| THE DICKIES |
| Vanilla Pod, Mainline |
| Harlow, The Square,UK 7/11/01 |
| Just thought I would pass on a quick lowdown on the above mentioned gig, after the poor ATV gig at the square a few weeks back I was naturally concerned that this night could prove to be much the same...shit! The first band on was local punx Mainline who were a little shambolic compared to other nights but there charm wit and sweaty vests can win anyone over. They only played half a dozen numbers but would of prospered from a better sound if the engineer was awake? They use speed & harmonies to good effect and I recommend giving them a look if there round your way. Obviously I am biased cos there all good lads and we have played together in the past, seeing them only made not having a bassist worse and poor Iain was frothing at the mouth...please any bassists in Essex please come forward before Iain does something that we will regret...i wonder if the Taliban might know some bass players? |
| Next up were Vanilla Pod, I know them briefly from the Kicking a dead horse comp (jellybrain). The were tight as fuck, precision harmonies and a fair old racket which went down really well. Admittedly I missed the first few numbers but like Mainline its the Yankee model of Punk which always sounds better live than on offical releases. So two bands down, with Vanilla Pod coming out on top which started my concerns for what The Dickies would sound like in comparison. |
| With relief they sounded great (possibly the old sound engineer trick, make the support acts sound crap etc.) they opened with my fave track 'Hideous' then after that they bulldozed through so many tracks I couldn't keep up. The beauty of what they do is the one & a half minute numbers, I was grinning all over they didn't dissapoint. I couldn't help but notice Stan Lee's insistence of putting one foot on the monitor for guitar solos which was a bit off putting but they kept hammering through the numbers, 'Paranoid', 'Nights in white satin', 'You drive me ape', 'Got it at the store' etc. I was loving every minute even forgetting the £7 I paid to get in, and respect due to The Dickies cos they didn't play 'Banana Splits'...i lost track of time but they must of played for a good hour & never lost their pace, they shut it down with 'Gigantor' & I was left thinking...i never thought I'd ever see The Dickies & they were bloody good! I recommend giving them a look but check the door prices £7 was a bit rich. |
| The last comment is to some old twat punk with a NMTB t shirt who kept walking up to the stage & reading their set list, quite frankly The Dickies were in there rights to tell him to Fuck off...annoying prick...& to top it all once the band left stage he was straight over to swipe all the set lists? Care in the community? Punk opportunist? Nah just a wanker. |
| PS: Stan Lee get your hair cut!!! |
| Pete (The Antibodies) |
