There's the odd instance when two or more Bluesbunnies wind up at the same show. No matter the combination, the outcome is always the same. Ever the pleasure seeker, I found my way to Stereo in the company of Handsome Bluesbunny (who seemed ready for a fight) where US/UK psychobilly survivors, the Phantom Rockers, were tonight's entertainment. Let's rumble!
The first attack came from Scotland's cleanest punk rock act, The Hold Up. Despite front man Stoo having a boyband friendly voice, and constant drumming irregularities, these boys just about managed to convince me that they were not the next incarnation of Busted. However, songs such as "Live Wire" are textbook punk rock and, unfortunately for the lads, I doubt that their set turned many heads. Not that there were many heads to turn in the first place…
The evening picked up a pace with the arrival of A Sailor's Grave. Half an hour of razor sharp punk rock with a psychobilly strut even persuaded two identically dressed guys near the stage into doing the mock combat man dance. One of the drawbacks of being a critic is the fear of prejudicing the review - I couldn't get up and dance myself, no matter how I may have wanted to. The crowd reaction - or lack of it - was hardly a fair reflection of the quality of the band's performance. A Sailor's Grave are for real. They have the image, they have the sound and soon they'll draw in the crowds!
The Phantom Rockers have been, in one form or another, spreading their filth-infested psychobilly around the globe for over 20 years. Perhaps now their years of hellraising have caught up with them. A tired showing from the group provoked little response from an unimpressed crowd. I could be mistaken but a punk act covering Dead or Alive is surely taboo unless you are in or were in the Toy Dolls. The fact that a truly puzzling rendition of "You Spin Me Right Round" was the talking point of their set speaks volumes about their performance.
A Sailor's Grave staged an upset tonight and it's just a shame that the turnout was so miserable but it's always nice to see a support act prove the billing of acts to be unjust. They were the star turn.