GIG REVIEW: Random Hand + Riskee and the Ridicule + Mr Shiraz, Think Tank, Newcastle, Sunday 8 October 2023
For a band who’ve been leading lights of the UK ska-punk scene for 20 years, Random Hand really have nothing to prove.
Which makes it all the more impressive when they turn in a show like they did here, on the last date of their 20th anniversary tour.
The four-piece from Keighley, West Yorkshire, played like men possessed in front of a healthy Sunday night crowd, who were paying homage to a band who are back with a bang and right on top of their game.
Fusing ska, punk and metal, Random Hand exude energy, which is reflected right back at them by their devoted fans. And, like all the best bands, their upbeat music often carries a serious message.
Random Hand recently released a new album, their first since 2015’s Hit Reset, and the self-titled collection is quite possibly the best of their career.
Recognition of that came last week when it crashed into the official charts for rock and metal albums, indie albums and physical sales.
Original members Robin Leith (vocals and trombone) and Joe Tilston (bass and vox) are joined in the reconvened line-up by guitarist Dan Walsh and Sean Howe, and they’re clearly having a blast.
They began their set with its opening song, The Cycle, and a handful of other tracks also made the setlist, with Devil With A Microphone and the single Lifejackets standing out.
Random Hand haven’t become ska-punk legends without knowing how to please their fans, and they had a mixed audience of punks, skins, hardcore kids, ska-heads and ordinary joes dancing from the off with a grab-bag of goodies from their excellent back catalogue.
Scum Triumphant, Anthropology and Play Some Ska from their debut album went down a storm, as did I, Human from second album Inhale/Exhale and Not A Number from the follow-up Seething Is Believing.
Their final song, fan favourite Anger Management, saw Leitch carried deep into the crowd (thankfully without his trombone) before returning to the stage to finish singing.
It’s good to see they remain humble, giving shout-outs to everyone from their merch seller to their off-stage gofer, and not forgetting promoter Steve Jones, who has put them on in Newcastle many times, and for whom this was his final gig. What a way to go out!
A mention also needs to be made of the two bands who warmed the crowd up for Random Hand. First up were Mr Shiraz, a five-piece from Huddersfield.
They’re of a similar vintage to Random Hand, but somehow I’d managed to never see them before, and I was very impressed by what they describe as ‘northern groove punk’.
Songs like Glorious, Bill And Ted and No Prophecy slipped down a treat as an appetiser for what was to come, and I fully intended to check out their merch, until frontman Mike admitted they’d forgotten it! I’ll certainly be hitting their Bandcamp page when I’ve got the time and cash to spare.
Mr Shiraz were followed by a band I’m much more familiar with; Kent grime-punks Riskee and the Ridicule are fast becoming one of my favourite live acts – this was the third time I’ve seen them this year.
They also have a new album just out, Platinum Statue, and songs like How I Feel and Giving Up slipped in nicely alongside established crowd-pleasers like Body Bag Your Scene, Accelerate, Kaboom! and tonight’s highlight, Molotov Cocktails,
Frontman Scott Picking is a mesmerising figure as he lurches bare-chested around the stage, delivering his half-rapped, half-yelled lyrics with venom and vigour, to a thunderous backdrop. Riskee are a band who get better every time I see them, and I can’t wait for the next time.
