UK Subs/C-30′s/The Sporadics

Champions, Bournemouth

Its a warm Friday night in sunny Bournemouth & tonight is Punk Night! Bournemouth’s Punk fraternity is out in force to welcome the return of Punk legends UK Subs. Also on tonights bill are two local bands. First up are Dub/Ska Punkers The Sporadics.

Their aim is to get this crowd moving early. Shaun (vox) is cavorting the stage in a rallying call to all as he sings the opening lyrics to ‘Sick’. These guys are no strangers to Champions & have quite a following in the area & they get us in the mood with another of their ‘short’ titled songs D.S.P. Bimble (bass) is concentrated all night as his gaze barely leaves the stage-its hardly shoegazing tho, he doesnt stand still for a minute!

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More crowd pleasers follow with the likes of ‘He Said’ & Rejects before Shaun dedicates ‘Freaks’ to ‘you lot & us lot,’cos thats wot we are!! A few skins among the crowd start dancing while the band grow more confident. Saul (drums) also seems to be enjoying himself,laughing & gurning throughout while Andy (guitar) confidently plays in his own no nonsense style. Shaun carries on bantering with the crowd & says they’re going to do a cover. Its not one this reviewer recognises so I wont pretend I know it! They end with ‘Ronnie’ to generous applause & duly set the tone for what will be a memorable night.

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Second on are local Punk stalwarts C-30’s. Tonight’s set as with recent gigs has seen them take a more Grungier stance. Dinosaur Jr. comes to mind but one wouldn’t want to label them as a tribute just yet! Their whole sound is fuller & heavier on the earlier songs in their set before they return to the punkier songs like ‘Snakes & Liars’. Their gig isnt helped tonight when Andy (vox),frustrated by the soundmans efforts walks off stage mid-set bemoaning the amp volumes. After a brief vocal exchange with the promoter & sound guys he returns to the stage fired up & ready to resume! Live favourite ‘Wake Up’ gets the usual singalong before they return to the heavier material of earlier. Dom’s (drums) are always an eyecatching feature of their live work,his handspeed knows no bounds & tonight is no exception. Paul (bass) just plays along confidently, smiling throughout. They end on ‘Beachbum Baby’ to decent applause but Andy just looks happy to leave the stage.

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So, to the return of the UK Subs. The crowd has swelled to a near full Champions as the band take to the stage. Charlie (vox) launches himself into opener ‘Endangered Species’,the punks respond instantly with a mad pit ensuing. Tonight they play like their lives depend on it. While some Punk bands go for the ‘cleaner’ more professional sound (SLF),the Subs just play ‘faster’ & tonight is no exception. Jamie’s (drums) are ferocious throughout while Jet (guitar) is pulling shapes all night long. ‘Kicks’ carries on the mayhem within the crowd & live favourite ‘Emotional Blackmail’ gets the first big singalong.

Early numbers ‘Left For Dead’,’Rockers’ & ‘Keep on Running’ keep everyone happy alongside newer songs like ‘Creation’ & ‘Bitter & Twisted’. Charlie’s vocals are coherent for a man of his years but he pays tribute to ‘his brilliant band’ as he takes us ‘Down on the Farm’. He celebrates Alvin’s (bass) by announcing how he’s spoiling us with his ‘Thunderbird’ tonight. Alvin looks almost embarrassed,smiling nonchalently. More classic numbers follow in the shape of ‘Teenage’, Tomorrows Girls’ & ‘Warhead’ which gets another (extended) singalong. Early single ‘Stranglehold’ is greeted warmly by one & all as are ‘Disease’,’World War’ & ‘Party in Paris’. The band take a well earned break before returning to a ‘terrace-like’ chant of UK Subs,UK Subs….. They end with C.I.D.,Live in a Car, & ‘Lady Esquire’ to rapturous applause & I imagine everyone goes home happy. Punks not Dead,on this showing its alive & well!

Sporadics setlist
Sick
D.S.P.
He Said
Rejects
Freaks
Unity
Truth
10%
Ronnie

C-30’s setlist
He was a nun
Dont Forget To Prey
In A Little While
BF2
Harmony Girl
Snakes & Liars
Eleven Mile High Club
Ain’t No Easy Way Out
Wake Up
Its On
Smoke Signals
Beach Bum Baby

UK Subs setlist
Endangered Species
Kicks
Squat 96
Emotional Blackmail
Left For Dead
Rockers
Keep On Running (Til You Burn)
Creation
Bitter & Twisted
Down On The Farm
Hell Is
This Chaos
Tomorrows Girls
Warhead
Teenage
Stranglehold
Disease
World War
Party In Paris