Music > Live Reviews

Subhumans

EPIC Studios

28/09/17

Project Mork kick things off with their batshit-mental amalgam of math-rock, jazz-rock, prog and death metal - this is like a combination of Cardiacs, Battles, Slint and Celtic Frost, with a dose of King Crimson. Project Mork are clearly superb musicians and have an endearing confidence and don’t-give-a-shit attitude but, enjoyable as the live show is, great as the playing is, the songs just aren’t that memorable. Whatever, PM put on a thoroughly entertaining show and win over a fair proportion of the crowd.

Anyone else remember the days when it was ok to drill your own hole, kill your television and ask what gives you the idea that you’re so amazing, baby? Nah, thought not. The Skraelings seem to be on a mission to resurrect grebo, that late-80s movement that is sometimes maligned but more usually forgotten, taking the sounds of Gaye Bykers On Acid, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and Crazyhead and giving them a bit of a contemporary sheen. Skraelings offer nothing new at all and I was initially dismissive but they had me by the end of their set. If you loved grebo (and I did), you’ll love this. If you have no idea what I am banging on about, go and see Skraelings anyway if you can, they’re damned good fun.

Now for Subhumans. Before tonight I didn’t know any of their stuff. I’m here because fellow Outliner Stuart kept banging on about them. And they were… OK, they were… alright. Ah bollocks, I can’t keep the pretence up just to wind up Stu, it wouldn’t be fair on the band or the audience. Subhumans lived up to Stu’s hype and were absobloodylutely amazing.

This gig was originally scheduled for the Owl but got moved to Epic. My first thoughts are that the Owl would be a more suitable venue. Epic has fantastic lighting and a great sound but is that what a bunch of anarchopunx need? Wouldn’t it just show up the limitations that make punk what it is? Wouldn’t a smaller, scuzzier venue have a better atmosphere? Well, on this showing, absolutely not. Yep, I would love to have seen Subhumans do a sweat-dripping-from-the-ceiling, people-hanging-from-the-rafters show at the Owl but they absolutely nailed it here. The sound was, of course, cracking but it didn’t show up the limitations, rather it showed just what fine musicians these guys are and how sophisticated and danceable these songs are. As for the lighting, well that enhanced rather than distracted from the performance.

At that start of the set, there was perhaps a lack of atmosphere and audience involvement. Maybe it was being in a different venue. That soon changed and the audience got well into things. The pit was one of the oldest but friendliest that I have had the pleasure to see. When two blokes went down in a tangle of arms and legs, with people stepping in to pull them apart, I expected a punch up but no, they got up, dusted ’emselves down, had a hug and threw themselves back into the fray. And that, Sham 69 fans, is how it should be.

Over the last few years, I have seen a number of old-school, so-called second- and third-generation punk bands that I missed out on in my younger days. Almost universally, they have been great and have shown just why punk still endures. Subhumans may just be the best of that bunch.