WILDHEARTS, JIM JONES ALL STARS & DIRT BOX DISCO

As a venue, Epic may not be my favourite but I like it. I dunno what is going on tonight, but 25 minutes after joining what seemed to be a short queue and 20 minutes after doors were supposed to open, I get in and DIRT BOX DISCO are already playing. Ah well, maybe soundcheck overran... 

Anyway, I’ve seen DBD described as alt.punk or glam-punk but, based on tonight’s performance Fazzo, Danny Fingerz, Weab and Deadbeatz Chris specialise in basic punk with a comedic edge. Cinderella’s Motörhead Tattoo comes on like a slightly heavier Toy Dolls and Second Hand Sex Toys is Ramones gone oi. It is far from earth shattering but it is spandex, Mexican wrestler mask, faux fur, GI helmet, wig clad FUN. 

First time I saw Jim Jones was waaaaaay back in the 80s and he was fronting Thee Hypnotics and I can remember exactly nowt about it, thanks to a dreadful combination of teenage stupidity and far too much Red Stripe. Last time I saw JIM JONES ALL STARS was back in December headlining Voodoo Daddy’s and it was one of my sets of the year. Can the band match that on a bigger stage, playing to a less than full room, to an audience largely there for the headliners? Despite a not entirely sympathetic sound, of course they bloody can. 

On lead vox and guitar, Jim Jones is almost the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll incarnate. Guitarist Carlton Mounsher riffs and solos like he’s been at the crossroads at midnight and made a deal with the devil. Stand-in drummer Blake Davis and bassist Gavin Jay lay down the rhythm like their lives depend on it. Elliot Mortimer pounds his keys like a Jools Holland that didn’t sell his soul to light entertainment and had instead travelled the world with Jayne County. Backing vocalist and percussionist Ali Jones is a whirlwind of energy. Lifting it all - and helping me confront my saxophoneophibia - are Stuart Dace and Tom Hodges on tenor and baritone sax, respectively. Jim Jones All Stars play rock ‘n’ soul ‘n’ surf ‘n’ swamp ‘n’ blues ‘n’ garage ‘n’ roll and they are chuffing brilliant. I can’t say what anyone else made of ’em because i was hanging pressed against the barrier, losing my shit, and that doesn’t happen that often these days. 

And so to the headliners, The current WILDHEARTS is Ginger, natch, on guitar and vox, along with the truly lovely and incredibly talented Random Jon (Cardiacs, God Damn Whores, Dowling Poole etc) Poole on bass/vox, Ben (Spangles, Warner E Hodges) Marsden on guitar/vox and new drummer Charles Evans on drums. Oh, and somewhat bizarrely hidden behind a screen, Carol (Steve Ignorant Band, Slice of Life, SUPERB solo artist) Hodge is on keys and vox. 

I must confess that I am not a Wildhearts obsessive. I have seen them a few times over the years and - other than the very first time - have always enjoyed them. My history with Ginger Wildheart gives back even further than with Jim Jones. Seeing Jon Poole and hearing - if not seeing - Carol Hodge is always great. But this is the first time since the very first time I saw Wildhearts that neither CJ nor Danny have been onstage. And it is... different. Not better, not worse, just different.