Rebellion 2018 – Day 3

Rebellion 2018 – day 3

So it’s just past noon and the first band of the day are murderburgers. The room is packed, we are all ready for the Scottish pop punk sound. Short snappy songs and a great start to the third day.

The Gakk from Dundalk opened up the pavillion stage. Rebellion is a family of people coming together each year for a punk party but that family has its own cliques. I’ve noticed the London contingent supporting a certain few bands and another faction is the Irish faction. Great to see so many people here supporting their band. Part of me thinks we should be off checking out other bands but when the people are greeting each other like theiybhabent seen each other since last year (even though in reality it wasbyesterday) makes me knowntheres something special going on. The gakk are part of that.

Back to the introducing for kearneys jig. I was exciting something completely different going by the name. Walking in I was waiting for a mandolin or some instrument with a background in Irish music, maybe a sped up jog or reel. Instead it was a dynamic refreshing 4 piece playing poppy enough sing along punk.

Tim holehouse seems to spend most his time gigging and on the road. He’s been at it for nearly 10 years so I checked out his bluegrass style in the acoustic room before rushing to catch Pizzatramp. When pizzatramp played the introducing stage last year they left a mark on the room. This time in the casbah the sound isn’t great but the band play one of the tightest sets over the weekend. Well it would have been if their drummer had of been here. Two years in a row with a stand in drummer but still So fast and powerful. It all gets a bit lost in the huge casbah area, a small stage with a small ceiling adds to the madness for pizzatramp but still Amazing stuff

Jess Silk got the acoustic room moving and moved by her political offering. Maybe I’m being more selective but I noticed an increase in political agitation at this years festival. Always good to hear. Jess has made it her mission to make this world a better place and is using music as her tool. Is that a bad thing? Not in my book.

Sieben suits the opera house to a t. The surroundings beings of the winter gardens are beautiful. All venues are under one roof with books and granny’s everywhere and suddenly at 1200 seated venue tucked away. Ornate surroundings and home to some amazing show business stories. The punks have taken over this asylum and the one man bizarre noise of sieben has teplaced morecome and wise on the stage. Completely bizarre. Everywhere you turn though there’s people milling around, eating, dancing, drinking, talking, buying records or band merch, looking at punk art or crafts. There’s such a buzz in the corridor the 2 venues with seats are a welcome relief at time.

Blyth power in the acoustic room. Is slightly less bizarre. Last time I saw Joseph porta was behind a drum kit in Dublin’s Project Arts Centre. Also playing that night we’re Paranoid Visions (who I saw last night) and the pleasure cell who I wish were still playing. The sweet English voice preparing each song with a “1-2-3-4” is my abiding memory from that mighty. Now the songs came rushing back. The acoustic was still the 4 piece band with Joseph standing like a marching band member up with his snare seam tied to his waist. We got the songs detailing English history with a folk tinge

Steve Drewett and Atilla are a team, comrades in arms since the politically charged 80s. Steve did an acoustic set and Attila played with his barnstormers. When he played yesterday Atilla was trying to shamelessly self promote his set today. It would have been enough to just say he was playing. Barnstormer 1649 is a concept band singing about a period of English history where the peasants revolted. Perfect. I’m in But then Atilla decided to tell everyone if the instruments the band will be using. All original 17th century noisemakers. No need, no need. Let us go and enjoy it. There was a full band too which made it all the more interesting to listen to. I sat as we heard tales of yore about new model army and the diggers. A time when Countries were forming and land was becoming an issue. Now we have a slight reversal where countries that were colonized are being told to stop letting their people leave and escape the mess the west have made. They ended up making some rwcket with that mix of instruments too.

Glynn Barber is the lead singer in Chron Gen who have been bashing out their brand of UK82 punk since being in secret records all those days ago. The songs were stripped down bare with the guitar and whilst basic enough there’s always a tune to tap your foot to. Another poignant moment when he sang “raise a glass to absent friends, whisper wordsnyiu should have said”. Maybe it’s me this weekend with a heightened sense of awareness but it does feel like a festival more in touch with its feeling than ever before.

Blyth Power then for the full set. Back with the fuller sound which in reality is not much different. A louder version of earlier and always time for “1-2-3-4” before each song

Then through the throngs for a quick sneak out to see the Raw Power from Italy. When I heard Fuck Authority in 1984 on a maximum rock n roll compilation I was completely blown away. How can someone play this fast. Raw power are doing what pizzatramp do except the songs are much much longer (as in more than 20 seconds) and less Comedic. There no break for air with these. Intense.

I was enjoying idestroys energy until they said “how are you doin Blackpool. I wanna see those hands in the air”. I needed a vegan milkshake after that in preparation for wonk unit.

Wonk unit are becoming legendary in rebellion. Definitely winner for most bad t-shirts won by the audience. Alex introduces most of the songs by letting us know the lyrics to sing along to. They usually are only a couple of lines so no extra marks for remembering them. Snappy songs, fun imwith the crowd. If rebellion is one big family these are fast becoming heirs totthe family band held bybRITS DC

Billy liar in the acoustic room was belting out some hi tempo acoustic stuff. I don’t know whether it’s the three days or maybe just Kate in the day but it’s getting harder and harder to find somewhere to stay from more than a minute without a strong smell coming. Then acoustic room was fart city for billy liars set and there’s no way in blaming the Scottish punk folkster. Nobody left after Billy’s set in anticipation of the next man to hit the stage. There was a strong sense of excitement for ginger wildheart.

The choice between ginger and current quirky low fi noiseniks lovely eggs was won by neither. It Didn’t even go to extra time or penalty shoot out. I had my seat for ginger so I said I’d give him 10 mins. That stretched to 15 as the crowd, of which I was part of, were loving his folk rock and opening up to his demons. It was a struggle in more ways than one to get out of the room it was so packed. However I wanted to watch the lovely eggs so had to split my time. As it’s a two piece and a bit lo if there will be white stripe comparisons. Also as husband and wife there’s a similar if tenuous family connection. It was lovely to see the two of them work together to try and fix a technical problem. Helping out as any partner would. No sign of a roadie to try and fix the guitar, just get your drummer to help. This was probly the most punk rock thing I’ve seen all weekend. Do their own thing, by themselves. Complete diy and their mantra “fuck it all”

The menstrual cramps finished the night on the introducing stage. Hard to put into words how good this was. The band I wanted to be in 30 years ago who were ready to change the worldnand stand up to misogony, racism and all forms of oppression. Ready to scream and shout and force you into thinking. Refreshing and the highlight of the day

Nigel Clark from dodgy was in the acoustic room. I wonder d how he would fit in to this festival but when I saw him in stage with the neurotics yesterday I realized there was no need to worry. He played a set of punk covers which bizarre and all as it seems it was great to listen to.

Peter hooks sets was perfect in the smaller pavilion room a couple of years ago but those songs can be played anywhere. Sound was decent and hearing she’s lost control and transmission was pretty special.

Ruts DC, what a band. What a family. Welcome home. It was an incredible end to another great day. 12 hours after murderburgers hit the stage. I don’t have the punk rock stamina so called it a night. And anyway after the magic of ruts dc there was no need for anything else

 

niallhope