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* gIoRgInA *.
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CONCERT REVIEW: SONIC BOOM SIX, CHRIS MURRAY, CHIEF, JB CONSPIRACY
Liverpool, UK.
SONIC BOOM SIX are one of the UK’s most exciting radical bands, mixing punk and ska sounds with hip-hop, metal and jungle rhythms for over seven years. Tonight they are in Liverpool for the last night of their current ‘Ruff and Ready’ tour which brings together some of the best young bands in the country. The tour runs every year and has already become very important for keeping these alternative sounds alive in the UK. This evening’s concert has brought in just over one hundred people (which is quite a lot for a punk gig in Liverpool)…
First band on are the JB CONSPIRACY, playing a fast and tight ska-punk set taken from their debut album ‘This Machine’ – great for fans of Less than Jake, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and other third-wave US ska. The band does a great job of getting the crowd warmed up and starting the skanking.
Next on are a truly awesome melodic hardcore punk band from Liverpool called CHIEF, playing some modern political songs in the style of Strike Anywhere and Propagandhi. The band is not afraid to discuss political issues and introduces songs about a range of topics – from the unlawful killing of the innocent Jean Charles de Menezes by London police in 2005 (they thought he was a terrorist) – to pro-active songs about getting involved in recycling and helping to look after our environment. The 5-piece band are amazingly intense, with singer Nick often jumping into the crowd to share the microphone with the enthusiastic audience while the band behind blast their songs at maximum volume giving 100% into every note. Their debut album is called ‘Provocation of the Nation’ and will soon be available on famous UK punk label Household Name Records.
The last of the support acts is CHRIS MURRAY, a Canadian reggae and ska legend who has been touring the world with his acoustic rocksteady sounds for over 20 years. He brings a nice relaxed break from all the previous chaos and the crowd loves his charming and soulful acoustic reggae style. Then the lights go down and we await SONIC BOOM SIX…
After a short pause, tiny pink-haired singer Laila charges onto the stage followed by the rest of the band who explode into ‘Sound of a Revolution’ from their latest album ‘Arcade Perfect’. The audience packs into the small room and all mayhem erupts as the band next burst straight into crowd-favourite ‘Bigger than Punk Rock’.
I have seen this band many times and tonight they are especially good – playing a good mix of songs both new and old (they have two albums and a collection of EPs) to the delight of the audience. Recently back from a US tour the band is enjoying a decent amount of success worldwide, and is frequently playing all round Europe. A superb aggressive but catchy blend of all sorts of rebel styles – from punk and hip-hop, to ska and metal.
Particular highlights are the songs ‘The Rape of Punk to Come’ (about fake manufactured bands) and ‘Piggy in the middle’ (about arrogant police officers), and after almost an hour the band finish with a 6-minute dub masterpiece ‘Until the Sunlight Comes’.
Just before the end there is time to invite all of the singers of the other bands onto stage and altogether everyone does a brilliant cover version of the Operation Ivy classic ‘Sound System’ – a great tune about the power of music to make our lives better and more enjoyable. At the end of the gig, as the chaos winds down, the sweat-drenched crowd filter out into the street, exuberant and delighted. Luckily for everyone, SONIC BOOM SIX have not lost any of their power to excite and energise – they remain a crucial rebel voice on the global music scene.
articolo di Dejan Levi,
anni 22, laureato in Letteratura Inglese, abitante di Liverpool, lavora a Manchester per un giornale locale, chitarrista degli Outputs, nonchè inviato speciale de L'Alternatore.
Edited by * gIoRgInA * - 17/7/2009, 14:34.