Rebellion 2018 – Day 2

Rebellion 2018 – day 2

After losing the battle against the seagulls during the night (do seagulls never sleep??) and an incident in the room next door to me involving a lot of screaming I still was ready to tackle this second day refreshed. Excited to see some bands that still bring back happy memories from my youth but also a freshness to today.

 

Before I started in the Introducing Stage I ventured down to the casbah stage to see Templeton Park play their emo-tinged hardcore.

I love this part of rebellion. Two of yesterday’s highlights were on this stage for me so I was hoping to get some more today.

Vertigo violet powered their way through a rocky set, maybe l7 ish. Some songs that may have been better advised to wait til after rebellion before showcasing or maybe practice some more.

Subalternos are over from Brazil. Part of a large contingent from South America. Listening to them before rebellion They reminded me of welsh punk band anhrefn, not just because I didn’t understand what they were singing about but their style of 77 inspired punk was similar. However live it was more los fastidios type, political oi charged sounds

Catlow in the almost acoustic was a pleasant surprise. Strong country tinged acoustic. It brought back memories for so many different reasons. As she sang a Johnny cash medley my thoughts went to my youthful Blackpool trips with my man and dad and how my dad was a huge fan of Johnny cash. He passed earlier this year and the pain is still raw. Amazing how a song sung by someone’s don’t know can set you off. Always good to talk kids and always good to make the most of your days.

Nothing like a bit of ska to cheer you up and think of the good times. Counting coins were skanking in the pavilion as I passed by. I popped in and bobbed around for a while.

The Astronauts were part of a British anarchi scene that was closer to folk agitators than spiky haired ones. I went to the pavillion to catch their set but to find that either they had drastically changed their sound or the fast paced punk of no thrills had replaced then

The raging Nathan’s blew the roof of The introducing stage. I had to miss part of the newtown neurotics for them they were that good. Fast pop punk with so much power and as compact as the ground during our r cent heatwave. Short snappy songs, the room was packed. The people know, you know.

I’ve a lot to thank the neurotics for. Firstly the time in my youth that I was communicating with them coincided with a political education for me. Whilst they sang about kicking out the tories I saw the similarities between Britain and Ireland. Similarities in class struggle. That class struggle has been conveniently cleansed by neoliberalism through the years but generally speaking workers are always looking to improve a meager lot as the bosses keep gathering the wealth. Also when the Neurotics played rebellion for the first time I had to come over. It was my first visit to the punk party. Before I felt it was almost a benevolent fund for old punk bands. Whilst I liked the idea I didn’t really see my d.i.y. background as being part of it. One trip (first time it was just a day trip too) and I was won over by the community that is this festival. One trip was all it took. Another polished set but Steve’s vocals could be a bit lower in the mix, at times those cutting words were cutting in the wrong places. The old favorites were still there. The world has evolved since the neurotics sang of kicking out the tories. They left but were replaced by similar and have now returned. Unemployment is much lower but a certain element of the population (growing number) are still blaming it on those not born in the country. Steve tried to update some lyrics and it was great to see the whole family in in the act on the merch stall.

Mention the subhumans to me and I think of their 4 gigs in Dublin’s youth expression centre. 4 gigs in grey dublin, decaying temple bar but they showed somehow that there was another world out there. An exciting and energetic one that had endless possibilities

Dublin’s Lee Harvey’s recently added in PA from Paranoid a visions. It was like a home gig for the band such was the large number of Irish people over trot the festival. They played a great set of 1979 irish punk rock with nods to the New York scene.

I ran straight from my hometown heroes to see Blackpool evil blizzard. If you haven’t seen them then where do I start?. With the music I suppose. A triple bass assault with keyboard and guitar and someone reading a paper on stage. All in costume and all creating a more than slightly bizzare spectacle. It is threatening yet alluring. Synth Public Image Limited sonic assault on your senses. Kind of like the wedding band if there were one in Texas chainsaw massacre

Hagar the wombs Funnery in a nunnery was my soundtrack for 6 months. I loved the joyous expression of the band. They provided much needed color to the anarcho scene. The politics was still there, except there’s was an animation film rather than a riot. They’ve been back playing odd gigs for a few years now and it seems like singers Steph and Karen no longer need to read the lyrics. They have good fun in the large opera house stage, and despite the heat put on a great show. I’m struck by the difference between this stage (which played host to Frank Sinatra over 50 years ago) and the empress ballroom, complete with fans everywhere keeping people cool. Karen needed her hand held fan to keep her in check

Mis made came across as an Australian maid of ace. 3 piece with a powerful rocky sound. It is refreshing to have an alternative to men in black with tattoos and scowls on the stage. Mis-made certainly rocked the arena.

Attila was going to come to dublin with the neurotics. Again helped politicize me and get me thinking. His rapping went against the grain too. Didn’t have to be part of the in crowd to be in the crowd. He has updated his Libyan students from hell to be Corbyn supporters from hell. Age and illness has not diminished his wish for change and Atilla broadcast his message for 45 minutes. His ode to Joe Strummer was felt by everyone in the room “although I never met you you touched me more that you could know. You wrote the soundtrack to my life Comandante Joe”

Paranoid Visions are a part of rebellion. When the furniture is going to the antique shop these will be part of the stock. That day is a long way off. Fresh from their dates with Steve ignorant there was even time for a crass cover tonight.

Millie manders brought her ukelee from south London along to the acoustic room with a touch of style and attitude and a bit of skanking. Great to listen to. The urge crowd in the acoustic room all thought so to as Millie was given a huge respectful standing ovation at the end of her set

Los fastidios I have been concerned with recently. I love their oi anthems but read about their recent trip to Israel in contravention if the cultural ban. With that in mind I didn’t hang around to watch them and went to Neville staples instead. Former Special singing those classic songs. It was sauna like in the casbah as we skanked and drank that sweet. It’s some sight seeing a crowd of 2500 punks singing guns of navarone at the top of their voice. The walls were wet, the floor soaked not from beer for a change and we all left the sauna gasping for air but in the best way possible.

Petrol Girls are a modern beacon for self empowerment. They don’t make music to make you smile but you can smile when you take what they say on stage and implement it. Providing a voice for many who feel voiceless petrol girls scream and shout and throw tunes and refused type punk rock at you. I think of Fucked up at times listening to them but to me Petrol Girls are one of the most vital bands to play Rebellion. Screaming for a better future not thinking of how bad and subsequently good the past was

Finally the men they couldn’t hang finished the day off for me in the pear Ouse, again images of songs from the 1980s are conjured up with this band.  After a long day, the sound was perfect, the crowd perfect and the classics are still perfect.

niallhope