GIG REVIEW: Slalom D + The Undaclass + Holding Out,
Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle, Friday 27 January 2023
A working brewery might seem an odd place for a gig, but I’m all for combining two of my favourite things in one place – good beer and good music.
This was my first time at the Anarchy Brew Co, a craft brewery a couple of miles outside Newcastle city centre, and I’m impressed, even though it’s bastard freezing in the taproom.
The trick seems to be to get beneath one of the ceiling-suspended heaters, which may explain why there was no moshpit at the front, as most of the crowd huddled together like clusters of penguins!
Anyhow, onto the music. Tonight’s openers are Holding Out, a young three-piece from Newcastle who have been going since about 2016, but are new to me.
I’d call them post-hardcore rather than out and out punk, and they have a small but faithful following down the front who know all their songs and are giving them enthusiastic backing.
I warm to them as their set goes on, and although I couldn’t see a setlist, recent single Virtue was probably the standout song of their set.
They had no music for sale, but as far as I can tell from poking about online they have a couple of EPs and a handful of singles to their name, which you’ll find on Bandcamp HERE and HERE, as well as on the usual streaming services.
Next up were an older band, The Undaclass, who I’ve seen once before, supporting Guitar Gangsters at the Head of Steam in Newcastle back in March 2022.
Since then they’ve released a new album, The Rise Of The Undaclass, and their Motorhead-meets-Ramones punk rock ‘n’ roll is heavier than ever.
The Tyneside-based band are a three-piece too, with Denni on vocals and guitar, Paul on bass and backing vox and Sean on drums, and they make a great racket.
They kick off with Walking Fine Lines from debut album A Bitter Taste Of Britain, and it’s one of five songs from it which make the setlist, with the other seven coming from the new one.
Denni has a gravelly growl of a voice, and the band are tight and on form, with the new songs lifting them to a higher plain.
Revolution, Delete Elites and The Rise Of the Undaclass are my pick of the bunch, and after they’re done I head straight to their merch stall to snap up both albums and a T-shirt.
Now for the headliners. Slalom D are a punk band who have been slowly growing in stature ever since they formed in Sunderland in 2018.
Their debut album Happy Skies (reviewed here) was my album of the year in 2021, and I’m glad to say they’re going from strength to strength.
Fi (vocals), Gary (guitar), Tony (bass) and Iain (drums) have added a fifth member, Goober, on keyboards, to round out their cacophonous sound even further.
They’re working on new material, and are due to go into the studio soon to begin recording album number two.
Last time I saw them they played one new number, Red, and tonight they added three more – Cat & Dogs, the aptly-named Waltz Into Anarchy and the even more appropriate Cold.
All fit into their set well, and although it’s not yet 15 months old, they’ve clearly already moved on from the debut album, with only five of its 11 songs making the cut here.
Images Of Joy, G.L.A.M. and Final Girl all sounded tremendous, as did oldies Pressure and Chelsea Bonfire, with the latter sounding angrier than ever.
We even have time for an unlisted extra song, Jerusalem, before it’s time to head home and get warm. The D have nailed it again, and I can’t wait to hear the new album.
