Photo: Instagram.com/garthopommes
Heading towards the Sang Bleu Tattoo Shop in the pouring rain seems like the most apt start to a night of punk rock.
Arriving soaking wet but excitable the crowd was at a fever pitch even an hour before the show was even meant to start. Perusing Carter’s artwork, the Modern Ruin exhibition was an eye opener into the mind of one of British punk's most recognisable figures of the past 15 years. The art itself had an raw simplicity, with each piece crafted with care and all told a story, invoking feelings and thoughts like all good art should
And then The Rattlesnakes took to the stage ripping into ‘Battlefield’ before the star of the show barged his way through the crowd and took centre stage. Playing to a crowd of about 100 people, for the first live performance of a project which has been a year in the making, Carter looks in his element. That glazed look in the eyes pierced with hunger and intensity, it’s British punk rock at it’s best.
Rampaging through the crowd, inciting chaos in the basement of this tattoo shop, with tattoo samples falling off the walls and glass on the floor, the show was intense. During second song ‘Fangs’ Carter smashes his microphone into his skull, drawing blood and bringing an instant reminders that he is a crazy good frontman to the fore.
Taking the time to thank the crowd for being at the show, and stating "I can’t believe that there’s this many people here to see us play songs we wrote a month ago and learned to play last night, thank you so much". Despite only having released one EP containing 3 songs (and a secret song at the end of Primary Explosive) the crowd sing back every word they know.
The band themselves give it their all, with Memby Jago (ex-Pure Love drummer) being the lynch pin for the guitarist Dean Richardson and bassist Thomas Mitchener to bait the crowd and create an intense performance. Carter states that it’s "The first show I’ve done in 363 days, so I’m out of shape" but you wouldn’t be able to tell.
The chaos continues through songs called ‘Paradise’ and ‘Rotten Blossom’ before a goosebumps inducing version of ‘Loss’. So all in all, Frank Carter is back. The British music scene needs someone who isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said. Welcome back Frank.
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes played:
Battlefield
Fangs
Juggernaut
Trouble
Loss
Paradise
Rotto
Blossom
Primary Explosive
Loss - Alternate Version
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