GIG REVIEW: Cock Sparrer + Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions,
Boiler Shop, Newcastle, Friday 26 November 2021
Storm Arwen may have battered the North East on Friday night but it was five Cockney geezers who blew away the audience in the Boiler Shop.
Cock Sparrer were formed in London’s East End in 1972, and are set to celebrate their 50th anniversary next year with a double header at the famous Roundhouse in Camden.
This gig was meant to take place in 2020, but had to be delayed due to the pandemic. From the off, the band seemed determined to make up for lost time.
Remarkably, four members have been a constant throughout their existence: Colin McFaull on vocals, Mickey Beaufoy (lead guitar), Steve Burgess (bass) and Steve Bruce (drums).
Rhythm guitarist Daryl Smith is the ‘new boy’ – and he’ll have been with the band 30 years next year. Together they play catchy street punk full of memorable choruses, and things to make you go ‘oi!’.
Colin was in good voice, and the band had shaken off the slight ring rustiness they showed at HITS 25 in Blackpool in August (reviewed here), which was their first gig in 18 months.
Sparrer sing songs which extols the joys of working class life, being out on the town, having fun with your mates, and staying one step ahead of ‘er indoors.
Here, they slammed through a 80-minute set of the songs that have made them the undisputed kings of streetpunk, starting with traditional opener Riot Squad, and following with the knockout one-two of Watch Your Back and Working.
All three are from their classic 1983 album Shock Troops, a record that every self-respecting punk should have in their collection, and which still makes up nearly half their live set.
Don’t get the idea that this was just a trip down memory lane, however. Their latest album, 2017’s Forever, is full of songs as good as anything they’ve ever written.
Here we got three of its best tracks, Gonna Be Alright, Nothing Like You and One By One, but they could have played another half dozen for me. Yes, the album is that good.
Instead, they delved deep into their back catalogue: we got Because You’re Young and Tough Guys from 1994’s Guilty As Charged, AU from 1997’s Two Monkeys, and Suicide Girls and Sussed (which I don’t think I’d heard live before) from 2007’s Here We Stand.
Throw in debut single Runnin’ Riot, the B-side Argy Bargy, and a spirited rendition of What’s It Like To Be Old, and you’ve got one cracking main set.
Dispensing with the pointless go off-come-back-on-again of a fake encore, Sparrer just played a couple more songs, finishing on a high with England Belongs To Me, and We’re Coming Back, which just left us wanting more.
High esteem
Footnote: If there’s a gig anywhere attended by so many members of other bands I’d love to see it: I spotted members of Crashed Out, Gimp Fist, Boilermaker and Zero Tolerance here tonight – proof, if any were needed, of the esteem in which Sparrer are held by the punk rock community. Long may they reign.
A word too for the opening act tonight, Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions, who played a 45-minute set of their spirited take on old school punk rock.
The band’s name and song titles like Sellotape, Hanging Round The Shops and XR3 might suggest they’re not entirely serious, but Mr Volcano, who’s also now the frontman of Rebellion favourites Dirt Box Disco, pens a mean tune, and his band’s not half bad either!
