LIVE REVIEW: Loaded 44 + Force Fed Lies + The Continental Quilts, Trillians, Newcastle, Thursday 10 October 2019
Loaded 44 seem to have been around the North East punk scene forever, and they are certainly a band who have enjoyed some longevity.
Formed in 1996, they have supported countless big-name touring acts, as well as playing shows of their own. But this night was all about them.
This free gig at Trillians was to launch their new EP, Line Him Up, which is their first recorded output since 2016’s four-tracker Get Ready.
They brought along not one but two fine support bands, with female-fronted Gateshead four-piece The Continental Quilts taking to the stage first.
A band who are new to me, it looked like they were going to have to start their set minus their guitarist, but he turned up in the nick of time, plugged in, and we were off on a breakneck set of glam-tinged Rezillos-like rock ‘n’ roll.
Their nine-song set fairly rattled by, with the standout tracks including their debut single C’mon (Get Back To) Getting’ It On, its flip side Motor Sicko Fever and Super Yob.
If you can’t find the single, its tracks are available to download from their Bandcamp page, and I’d thoroughly recommend them.
Next up were another North East band I hadn’t seen before, Force Fed Lies, a three-piece comprising guitarist Carlton, bassist Steve and drummer Kev, who released their debut album Begging For Change last year.
They have a much tougher punk sound which reminded me of Discharge at times, though not as frenzied, and their 10-song set was basically the album, played in a different order.
Very good it is too, though they’d cleared away their merch by the time I went to buy one! Next time lads. Check them out on their Facebook page here.
Time for the main attraction then, and anyone who has seen Loaded 44 knows they were in for a treat. I’ve seen them described as the Ramones-meets-Blondie, and that’s not far off the mark.
Singer Beki Straughan dominates the front of the stage, pouting, posing, and throwing shapes, as well as possessing a voice like Debbie Harry circa 1979 – hence those inevitable comparisons.
Her songwriting partner Dave Robinson throws out meaty riffs on guitar, while her husband Steve has just returned on bass after playing guitar for punk legends UK Subs for the last three years.
His grin and the looks he’s shooting Beki (who also fronts Chaos 8) suggest he’s loving being back. And let’s not forget drummer Ricci, who holds the whole glorious noise together by pounding out a thunderous backbeat with the minimum of fuss.
Get Ready, the title track from their previous release, kicks things off, followed by Love Myself To Death and Over And Out from their last album, 2014’s Come On.
This being a launch show, all four tracks from the new EP are included in the setlist, and Love To Hate, Shut Up, Line Him Up and 5 Aces are all fine additions to their canon of work.
There are more old favourites in the shape of Breakdown and Generation Idiot, before a rousing We Saved The World rounds off a thrilling 14-song set.
They might not quite have saved the world, but it’s certainly a better place with Loaded 44 in it when they’re on this form. Long may they continue.
