Saturday 3 August @ Winter Gardens, Blackpool
Today’s a day which will go down in Rebellion folklore as one where punks turned out in force to stop knobheads causing the sort of mayhem on the streets of Blackpool which has blighted other English towns and cities in recent days.
The horrific killing of three young girls at a dance class in Southport became an excuse for anti-immigration protests fuelled by far-right rhetoric, with serious rioting in several places.
Rebellion is a festival all about inclusion, and punks showed that by turning out in their hundreds in a counter-protest to the EDL who were out to cause trouble in this racial melting pot of a town.
There were flashpoints throughout the day, and at one point the Winter Gardens went into lockdown, with no one allowed in or out, as the yobs tried to gain entry (though fuck knows what they would have done when faced with thousands of punks rather than hundreds).
Thankfully, a combination of punks, the police and venue security prevented an even more serious situation from escalating, and the ‘protest’ fizzled out so everyone could get back to what they’re here for – enjoying music made by people of all creeds, colours and leanings.
I claim no credit for this; I was inside watching Italian ska-punk band Los Fastidios singing their anti-racist anthems while it was all kicking off outside, but full credit to all those who made sure that hate didn’t win the day.
Anyhow, back to the music. My Saturday begins with a visit to Almost Acoustic, where Darlington post-hardcore band In Evil Hour are breaking very different ground indeed, with a quite wonderful acoustic set. It allowed singer Alice’s voice the chance to really shine without competing against the usual cacophony of guitar, bass and drums, and it was a revelation. It’s a format I’d love to see them in again, and in my humble opinion an album of stripped-down songs would be very welcome.
Opening proceedings in the Empress are Lady Rage, an all-girl four-piece from London who’ve been so actively leafleting the festival and surrounding bars that it would have been rude not to check them out. Their riot grrl-inspired sound pulls a good-sized crowd, and although I don’t know any of their songs, I resolve to check them out on Bandcamp when I get the chance. They’ve released a string of very feisty singles, so hopefully a debut album’s not too far away. You can do the same HERE.
Back upstairs there’s a more familiar figure in the shape of Jonny Robson, lead singer of one of my favourite bands, Gimp Fist, who’s doing a solo acoustic slot for the third year in a row. His stripped-down versions of songs like First In Line and Here I Stand whet the whistle nicely as an appetiser for the full-band set to follow later.
There’s no time to hang round and say hello, as the hectic scheduling means it’s back to the ballroom to see Dakka Skanks, a Brighton-based band who are moving up the ranks, and have been recommended to me by a friend. They blend classic ska rhythms with indie rock guitar and in vocalist Clara have a frontwoman with an amazing voice. Again, I don’t know any of their material, but I like them, and add them to my growing list of bands to check out properly once the whole shebang is over.
The aforementioned Los Fastidios are up next, and their anti-fascist anthems have never sounded so relevant as they do today. They debut a brand new song, Back To Blackpool, but it’s their best-known song, Antifa Hooligans, which hits the spot hardest. They’re simply a Joy Joy Joy to behold, with the chemistry between frontman Enrico and his wife Elisa, who’s now a full-time member of the band, lifting them to a different level.
More acoustic goodness awaits upstairs as Millie Manders And The Shutup play a stripped-down version of their high-energy set, and again incredible Millie’s voice is to the fore as they mix new songs from long-awaited second album Wake Up, Shut Up, Work (reviewed here) with some old favourites.
MMATSU are another band who I reckon will headline here one day, and it’ll be fully deserved, as I’ve loved watching them grow. And those high notes in Your Story really do make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
Gimp Fist have become Saturday teatime regulars in the Empress, and they too have a new album to promote. Losing Streak (reviewed here) is well up to their usual standard, and the County Durham trio know their audience well enough to be confident that a trio of new tracks will go down a storm. It’s the oldies like Skinhead Not Bonehead, their take on Perkele’s Heart Full Of Pride and a more recent favourite, Top Dog, which really get the floor bouncing though, before traditional set closer Here I Stand.
