GIG REVIEW: Gimp Fist + Kickback Generation + Force Fed Lies + Bastard Face
Hunwick WMC, Bishop Auckland, Saturday 13 November 2021
Gimp Fist from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, have become one of the leading lights of the UK’s streetpunk scene over the last decade or so.
Their working class roots, knack of penning punchy singalong tunes and approachability have made them popular way beyond these shores.
It’s been nearly three years since they last graced the stage at this humble working men’s club, where they rehearse and have performed many times.
In that time they’ve released a new album, Blood, a couple of split singles, and written about 30 new songs for their next record (or two!).
So where better to try some of them out than on home turf, in front of an adoring crowd to who they have absolutely nothing to prove.
If new material cuts the mustard with their mates, they know they’re onto a winner. And the good news is the next Gimp Fist record is shaping up to be another belter.
Half a dozen new songs were slipped into their hour-long set here, including three I’d heard before. Repeat Offender and Machines received their first airing at HITS 25 in Blackpool in August (reviewed here), while Senses was unveiled at North East Calling in September (reviewed here).
For me, Repeat Offender is the best of the three, but another of the new songs, Ambition, is the fastest, angriest thing they’ve written in years, and I’d put my money on it becoming a live favourite.
Gimp Fist’s main problem is what to leave out. Tonight they kicked off with The Place Where I Belong from the 2010 album of the same name, and followed with Working Class from 2008’s Your Time Has Come.
Regular set opener First In Line was relegated to third in the set, and it quickly filled the area in front of the stage with huge dancing skinheads, who didn’t let up for the rest of the night.
We got Louder Than Words, The Fight In You and Easy Target from their most recent album, 2019’s Blood (reviewed here), and the floor became one seething mass of DMs and flight jackets when they slipped in the unlisted Perkele cover Heart Full Of Pride, which might as well be a Gimp Fist song.
Top dogs
Jonny (guitar and vox), Chris (bass) and Mike (drums) smashed through their set, keen to get in as many songs as possible, and Top Dog and (Marching) On & On nearly took the roof off.
War On The Streets and Here I Stand made for a fantastic finale, and I’ll wager there were a few sore heads, feet and bodies around Bishop on Sunday morning. Gimp Fist were home.
Let’s not forget the other bands who performed at the all-dayer; I missed soloist Ed Queer Un and covers band Punkbox, and came in halfway through the set by Durham three-piece Bastard Face. It was the first time I’d seen them, and was impressed by their loud, fast punk rock, despite not knowing any of their songs.
They didn’t have any music for sale, and I couldn’t find anything online afterwards, but check them out on Facebook here if they sound like your cup of tea.
Force Fed Lies, a South Tyneside trio I’m more than familiar with, were next up, and Carlton, Steve and Kev’s 77-meets-Discharge-style punk was delivered as passionately as ever.
Their set is basically their debut album Begging For Change (get it and their other merch from their Facebook page here), but there was a new song, No Mercy – hopefully the sign of more to come.
The main support were another band who’ve played here before, County Durham’s Kickback Generation, and they sounded better than I’ve ever heard them, probably because, for one night only, the three-piece was expanded to four.
That’s because it was the last gig for guitarist Mick Robson (who’d played drums earlier in the night for Bastard Face), who helped form the band 10 years ago.
Having him on one side of the stage and his replacement Dave Cook on the other gave their sound added bollocks, and with bassist Jim and drummer Paul out to make this a night to remember, they played a blinder.
Their 10-song set started with Kickback Generation, and ended with Stand By You, with many other highlights from their three fine albums in-between. Check them out on Facebook here.
