Posted on March 4, 2019
I’m back to writing and to missing the first act because I was having dinner.
Mum made roast vegetables & pork. Sorry, Trapper Schoepp. Outline mag said you were “wholly impressive.” Mum’s roast potatos and carrots are also impressive.
£17 advance? You know the band?
No. I’m here to meet my brother and his girlfriend, Mina. She picked the gig and I wanted to find out what ‘folk-punk’ would sound like. I like folk and punk music but they are different vibes. Would they just play Wild Rover really fast and angry?
The Wood Burning Savages
This was punk rock. Politically tender and rousing. They called for kindness to strangers who could be othered, telling us how their van had been fixed by a passer-by and how it’s not that long ago there would have been no help for a group of Irish men. No lectures, just declarations of love.
Fast pased guitars that retained their melody in the speed and shouting.
We had to shuffle round a group of tall dads to get a clear view of their vocalist twisting around. They ramped up the fury and enthusiasm. I’m a complete convert. I’d love them to come back.
Looking up them online at their recordings, theirs not much and does not have any of the energy they had live. It’s a shame.
Skinny Lister
My brother and I find each other in the crowd by scanning for stupid haircuts. Skinny Lister just start playing, no introduction but 38 Minutes then transitioning into My Distracton, the first track off their new album.
Without a moment for air they start of Tradgedy in A Minor and all the dads join in the do-do-do-du-doo-do-do-doooo. The crowd scream when the double bassist lifts the huge instrument over his head while still playing.
Further forawrd this time we got a good view of the band on stage. I’ve never seen a crowd go wild for a band with an Accordion. Second night of their tour and release day for their new album they were full of energy.
I found the way they moved between relaxed folk balads to shouting rock and back killed the vibe a bit. If The Gaff Don’t Let Us Down is a sea shanty followed by a more relaxed What can I Say? that had me wanting more. Both had people singing along.
They had quite a crowd of dads in their merch in the audience. It had the same energy as seeing a local act on home-turf as they shouted along behind us. Again, it’s not translated on video.
Skinny Lister blends folk and punk rock with love and joy. A jug of rum is passed round the crowd. I’d like to see them again.
We had to leave early. Mina and my brother had friends waiting in a pub and I needed to get the last bus.
I got a patch from the merch stall reading: Skinny Lister Shanty Punk because I was drunk on music and rum. I need to do a post on my patch jacket.