After dipping out to find some food, next up for me is another festival stalwart, Henry Cluney, who’s performing his usual Stiff Little Fingers karaoke/stand up comedy routine on the almost acoustic stage. Now I love a good old SLF singalong as much as the next fan, but his repeated interruptions just as a vibe is starting to build grates a bit after a while, so we don’t stay to the end.
Downstairs in the Arena are another band on my must-see list, Crown Court. The London-based Oi! crew are a band I’ve wanted to see properly for a while after catching a couple of songs in 2017, and they don’t disappoint. I loved last year’s Heavy Manners album (reviewed here) and songs like Rich Boy, Nothing Known, Kids Of The 20s and Striped Up Sent Down show just why their modern take on old school oi! creates a stir everywhere they plant their DM boots.
One of the best things about Rebellion is its championing of punk bands you’d otherwise never get the chance to see, and that’s the case with The Noname, a four-piece from Xi’an City in China who play a fast, furious brand of punk very much in the UK82 vein.
Down in the Ballroom, Millie Manders And The Shut Up are showing their future headliner potential with a blistering set of cross-genre punk which has a wide appeal. They throw a few songs from the new album into a set of old favourites like Not OK and Bitter, with Shut Your Mouth and Rebound going down a storm. Millie calls those who turned out to confront the Nazis as “absolute fucking legends”, and turns in one of the vocal performances of the weekend.
Time for an unscheduled sit down as I head to the Opera House for American-British new waver Lene Lovich. Can it really be 45 years since she had her big hit with Lucky Number? That makes me feel really old, but I strike it lucky, as she plays it mid-set instead of making us wait ’til the end.
Her voice is in good shape, even if at the age of 75 her performance is more theatrical than energetic, and I add her to my list of artists I really need to check out properly.
We’re getting towards the end of the night, and I pay a quick visit to the Arena, where I catch a few songs by new-to-me German band Harbour Rebels. Fronted by the ball of energy that is female vocalist Jule, they’re an engaging mix of Oi!, ska and hardcore, and I like them a lot, and add another name to my ‘check them out’ list.
It’s headliner time in the ballroom, and time for the triumphant return of Rebellion favourites Cock Sparrer. Unlike last year, where they stepped in at the 11th hour when The Damned had to pull out, this appearance is very much scheduled, and hugely anticipated.
They’ve got an excellent new album, Hand On Heart (reviewed here) under their belt, and the ballroom is packed as they launch into traditional opening one-two of Riot Squad and Watch Your Back.
The new album is well represented by With My Hand On My Heart, Mind Your Own Business, Here We Stand and Take It On The Chin, and there’s a welcome rare outing for I Live In Marbella.
Frontman Colin pays tribute to everyone involved in the festival, especially the security staff (but disappointingly doesn’t use their headliner status to denounce the far right shenanigans earlier in the day), then Sparrer reclaim Suicide Girls from those pesky Bar Stool Preachers, and the set ends in familiar fashion with England Belongs To Me and We’re Coming Back. Now that’s what I call a headliner.
Although it’s gone midnight, I’m on a high, and check out a couple more bands, both new to me. The Hotknives are a ska band from Sussex, and I warm to them immediately, especially when I spot a young lad – presumably the bass-playing frontman’s son – scamper onstage to offer his dad a sweet!
Before heading out into the night there’s time for a quick visit to the Casbah, where Swiss rockabilly band Hillbilly Moon Explosion are entertaining a very respectable crowd for after 1am with their rockabilly sound. I don’t know any of their songs, save for a cover of Blondie’s Call Me, but I’m partial to a bit of upright bass, and add them to my ever-growing list of bands to investigate properly once I get home.
Day three complete, another 16 bands seen (bringing my running total to 56), and one day still to go., including a headline set from my favourite band. Bring it on…
Saturday’s 6 of the best: Jonny Robson, Los Fastidios, Gimp Fist, Crown Court, Millie Manders And The Shut Up, Cock Sparrer.
Best new-to-me band: Harbour Rebels.
