to Deathtime ASSembly Part 2 where Bloodlights and only Bloodlights take up the
show. Before
we get going I’ve a couple of apologises to make; If I sound a bit disjointed
and make less sense than normal it’s because I got the Flu, not 24 hour Man-Flu
but full on laid up in bed, this is the first time I’ve dragged myself out of
my pit since Tuesday, Flu. Over the last three days I’ve only eaten two
oranges, two Pineapple fingers and a bowl of chocolate Ice-Cream and have spent
that time in bed wrapped up in sweat pants, t-shirt, thermal socks, a bathrobe
and a hot water bottle still shivering. But, quite literally, the show must go
on. The second apology is that on Tuesday’s Deathtime ASSembly I promised live
Bloodlights and The Hip Priests. Well I’m only going to deliver half my promise
as The Hip Priests requested that instead of airing their set could I send the
music file to them for a cheapo Spasm Saturday live CD release. However I can
still give you a brief overview of their set to get you in the mood and
chomping at the ball gag. Vocalist Nathan Von Cruz comes across as a Rabid Sgt
Major barking orders with Austin Rocket and Lee Love backing him up with a
machine gun stance a la Wayne Kramer and Lemmy. New boy Joe Blow holds his own
pounding the drums as if he wishes to tunnel underground. The Hip Priests live
are always fast and furious and last Saturday was no exception with the boundary
between them, Spasm Gang Members, Turbojugends, blurred. The bands 45 minute
set is topped off with a screaming out of control train-wreck version of
Motörhead’s “The Hammer”. Even with the two day event sold-out bringing
together some of the best Rock ‘n’ Roll Scandinavia and the UK has to offer at
the moment the chances of reading about it in mainstream magazines will be
none. So
onto headlining band Bloodlights who were for me, the best band of the night.
2008 was the one and only other time that the band has played over here and
that was at the LA2 supporting The Hellacopters. Howie B makes a welcome return
to the band after a 2½ year break who took a shine to my Maggots T-shirt as
he’d worn his out. The bands set gives everybody time to catch their breath
with a much more subdued crowd. Bloodlights are less of a participation band,
more of watch the craftsmen. Billy Braggs “New England” from their “Somebody
Else’s Nightmare” is played with more of a Replacements feel than Kirsty
MacColl. It was also good to hear “One Eye Open” the band’s debut track. The
only disappointment was when I picked up the set list afterwards there was a
three song encore which didn’t, for some unknown reason, get played that
included a cover of the Damned’s “New Rose”. All in all, and I know I missed
the whole of Fridays gig and Flash House and Zero, Zero from the Saturday
Deathtime ASSembly was fantastic. Hats off to Thomas for getting it together.
So all we need now is Deathtime ASSembly 2017.....
