Crazy Arm headed a top night of Punk at Leicester’s Firebug. With four bands on the bill it could have been a long old night but change-around time was kept to a minimum thanks to all involved. The result was a free flowing and non-stop evening of top quality entertainment.
Opening up the night were Victory Gin with their brand of Skacore. They were perhaps the heaviest band on the bill tonight but they failed to capture the audience’s attention for much of the set. Someone has got to start it all off though…
Next up were Great Cynics, who manage to pull quite a crowd as the venue starts to both fill and wake up. The three-piece played a tight set made up of punk and alternative pop tunes to an enthusiastic bunch down the front. Frontman Giles has a powerful punk voice but is ably backed up by bassist Iona on the softer notes.
London’s Apologies, I Have None keep the energy running high with a high energy set of fast but melodic punk. The three guitar-slingers at the front of the stage make a perfect straight line as they attack with some catchy sounding anthems such as latest single ‘Clapton Pond’. Look out for these guys, they make good noises.
Crazy Arm have a lot to do after a couple of great sets from their under-card. Thankfully the Plymouth gang are more than capable of delivering the goods. Led by vocalist and guitarist Darren Johns, Crazy Arm soon have the audience captivated with their fusion of Punk, Folk and Country. Recent full-time addition to the band Vicky Butterfield arrives and departs the stage as she is required to add a feminine touch to the otherwise raspy twang of Johns vocal delivery.
Johns has a great folk tinged punk roar but also impresses with the six-strings too with many of Crazy Arms songs breaking out into some great guitar frenzies. Keyboards and Fiddle ad some extra finishing touches courtesy of Patrick James Pearson and this is what sets Crazy arm apart from the rest tonight, a well rounded band who find performing an easy task. Their protest punk tunes come thick and fast but the social conscience of the songs doesn’t become overpowering or preacher-like. In fact the songs with the most obvious messages attached are when they are at their strongest. Songs such as ‘Tribes’ are delivered with some real passion and ‘Song of Choice’ is reworked to attack a certain infamous Mr Griffin – “the BNP will never rule my land”.
The band finish off with a Springsteen cover, ‘Born to Run’ gets everyone moving for one last time before the band depart the stage with a successful night complete.
Lyric Lounge Review
Because music matters…
Editor
Editor of LLR since 2005
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