I've had an awesome time this week. I went to see one of the bands I really respect, not just once but twice this week. Anyone that knows me, they are likely to be able to guess which band it was since you have a choice of Big D and the Kids Table (US), Adequate Seven (Split up), RX Bandits (soon to take an indefinite break) or whichever band Mr Matthew Reynolds is playing with at said time (currently Drawings) and since the only band currently on tour in the UK/Europe is Big D, you would have guessed right (or my Facebook status over the past few days may have given it away).
Anyway, Seb and I went to see Big D and the Kids Table twice these week and despite these shows being a part of the same tour they were both so different. Tuesday they played at The Peel in Kingston. The show was relaxed and felt so intimate despite the 50 odd people there. It felt everyone was there to see the band, enjoy the band and rock out to the band. AWESOME atmosphere. The band were fresh and played an awesome set. The first band, Chazikstan and the Von Bon Bon's (I think or also known as Chaz Palmer Williams and the full band experience) were really good. They were like the music child of Frank Turner and Gogol Bordello, I loved them. They played acoustically on the dancefloor in front of the audience for a number of songs and then made there way on stage to continue the performance. Chaz is a former member of the legendary ska-punk band, Lightyear. His lyrics were funny and the band were tight. I will definitely aim to see them again. The next band Random Hand, well there's something there I just do not like about them, their music, their egos? not sure which one. Anyway they play ska-metal, I guess you could call it. I like their ska bits but then suddenly it goes all ahh-head-bang-kick-the-people-around-you-as-you-mosh-ahh. And I just quite simply do not like it. And then came the one and only Big D and the f*cking Kids Tables (any fans will recognise that from the recording version of Little Bitch on How it goes). Big D were amazing, people were dancing, the band appeared to be having a good time. It was the first show of the tour and everyone seemed to be happy. There was great band-audience interaction and the music flowed for a good hour. I was sweatier than a pig in a blanket by the end of the show. I rocked my socks off. Everyone just had a good time. We stayed back at the end of the show to get some merch. The queue was huge. I wanted the book by David McWane called 'The Modern American Gypsy'. I've read a third of it so far and it is hilarious. It is a collection of short travel stories of the bands time on the road with a collection of poems. It's a really funny read and I just can't get enough of it. Whilst we waited Seb took me up to David, the lead singer of the band and asked him if he made his own 'Republicans are insane' T-shirt. Dave said 'yeah', Seb said 'well check this out' and pointed to me. At which point I very embarrassingly showed him the tank-top I had customised with the words Try out your voice. Dave then asked me to take a photo and put it on his facebook, I was a little to embarrassed by this so he told me a story about his mother being a former member of the black panthers and how she got asked to leave. He said she loves their political songs and it would make her day to see the shirt. So I agreed. This is it. I was inspired by firstly the song and secondly the Occupy Movement. People are taking a stand for what they believe are inequalities in the distribution of wealth or in other words the rich are getting rich whilst the poor are getting poorer. This is not be how modern society works, we need a fairer system for all. If we all use our voices and democratic rights we can bring about change.
Thursday we went to The Hydrant in Brighton (it's opposite a vintage fire station, great building) and the atmosphere was considerably different. The first band played an acoustic set again, but this time it was difficult to hear the vocalist because people were talking over the band. It felt like a classroom competition. Chaz got louder, the audience got louder, Chaz got louder, the audience got louder. So he went and played right in the middle of them. That soon made them quieter. They then got everyone involved by exchanging places, the band played on the dancefloor whilst the audience listened and performed on the stage. Entertaining. When Big D finally played, the audience were wild. Clearly it was a student town, almost all of the Lovers of Sound were drunk and only about 5 people put their hands up when the band asked 'Who has work tomorrow?'. The band were awesome again but I felt the audience spoilt it a bit, maybe it's just because I'm now 24 and no longer a student that I feel people should be more I dunno, maybe I mean less *ponders on the next word* DRUNK. Less drunk. I know, I know I was like that once but seriously.... I'd be one of a few drunk at a gig, now there all drunk as f*ck. The moment that made me annoyed about the audience was when some guy about 6ft decided it would be a great idea to jump from the stage steps on top of the girls at the front on the stage. As he did this they were not aware of the actions he was about to make and soon found themselves bent over the front of the stage, the amps had moved and this guy was on their backs. At which point he then proceeded to kick my in the face, pushing my head in the speaker beside me. I WAS NOT HAPPY and nor did the band appear to be when they had their equipment sprawled across the stage. Luckily it was the last song. Anyway I hope they get more audiences like that at Kingston for the rest of their tour rather than the audience at Brighton.
If you like ska/punk/rockabilly then I highly recommend Big D and the Kids Table. They are awesome live and they seem like really great guys as well. All I've left to say is Thanks Big D for an awesome week, you made me remember how much I love seeing the bands I respect play live.
Victoria
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