GIG REVIEW: The Sentence + The Deploied, Black Bull, Gateshead, Saturday 10 September 2022
After a week where Thick Lizzy becoming PM was followed by state-imposed mourning after the Queen’s passing, I was in dire need of some punk rock noise to lift the spirits.
Luckily, I’ve got one of the UK’s best grassroots music venues, the marvellous Black Bull pub in Gateshead, almost on my doorstep.
So what better way to flush away the Tories/royalty blues than an evening in the company of other folk who don’t give a toss about the government or monarchy.
The Sentence are a street-punk band from the Blackburn and Burnley areas of Lancashire who formed in 2018, by ex-members of What A Riot, Boredom and The Pakt.
Self-releasing their debut EP, Strong Arm Of The Law, the same year, they have since followed it with an album (2021’s Broken World) and recent EP Dead On The Outside.
They’d been recommended to me by a couple of friends who know my musical tastes well, but I hadn’t had the chance to check them out until now, as their slot on the RIS/After Dark stage at this year’s Rebellion sadly clashed with my favourite band, Stiff Little Fingers.
This was originally meant to be a four-band bill, but Reason To Leave (from Preston) and Atrocity Girl (from Seattle, USA) had to pull out, due to a medical emergency and visa problems respectively.
That still left two bands for the reduced entry price of £6 – less than you’d pay for a pint in some places – and I’m glad to say the turnout was much better than the last couple of times I’ve been here.
The Sentence are Watty on vocals, Steve and Andy on guitars, Spike on bass and Ged on drums, and they have a gruff-voiced singer, a great in-yer-face guitar sound, a pounding rhythm section and a collection of instantly likeable street-punk anthems.
Kicking off with Tears Of Joy from their debut EP, they hooked me from the off, with the two guitars giving their sound real punch – a bit like Cock Sparrer.
Coppers, the opening song on Broken World, was next, and it was one of the highlights of their set, which also included album tracks Rise ‘N’ Shine, Riot and Blame It On The Kids, and Rise Up, Who Needs Enemies and We Love Our Scene from the latest EP.
One More Time, another standout song, was dedicated to all those who’ve lost a loved one over the last couple of years, and they finished on a high with an unlisted encore of Bored Teenager.
I liked The Sentence a lot, and went home armed with a couple of their CDs and a T-shirt. A few words too for the openers, The Deploied, who had travelled all the way down from Ayrshire in Scotland, despite the fact their drummer couldn’t make it.
Arron, a young lad who had popped into the Bull for a drink with some pals, offered to play drums for them, even though he’d never heard the band, and had just the soundcheck to get to know a couple of their songs.
Taking his cues from bassist Shug, he did a great job, with Dawn on vocals and Eiliah on guitar kicking up an impressive set of old-school ’77-meets-UK82 punk.
The Deploied, who only played their first gig a year ago, are currently busy recording their debut album, and I look forward to hearing it based on the DIY punk spirit they showed here.
The scene would be much poorer for nights like this, where two bands gave it their all in front of like-minded people, and for a couple of hours at least, the Tories, royals, soaring cost of living and all the other day-to-day shit was forgotten about.
The Black Bull has gigs on most Friday and Saturday nights, and some Sundays too, and grassroots venues like it are vital to the punk scene if it’s to survive and thrive as the old bands call it a day.
If you can afford it in these cash-strapped times, you can do your bit by switching off the TV, getting off the sofa, going to your local venue, having a couple of drinks and buying a bit of merch to help the bands pay for their petrol home.
