GIGS IN AUGUST 2008

THE PRINCESS PAVILIONS, FALMOUTH (15TH AUGUST)

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

Heading tonight`s bill were the finest punk band of their era; Ireland`s own rebel-rousing Stiff Little Fingers! Much more in line with The Clash than The Pistols, SLF used punk music to voice their political opinions and frontman, Jake Burns hasn`t changed a bit - he berates the obvious George Bush to the delight of the crowd and yet has the wisdom of age to see the funny side of the band`s erratic career when he discusses the songs with the crowd.

Generally a middle-aged bloke`s audience with the odd `long suffering` thrown in, mixed with a healthy number of kids with good taste, the Pavilions was packed to the rafters and a sell out performance like this will hopefully bring the band back again, because I think this may have been the first time they`ve come this far down the country in their 4000 year existance.

So to the gig - it was a self confessed `greatest hits` package, due to the lack new stuff to flog us (to paraphrase Mr.Burns), but there`s nothing wrong with that as it gave us all an opportunity to sing as loudly as we could and not get any of the words wrong. So there was, `Strummerville`, `Tin Soldiers`, `Wasted Life`, `Nobody`s Heroes`, etc, each with introductions and stories surrounding them. There was `No Surrender` from the rarely heard `Flags and Emblems` album with the said message to "George W. Fuckwit", and amongst others The Specials` `It Doesn`t Make It Alright` and finishing with the obvious encore `Alternative Ulster`.

I could have listened to them play their whole back catalogue (including Tinderbox), and not been happier.

Stiff Little Fingers were and are still the best Irish punk band and I don`t think that you`ll find a more full-on, hard working band of the same pedigree anywhere in the world today. It was like the intervening years slipped away. What a night.

Punks not dead!

www.myspace.com/stifflittlefingers1977

http://www.slf.com/

THE SURGEONS

Pete Kliskey, Mike Kliskey and Jimmy Jewell, collectively `The Surgeons`, were first on tonight`s bill in what I think was an act of great kindness to another younger, (and less talented) local support band, but had no need to fear playing to the legendary `one man and a dog` audience as the place became filled almost the moment the first chord of opening number `Denabin Sun` rang out.

The last time I saw the band was also at The Pavilions a year ago supporting The Damned on The Surgeons second comeback gig and I`ve gotta say they`ve tightened up their performance until its a rigid (digit?) and taught experience. The audience sensed a worthy band and came streaming in to witness the local heroes pulling out the stops as they visibly swelled with pride before their own heroes backdrop and stage equipment.

Twelve anthems of punk heritage from as far back as 1977 were sprayed out at the crowd of revellers with such titles as `Cut The Cackle` and `Radio 1 Conspiracy`, "...written way back, when radio was really bad" (!)

It seemed a short set, but the band clearly wanted to see Stiff Little Fingers and so were keen to get the job done to join the crowd for the headliners appearance. The Surgeons have brought life back to their own career with performances like this and with these practitioners, you can be sure local punk rock is in safe hands.

Fuck BUPA - lets go public!

www.myspace.com/penzancesurgeons