly onto the stage. Look around you a bit. Smile and wave to your friends to show how popular you are. Converse with the band mid song. Take a few tentative steps back, jog to the front of the stage, stop, put your armsout then flop pathetically into the arms of people wanting to thrash about and enjoy thr band, not stop your sorry arse from slamming into the floor of the venue. AAAAGGGHHH
Still, None More Black tore it up, Good Riddance did what they did best, and Strike of 59 pretty much blew a golden opportunity to up their profile. Oh, and the girl with the Sesame Street T Shirt on pissed me off no end. That sums it up nicely doesn’t it?
Ross
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