GIG REVIEW: Crashed Out @ Trillians, Newcastle, Saturday 28 December 2024
It’s become something of a tradition for streetpunk ‘n’ rollers Crashed Out to hold a free gig at the Tyneside rock venue institution which is Trillians between Christmas and New Year.
But I feared the worst when I heard that Spencer ‘Spin’ Brown, the Jarrow band’s bass player, had broken his arm just before the festive season.
I shouldn’t have worried, as Shaun Wright, son of guitarist Lee, agreed to step in to make sure the show could go ahead.
As frontman of up and coming young band Kidpunk, Shaun’s no stranger to the stage, but he’s a guitarist rather than bass player, and had to master the instrument and learn a 14-song setlist in just a week.
With a lot of practice and the encouragement of his old man, his uncle Chris, who handles vocals, and drummer Andy Wilkinson, he absolutely smashed it, and helped make this night one to remember.
Trillians was rammed with music fans and Saturday night drinkers, and after a well-received set by recently-reformed South Shields band NE34 (formerly known as BiNt) in their big comeback gig, it was time for the Oots.
Their set was split into two halves: seven songs of their own, and a seven-song tribute set to legendary South Shields punk band the Angelic Upstarts.
They kicked off with Against All Odds, the title track of their latest and best album (reviewed here), and plucked six porky prime cuts from their back catalogue.
This Is Our Music (‘written by our Lee before I was born’ jokes Chris), Cushy Butterfield and One Of The Boys all produce big singalongs. But it’s The Town That Died, from 2010’s Crash & Burn album, which hits hardest.
It’s about their hometown Jarrow’s industrial decline, and is followed by a defiant Raise Ya Glasses, whose tune ‘bears a close resemblance’ to Blaydon Races.
We’re halfway through, and it’s party time, which prompts Chris to don a Santa hat proffered from the audience. Over the top of his flat cap, naturally.
It’s time for the Upstarts tribute, and though some may feel their legacy should be left to rest, the Oots have as much right as anybody to be singing their songs. As well as being hugely supportive of Crashed Out when they started out nearly 30 years ago, the bands released a split album together, and various members played with the Upstarts, most notably Chris filling in for Mensi on vocals when he took a break.
Most of those here tonight, especially those gathered right in front of the stage, know every word of these songs; they grew up with them, and join in with almost religious fervour as they sing along.
Teenage Warning, Never ‘Ad Nothin’, Two Million Voices and The Murder Of Liddle Towers are wheeled out and sound just as good as they did when I was a young punk.
There’s a surprise for Solidarity, the slowest song of the set, as Spin gets up, arm in cast, and straps on the bass. It’s passed back to stand-in Shaun for the last two songs, Police Oppression and I’m An Upstart, which provoke much jumping around down the front.
It’s been a cracking gig, and it’s only afterwards when you realise that the first time I can remember the lads haven’t played The Jarrow Song that you release just how unique a night it’s been.
