It seems like we’ve been away for ages, for anyone that has actually missed us, thank you.  First review back and it’s a gig in my favourite venue.  A cocktail flavoured punk night in Le Pub.

I’ve been told I’ll like Saturday’s Kids, three seconds into their set I can see why.  I’ve not seen an angrier bunch of kids outside of Newport Job Centre in a very long time.  Singer Sion Thomas is on edge from the outset, attacking his guitar while on tip toes, rocking back and fore seemingly unable to control his pent up rage.  He’s 17.  Normally a band this age will be writing pop songs about girls that fucked off with a guy because he owned a Mark 3 Ford Escort, not Saturday’s Kids, they’re less Blink 182 japery, more Dead Kennedys sneering.  Staccato vocals and sinister bass remind me of …Trail Of Dead, for every 1 minute blast of punk noise and shouting, there’s some subtle guitar work and a dirty melody.  Usually followed by punk noise and shouting.  The bassist was wearing a Flash Gordon t-shirt.  This has nothing to do with their music, I just thought I’d mention it.  Keep an eye on these kids, they could be something special.  Unless they fuck off to university after their 6th gig, never to see one another again.

After the openers, Americans Logic Problem seem a pit pedestrian, decidedly kilter to Saturday’s Kids off.  Straight up hardcore in a Wire t-shirt.  I’m sure they’ll be a website/magazine that actually has a readership, that loves these guys and will give them a glowing review but they weren’t my thing so I’ll just tell you that their bassist looked like the eye gouging South African and their guitarist was a thin Freddie Flintoff and leave it at that.

I’ve been hearing about The Shitty Limits for a while now, mainly from my newest housemate.  To be honest I just thought he liked them because they had a cool name.  I was wrong, they’re great.  It also turns out that I know their guitarist but that’s neither here nor there.  This band don’t need to wear a Wire t-shirt because they actually sound a bit like Wire.  Chime-y, choppy guitar lines and rumbling bass spectacularly trampled all over by their hyperactive singer who stalks around the crowd like a less glass punctured Iggy Pop.  Songs rarely hit the 2 minute mark, they don’t need to, when you can get about 4,000 words, a killer riff and a chorus into 1 minute 40 seconds, why piss about for any longer, onwards and upwards.  I’ve no idea how many songs they actually played but 20 minutes later and it was all over.  It was a bit like being hit in the face with a happy bat, start, grin, finish, wonder what the fuck just happened.  I’m sure they’ll be back in South Wales soon, don’t miss them.

I also recommend Le Pub’s Zombie Jackson cocktail.  Although not on a school night.