1,154 SPEAR OF DESTINY, Feather Trade, Swindon Level 3, Tuesday 24th September 2019

Another trip down Amnesia Avenue tonight, another 10^th gig for a band whom I’d seen multiple times in a condensed period in the 1980s… this time it’s Spear Of Destiny, Kirk Brandon’s polemic rabble of dark, sinister anthemic post-punkers, whom I’d caught 5 times in 4 months (!) starting with their support slot on U2’s coronation “Longest Day” gig in June 1985 (gig 29!), then a further 4 times down the years. A poorer showing on their Singles Tour in 2008 (gig 754) was nonetheless followed by a couple of considerably better and more redeeming support showings with Stiff Little Fingers, so I was considering popping down to Bristol to catch their “One Eyed Jacks” 35^th Anniversary tour there; then they announced a gig at my old stamping ground Level 3, thus saving me a journey! Kirk Brandon’s strident operatic tones in the confined spaces of Lev? Hmmm, he might just take the roof off on one of his prolonged high notes…!

Drove up and met the Big Man at 8 in the Rolly for some entertaining rock chat, not only with him but with Dave from local alt-rock combo Abstraction Engine (whom I’d initially mistaken for Sheer Music impresario Keiran Moore!) and his mates. Eventually took a wander downstairs to catch the last knockings of support Feather Trade and their gloomy and doomy, bass-dominated grungy final number. Spent awhile spotting old faces from punk days, including being introduced to Claire (a friend of a friend of Rich’s – small world!) whom I recognised as the “Punk Queen” from late 70’s U18 Brunel! My old friend Lynn was there too… Kirk Brandon’s in town, so of course she is!

We were half expecting a second support of Ex Simple Minds man Derek Forbes and his band The Dark (a pun on Hooky’s band The Light, perhaps?) but none was forthcoming, so when the intro music to “The Sweeney” piped up at 9.45, it was Spear Of Destiny who took the stage to a 2/3rds full Lev bottom area (the top balcony closed off completely). Not the best of turnouts, particularly for a band I’d seen headline Hammersmith Palais and Bristol Colston Hall and rock Wembley Stadium on a U2 support, but Kirk and his cohorts played to the people who made the effort rather than lamenting those who didn’t, with a fully-charged, powerful and strident set. The drum dominated stomp of opener “Rainmaker” set the tone for some dark, doom laden yet potent post-punk anthems, none more soaring and terrace chant than “Young Men”, which was preceded by Kirk welcoming us with a jaunty, “Hello Swindonia! Welcome to One Eyed Jacks’ 35… we don’t quite know what we’re doing, but whatever…”

An entertaining run-through of my second favourite SOD LP (sorry, I preferred “World Service”, but “OEJ” is still a good ‘un) ensued, with Kirk’s enduring high-pitched, strident and almost operatic voice the commanding and dominant feature, keyboards and occasional sax providing a textural feel – much like contemporaries The Psychedelic Furs, SOD were never a really guitar riff-heady band… By the rolling dancefloor power anthem “Liberator” I was wishing I still had the knees I had in the 80’s (!), and a couple of numbers later I was down the front anyway with the self-proclaimed SOD “scum” (Kirk, following a welcome anti-Tory tirade, having given us a choice as to which world we wanted to live in – Eton or scum)! “Attica” was a jagged, almost funky jaunt, yet the best number of the “OEJ” run-through for me was “These Days Are Gone”, a windswept and expansive lament, excellently and moodily delivered.

A 6-song (!) encore featuring some new material was nonetheless bookended by tonight’s highlights; firstly a rocking, sneering “Land Of Shame” (by which time Lynn was down the front with me), then a fitting set closer with the haunting keyboard intro to SOD’s best number, “World Service”, Kirk revelling in the reception from the by-now packed dancefloor, and leading the crowd in a lengthy singalong of the “I hear music” hook. The band left the stage at the end of a very fine 1 3/4 hours, leaving Kirk to take the applause, promise Swindonia that “it’s not over yet” (a veiled reference to next year perhaps, when “World Service” turns 35?) and offering us “much love” I’ve had my ups and downs with Mr. Brandon in the past, but tonight he was a star, and this was certainly as good as I’d seen Spear since their 80’s heyday. As I remarked to Lev owner and till-girl (!) Violet on the way out, on this form you can invite Spear Of Destiny back anytime!