Dirty Wee Middens + The Wildhouse + Mummy Short Arms + Merkin - Balcony Bar, Dundee 24-03-06
In an eclectic little line-up that made me think that Mark from Wildhouse is trying to outdo me (just kidding!), we had a right asssortment of bands on tonight. Things kicked off in fine fashion with Merkin, what you'd call an angry riffing punk band with a sea of wild guitar riffs and chords inside and wrapped around a pummelling set of rhythms. The songs seemed to be well written with some good lyrics among them although it wasn't always easy to tell. They delivered things in a sort of jagged staccato fashion but the songs flowed well enough and at least they exhibited a sense of humour too. Good opener, but, for me, missing something I can't quite identify.
Up next were Glasgow band, Mummy Short Arms. Now this was extraordinary. The quintet set up and then the lead vocalist announced themselves in relatively quiet fashion. The band begins with solid enough drums and chiming Americana style guitar, and then the vocalist begins. Now to say that someone had just connected him to the nearest electrical socket, would be an understatement, as he let loose this singing, hollering, screaming fireball of a vocal that not only took you completely by surprise, it also made you take notice and, for me, scratch my head and wonder how the vocals go with the music. But things settle down - or rather liven up - and you get used to it. In many ways, a sort of Flamin Groovies ("obscure reference time" - go look it up!!!) musical influence with this wild vocalist that certainly held your attention. The songs were strong enough but, on first hearing, not exactly that memorable, but with enough charcter from the guitar work and occasional keys, to keep you hooked. Occasionally they'd erupt and the dynamics of this worked well. But, as for the first band, didn't immediately gel with me - time will tell.
On chatting with Sheila, the drummer from Wildhouse, before the gig, I found out that tonight would mark a change in set structure from the band - gone is "Vanilla" and in are a couple of new numbers. I said I'd reserve judgement, with a smile on my face. Well, judgement is that it was all just stunning - although from the bemused looking faces on the audience who stuck around the ground floor to witness this, reaction was everything from "this isn't at all bad" to "what the f*** drugs are this lot on and why haven't I got any?" Even better was the fact that there's a new opening track whereby Paul and Peter start things on their own - no announcements - nothing - so I'm sure half the people there thought it was a rather long soundcheck as the two guitarists soared into hyperspace fuelled with sonic sculpting guitar and streams of wall-to-wall riffing. Then, as nonchalantly as you like, Sheile saunters on, picks up the sticks and the Wildhouse experience goes up a notch as the solid, insistent rhythms take hold, the whole track going into overdrive as the juggernaut moves inexorably on. This was a new Wildhouse on display tonight, almost space-rock at times, sort of Velevet Underground-meets-Hawkwind with Can around the edges. The track where Sheila intones "Follow Me" (yeh - alrite - I've forgotten the title!!) was magnificent as the band played as one incendiary unit, Paul bent over his guitar and giving it right old abuse while Peter, back to the audiuence, played right up against the speaker with waves of churning sound and electrifying leads pouring out while Sheila drove it all forward with some wickefly varied drumming, that monotone vocal phrase repeated to mesmerising effect. The final track, another new one that turned into ten minutes of complete improvisation was just sensational with the trio really going up a notch and playing what must be some of the best stuff I've heard with Sheila using the cymbal for dynamic effect as the drumming hurtled forward while the guitar squall was just amazing, Paul using a kind of native American Indial chant to the vocal mixed with monotone normality. Eventually, it ends as Paul lays down the guitar, Peter laysa down the guitar and plays witht he pedals as it howls in anguish, this time leaving Sheila drumming manically to see things out. Stunning and then some.
The Dirty Wee Middens - ahhhhhh, what a band!! To say that you can't fail to love this scorching punk band live, may sound like something of a cliche, but it's true. Even before they played a note, you just had to love the way singer and all-round frontman Lee plays the audience ("we're not playing until all you up there come down here") and, sure enough, they comply. Then we're ready to rock, as the band - our favourite red haired bassist (yes, this guy has RED hair!!), the emaciated looking Kung Fu Kenny on lead guitar and the other two who I always forget the names of (sorry guys!), on drums and second guitar - just charge into supernova punk mode as the ever pleasing strains of the seminal "Monster Mash" erupt from the speakers, the whole crowd immediately headshaking, moshing and whatever else the song demands, a whole audience in the palm of the band's hands. After that, it's "Welcome To Zommbietown" and, like the entire set, as infectious and rousing a punk track as they come, Lee's vocals and the band's choruses positively electrifying as you find yourself unable to stand still to the blast of deliciously infectious blazing punk rock that charges at you like a rhino on heat. Thereafter, "Land Of The Dead", the classic "Dead By Dawn" just take you with them as they positively dare you not to be (a) dancing madly (b) smiling like a idiot (c) caught up in their supercharged world. A cover of Dropkick Murphy's "Good Rats" has the whole building shaking as the audience go wild while their own gloriously irreverent and absolutely unforgettable hook that is "Embarassing Wood", one of their best songs that could really take off if ever it got airplay (some chance!!) just tore the roof off, as did the equally brilliant and addictive "Rambo", another classic chorus spewing from the band's arsenal. Finishing on their always popular take on Buzzcocks' "Teenage Kicks" in the form of the wondrously irreverent "Suck My Dick", it was one red hot and smoking gem of a set - and yet I know they can do even better than this! A well earned encore of "Graverobbin' USA" brought the house down and things to a close, with our red haired bassist and second guitarist joining Lee in the crowd, leaving Kenny and drummer to take it there.
You gotta love the controlled chaos but structurally sound way they do things, and take great delight in watching what the band get up to on stage at any given conecert while seeing the audience have such a great time. You just know that if you placed this band in the middle of a festival of 10,000 people who didn't know them, they'd have the whole goddamned arena up and rocking in minutes. As punk bands go, they're a solidly good time and a promotor's dream. let's only hope they get to tour coz there's a punk world out ther waiting to be conquered, and this is the band to do it. As I said, ya just gotta love this band.
DWM SET LIST:
Monster Mash/Welcome To Zombietown/Land of The Dead/Dead By Dawn/Good Rats/Embarassing Wood/Rambo/Suck My Dick (Teenage Kicks)/ Graverobbin' USA.