Thursday 4 November 2010

284 VERUCA SALT, MARION, Skunk Anansie, NME "Brats" Bus Tour, Bristol University Anson Rooms, Friday 20 January 1995


After a ticket-mare on our intended gig on Sunday (Bettie Serveert at the Fleece - sold out, mainly due to rising star support Jeff Buckley. Bah!), I made sure that tickets were going to be available by phoning the promoter beforehand; only to get there and find out that this too was sold out. Bah! Still, I managed to wangle a couple from said promoter by reminding him of our call and appealing to his better nature, and Clive got one from a punter outside, so he, me and Beef went in (Ady and Nibs "volunteering" to go to the pub instead!), missing openers 60 Ft. Dolls, but unfortunately in time to see Skunk Anansie's clumsy Killing Joke crossed with Public Enemy crap rap. Noisy and unformed, so we got the beers in instead!

Beef chatted up some 16 year old girlie, who joined us with her mates (including 2 scantily clad lasses, one of whom wrote "fuck me" on her amply displayed bosom. Subtle, non?) before we decanted to the hall for Marion. A new discovery following their splendid Electrafixion tour support slot at the arse end of last year, they were again impressive, with a spunky, spiky set of urgent and somewhat off-kilter, slightly creepy guitar anthems, embellished perfectly by Jamie Harding's passionate vocals. An excellent set, during which I moshed frantically!

Back in the bar before Veruca Salt's set at 10. The two boy/ two girl Yank post-grunge combo impressed occasionally with Pixies/ Breeders type savage guitar chops and feminist anthems, but a lot of numbers in their set merged into each other (lack of variation? Or was it the beer? The truth, as ever, likely lies somewhere in between...). "Seether", an excellent single by any standards, was obviously the highlight. Maybe they should write another song soon! (Ouch!)

I'm being harsh; I've seen a lot worse, and they were enjoyable in a monotone rocky way. After their set, I chatted away to the Marion bassist Jools; he informed me that former Bunnyman and current Electrafixion godhead Ian McCulloch was in the building. Despite a search, I missed him. D'oh!

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