Rebellion Day 3
As I prepare for the onslaught of steps and sounds on day 3 I contemplate my 48 hours so far in Blackpool. The punks have taken over, touts are the only ones selling tickets and this punk rock party is in fine form. There’s a haunting spectre of a match from the EDL later as we hope that attendees of the festival will be out in protest of the hate and division that the edl espouse.
I start off with Cassie fox in the literary stage. We had Cassie over in Dublin a few years ago talking about Loud Women. They have had 1,000 applications to play their festival this year. It is quickly growing. It was a great talk about empowerment and just doing stuff. Loud women are taking over the introducing stage tomorrow which will be a great showcase.
I hung around for Matt Worley’s talk after. Matts recent book on fanzines has been on my to be read pile for a long time. I hope to get to it soon but his talk today has made me move it close to the top. He is very well versed in the history of zines and the trajectory music ones took. Fanzine culture is fascinating and many of the people at the festival wrote and participated in that culture. It was our internet.
I wanted to see if there was a counter demo to the edl one but there is a huge police presence around town so I pretended the world was good and open to all and that the fascists would not to come to the seaside town this afternoon. No doubt there’s many silent ones around. The fascists came out in small numbers and hundreds left the festival to counter protest. By the time I go the the door we were locked in, doors closed temporarily but enough had got out to send a message to those on the other side. I watched I Doris acoustic set in peace. Songs about peri menopause and hrt which when you think of it really need more open conversation in public for all. That is changing for sure but bands like I, Doris are important for it.
Millie Manders was in the acoustic arena next. A real cross section of ages here, from kids with ear protectors to grey haired bodies with ear plugs. She was one of the few I heard over the weekend to express support for Palestine. Millie is shamelessly inclusive for all as her voice filled up the beautiful Spanish hall
The day really started then with the iroinic (sic) soiunds (sic) of Hard skin. As Fat Bob tried his best to annoi (sic) everyone in the crowd who returned his insults with laughter it got a bit Harry Enfield at one stage so JT just started a song. The only way to shut up Fat Bon’s comedy. The empress lapped it all up as did I.
Oi continued with Knock off. Not too dissimilar to hard skin but without the comedic effect.
Then it was Oi No More with interrobang in the opera house. Dunstan Bruce, their lead singer, recently released a solo single, Everything is fucking expensive. It’s not an interrobang song so he didn’t play it. They come on loudhailers in hand and the theatre of it all was kicking in but technology delayed things. Those issues were soon forgotten as the band got into the rhythm of it all “my name is Dunstan Bruce and I’m 62 years old. Revolution is a process not a one time event.” Dunstan is still calling for action, one of a few from that generation, of lyricists, that from the stages of rebellion are still seeking change.
Paranoid Visions clashed with interrobang but I caught the end of their set. They were haunting the Casbah with their sound. Paranoid visions and Rebellion festival go hand in hand. They are an Irish glove to fit the festival. They will be back, an almost ever present at this stage.
My third helping of Cassie Fox in one day was with her band I, Doris. Pop tunes with a punk soul. We all became Honorary Doris’s for the night and did the Doris pledge. The security at the front were going round giving out glasses of water for people- not just those in Peri menopause but it summed up the atmosphere inside the winter gardens perfectly, unlike what was happening outside as we got locked into the venue.
Benefits are the anthisesis of I, Doris. Noise, more noise and anger and aggression. Drums, sound system and strobe lights. Nice and uncomfortable for the listener.
My second Millie Manders set of the day was followed by the glorious wonk unit. First though Millie in the empress was very impressive. Winning over the room in a way not too dissimilar to Bar Stool preachers this was a moving rocking celebration of protest music.
Wonk Unit next for me in the Arena. The stage has moved and the sound was incredible in the packed out room. Queues of people formed outside hoping to get a glimpse. Wonk Unit were on fire, angry at the scenes of the day they played a blistering set of their own wonk core. One of the highlights of the weekend was the crowd singing in unison about awful jeans.
I then settled into the opera house to see Lene lovich and a set of post new wave goodies with a strong theatrical slant through it all.
So the choice then was to let Cock Sparrer or ruts dc finish off the day . For me I was in my seat, safely ensconced in the opera house and ready for ruts dc. The band that can do wrong certainly lived up to their name. A huge crowd as they call for unity and peace. A brilliant set of songs from down through the ages. Typified everything that is good about rebellion and gave me a strong affirmation in believing in the power of punk rock.
niallhope
