This is only a partial review as I never got around to finishing it. Oh well, here’s the stuff that did write...

I always enjoy the afternoon gigs at Shake as it always means the chance to buy some old quality records and a couple of pints in the Gun as well as a fun gig. This was no exception for the most part. Originally I’d meant to go down very early and watch the football in the Gun. It didn’t work out that way though due to a much-needed Saturday morning lie-in. I still arrived down there about quarter to two though and picked up some good stuff including “Creator” by Lemonheads (something I’d been meaning to buy for ages), the Cub Country album featuring Jeremy Chatelain of Jets To Brazil, and yet another Buck 7”. Even though that band split up quite a while ago I keep discovering stuff that they’d released that I didn’t even know existed! From Shake I went to the Gun for a quick pint, hoping to find Mates and co. Unfortunately, there was no-one I knew in there...

Back to the shop for three and Ben and Helen arrived. Just as Joe Ninety were ready to play Ben decided to go off and find an off-licence. He didn’t return until Joe Ninety were playing their final song. Apparently, he’d walked all the way up to Safeway! Silly boy – he should have just turned around when he found that the newsagents didn’t sell beer. That’s what I would have done anyway :-)

Anyway, Joe Ninety were top-class UK pop-punk with the first song being especially stunning. I’ve seen Joe Ninety a few times now and they’ve never really been all that inspiring. Today was different I’m glad to say, with an abundance of catchy melodies and effortless harmonies. Great stuff that went down well with the mix of old and new punkers in the shop.

Twofold were next and Mates arrived just in time with tales of a nightmare journey from where he lives in Greenwich. The boys played pretty much the same set as the previous night and it was even more fun to watch that the previous night due to there only being one mic for the three people out front. For the first song at least this was pretty funny as they all sing a line each, so they basically formed a circle around the microphone. During the song that Simon sang he was going for it so hard and getting so read that I seriously thought his carotid artery was going to burst out of his neck!

And that’s it! You got most of it anyway... A good time was had by all!

--Chris