GIG REVIEW: Riskee & The Ridicule + Split Dogs @ The Golden Lion, Bristol, Friday 26 May 2023
There’s nothing I like more than finding an unexpected gig to attend, especially while on holiday. So as the better half and I enjoyed a couple of nights in Bristol on the way to Cornwall, imagine my glee when I spotted a poster for this gig.
Riskee & The Ridicule are a grime-punk band who were recommended to me by Tom from The Bar Stool Preachers back in 2020. Since then I’ve seen them a couple of times and bought all three of their albums, so it’s fair to say it was a good recommendation.
Tonight’s gig was a low-key warm-up for appearances at Cursus Festival and Bearded Theory, and doubled as an album launch for support band Split Dogs, who have been steadily winning new friends and followers since forming a couple of years ago.
Playing regularly around the South West, they’ve already supported the likes of The Ramonas, 999 and Sham 69, and they’re definitely a name to look out for.
They have a feisty but melodic punk sound which I’d liken to a cross between Aussie garage-rockers Amyl & The Sniffers and local legends Vice Squad. That might sound like a lazy comparison, but it’s an accurate one, and there’s plenty to commend them.
Split Dogs started as a five-piece but after a couple of line-up changes they’re now a quartet: Harry on vocals, Mil on guitar, Rich on drums and one of the biggest blokes I’ve ever seen on bass. He has to duck under doorways and had to find a spot between ceiling beams so he didn’t smash his head.
Singer Harry is a ball of energy with an impressive stage presence, and the band give her the ideal backdrop for her to showcase her sass, with driving riffs and a locked-in rhythm section.
They smash through 13 songs in a lively 35-minute set, with standouts including Prison Bitch and Punch Drunk, both from the self-titled album. And even though it’s literally just out, the follow-up is already written, and a couple of its tracks got an airing too.
Split Dogs go down very well indeed, and if the brisk business at their merch stall is anything to go by, they made a few new fans tonight (myself included).
Time for the main attraction then. Kent five-piece Riskee & The Ridicule fully deserve their headliner status, having been at this caper since 2011. The only surprise is they’re not better known, as they’re a tremendous band who cross genres, blending punk, hip-hop and metal influences.
They open with the aptly-named Banger, and they’re on it from the word go, which they reinforce by tearing the arse out of old favourites Millwall Brick and In The Dark We Dwell.
Frontman Scott is the focus of attention, reeling around the stage and shedding first his denim jacket band then, a couple of songs later, his vest too, and his tattooed torso is soon gleaming with sweat under the stage lights.
The band around him show what a formidable live act they are, with lead guitarist Jordan and guitarist and screamer Jimbo sounding heavier than ever, particularly on the new songs.
Yes, new songs. I count three of them tonight, including recent single Know My Name, where Riskee sound like Linkin Park, according to my other half, and future single Giving Up, which sounds destined to become a crowd favourite. The album’s called Platinum Statue and it’s out on 25 August. I can’t wait to hear it if it’s all as good as this little taster.
Speaking of favourites, there’s a few of those scattered through the set; the excellent cover of Lana Del Rey’s Young & Beautiful, the anti-Brexit anthem Blue Jacket and the incendiary Molotov Cocktails from 2017’s Blame Culture album.
It’s third album Body Bag Your Scene (reviewed here) which stands as Riskee’s finest hour so far, and we get Kaboom!, Accelerate and the title track to bring the show to a triumphant close. There’s no room for two of my personal favourites, Sell Out or D.I.Y., which is a shame, but testament to the strength of their back catalogue that they can leave out songs as good as those.
Full marks to Ziggy at Death Or Glory Promotions for putting on this gig (and lots of others around the South West) and for putting out the Split Dogs album on his label. If you’re in Bristol, be sure to visit his record shop in St Nicholas Market.
