THE GREAT BRITISH ALTERNATIVE FESTIVAL – TANYA RUSSELL Music Features Music Reviews by Editor - November 1, 20150 Sparkling keys compel the audience to dance in GANGSTER, followed by DIGITAL with its repeated refrain over a strong reggae beat. Asking the crowd if they are in good voice, MC SPEE encourages singing during the rendition of IRON SHIRT, which sees the standing part of the crowd skanking like crazy and the seated audience members singing along and doing the chair bop dance. After a shout out to an eight year old fan on their birthday, which incidentally is extremely cool and shows that the fight back against manufactured music manipulating children is working, DREADZONE perform FIRE IN THE DARK, a song from their latest album with a domineering rhythm and lyrics musing on the modern world. ZION starts as the band encourage skanking to the spacey reggae number and the crowd are actively moving rhythmically, eager not to disappoint. LITTLE BRITAIN, with its immediately recognisable melody sends the crowd pretty wild and DREADZONE themselves are obviously really enjoying the performance, especially as the pogoing becomes increasingly friendly fierce. CAPTAIN again is an infectious melody that has everyone moving and the feel good rhythm has everyone smiling as the party moves on into the night. The crowd are yelling ahoy back at the band and everyone has had a great time. So, now is time for the mighty kings of punk THE DAMNED. Starting with STREET OF DREAMS, against a red and silver backdrop that is about as punk as you can get, the band are pacing the stage to the pounding rhythm. As orange lights then strafe the crowd, VANIAN sings over the relentless riffs of JUST FOR YOU, HERES A LOVE SONG. The crowd then go completely wild to I JUST CAN’T BE HAPPY TODAY, which they sing along to, somewhat ironically as everyone looks exceedingly joyful. The cascading riffs of WAIT FOR THE BLACKOUT are the perfect backdrop to showcase Vanian’s vocal talent. Continuing to entertain the crowd with melodic punk rock in the shape of LOOKING FOR ACTION, THE DAMNED have everyone, even those tucked away at the back of the room, on their feet and dancing. The lights then focus on the keyboard player, who is playing the memorable melody of HISTORY OF THE WORLD under strident vocals. Shredding the strings, THE DAMNED perform VIDEO NASTY as the crowd continue to dance wildly. ALONE AGAIN has chiming guitars creating dance inducing melodies before THE DAMNED launch into a song about being thrown out of hotels, which is a very punk thing to engage in, and the crowd become suitably rowdy during STRANGER IN A TOWN. A white light swathed stage sets the scene for the dynamite beauty of ELOISE followed by NEW ROSE, during which the keyboard player encourages the crowd into the craziest dancing that I have seen this weekend, including some friendly mosh pits. CAPTAIN SENSIBLE’S plays lightning licks behind his head and the crowd cheer and dance along to the high octane performance. The fast pace of FAN CLUB then keeps the pace going madly towards the frantic finale. To a shout of ‘1977 – what a year!’, which incidentally I must agree with as I was busy being born, THE DAMNED continue to obliterate the crowd with relentless riffs. CAPTAIN SENSIBLE and the crowd duet a shortened version of HAPPY TALK, and the band end with a juggernaut of a performance of SMASH IT UP, which has the whole crowd dancing wildly around, in emulation of the keyboard player and with the sheer love they clearly hold for live, angry music. After a goodbye of ‘thanks for forty years of lunacy’, THE DAMNED leave the stage, whilst an exhausted crowd catch their breath before GOLDBLADE. GOLDBLADE take to the stage to a deafening drum and RIOT! RIOT! soon has the crowd shouting back the lyrics at JOHN ROBB, who, as always performs with endless energy and complete conviction. Asking for the vocal to be turned up to hear ”my beautiful singing voice”, ROBB sings SINGING HARDCORE despite a bass amp problem. The music cuts out again but no-one gives a fuck because this is proper punk and all that really matters is that we are here, in a room of like minded fans who just want to be part of something real. Anyway, after my philosophical musings on the nature of music, the problems end and we are singing hardcore again with the band with ROBB pretty much in the crowd at some points. ROBB is a coiled spring, bounding across the stage to and igniting the audience as he continues the set with the unstoppable verve and vivacity that makes GOLDBLADE such a compelling live act. Dedicating JUKEBOX GENERATION to a 79 year old in the crowd, ROBB has a pogoing crowd bouncing to the repeated refrain. The electrifying performance keeps the crowd moving despite the heat generated by so many moshing punks during SHAMAN ARE COMING. ROBB launches himself into the audience as they shout woooaah along with the music. The next track is definitely sing-a-long so trying to get the crowd to find the key, ROBB leads them into MY NAME IS PSYCHO and the crowd are actually really quite tuneful given how much alcohol must have been consumed at this point. Giving out some presents, including CAPTAIN SENSIBLE’S Twix, ROBB rewards his dancing fans. RIOT has the crowd punching the air and singing along as ROBB demands that the crowd should stand up for their rights to racing riffs. After inviting the crowd to his chalet for a cup of tea (teabags not included), GOLDBLADE end with DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ROCK AND ROLL? as ROBB throws himself around the stage and the audience show that they certainly do believe in at least the power of GOLDBLADE to provide punchy punk and that is why we came here in the first place. A pinwheeling ROBB has the crowd testify to their belief in the power of rock and roll and Butlins defiantly rocks tonight. So much so, that GOLDBLADE play another song and the dancing continues in a manic fashion to OUT OF CONTROL and we eventually collapse exhausted at the end of an absolutely fantastic festival that we are looking forward to participating in again next year.