Took a trip on Rimes Coaches for my first London gig, a very eclectic bill in the huge and imposing Hammersmith Palais.
Firstly, Charge's bass player, who gloried in the name of Stu.P.Didiot (!), sported fishnet stockings and a short leather skirt, as they blasted through a ramalama leather and studs punk rock set, albeit one more tuneful than the likes of contemporaries Discharge, Anti Pasti et al. UK Decay, next up, were superb, with a very haunting, proto-gothic set of moody little tunes featuring werewolves and the like.
Aztec Camera were totally out of place in the punky audience with their inoffensive but inappropriate pop. Roddy Frame introduced a number as, "this is called "Just Like Gold", but I think I should rename it, "Just Like Gob"," as punk spit rained down on him.
Killing Joke were once again dark, sinister, edgy and mighty, mainly promoting their recent, more song based "Revelations" LP, with the speedy "Land Of Milk And Honey" a highlight. The Joke setlist was The Hum/ The Fall Of Because/ Wardance/ We Have Joy/ Empire Song/ Have A Nice Day/ Tension/ Chapter III/ Pssyche/ Chop Chop/ Exit/ Land Of Milk And Honey/ Change/ The Wait/ Unspeakable
I was at this gig, 16 years old. I remember a huge guy with a mohican pushing his way from the back of the hall to the front repeatedly sucker punching people during Killing Joke's set, it all got very nasty. Aztec Camera, my god the amount of spit they took was horrendous, the lead singer had huge blobs of it dangling from his hair, and the guitarist's fretboard was awash with phlegm, I really felt sorry for them. UK Decay played the best set of the night. Killing Joke were a bit of a disappointment tbh, all style and little substance. It was chaos afterwards, lots of violence outside and the police turned up.
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