The Welch Boys / The Warning Shots / Pint Killers / Guns Of Brighton
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 10/7/17
This is a special show tonight at the Midway, and not just because it’s Saturday and these shows usually start at 4pm not 9pm here. And no, it’s not because I changed my underwear. I haven’t. It’s because it’s a benefit for Rosie’s Place, a Boston women’s homeless shelter. Please think of them if you’re planning to donate some money, say around Xmas time. I give to St. Francis House, the biggest homeless shelter in Boston, and if you appreciate what TNB does, instead of buying me a drink or paying my bail, please donate to one of these causes.
It’s also a special night for me because two of my best friends, Ryann and Sam, are here tonight. At least, they’re special to me.
But I’m also seeing, Derek who books The Thirsty Turtle Bar & Grill in Nashua, NH. Undoubtedly, the most supportive club of our music in New Hampshire. The astonishing Nina- beautiful, Vampirella-esque violinist of The Gobshites, who critiques I give good hugs (boys need not apply). Viviam, looking blond, happy and healthy and who I only wish would book some more killer shows, as only she is able to do. And Blowfish, from Boston Groupie News, who do what we do but far better, who tells me he recently got married to a girl he “dated” for 38 years, that cheeky cad!
But on with the show!
Guns Of Brighton are up first and though I recall them only playing covers when I first saw them a few years ago, it seems they’re mostly, an original band now.
They describe themselves as “punk/ska/metal” and take their name from the song “Guns Of Brixton” by The Clash. You remember them, they had that album with the bass player smashing his bass onstage.
Though the crowd reacts favorably towards them, they seem a bit too poppy for me. A little bit too early Green Day. But they certainly perform well and if you like your punk served on the pop side, you might jolly well like them, a lot.
Next is my favorite band of 2017, Pint Killers. Last year it was The Martians. In 1967 it was Paul Revere & The Raiders, narrowly beating out the Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Doors.
This is Mark Doherty’s newest project and I believe it to be his best yet.
And tonight is turning out to be the best performance that I’ve seen this band play. They play the great , “Raise A Glass,” a tribute to fallen friends- early in the set, and the great “Lights Out,” a bit later, which is a song about losing one’s barings when too much alcohol is poured into the machinery.
Speaking of which they play “Devil In Me,” with the lyrics, “A shot of whiskey, a pint of beer,” which I have set up, right now, looking at me. I drink it for my old dead friends, I drink it for my new friends who don’t drink anymore, (like Mark,) and I drink it to everyone who walks the rough road we share, the one that’s called “life.”
They introduce a few new songs tonight, one with a garage rock feel that I especially like. You can add that to the many genres they partake off- Celtic, hardcore, punk and Oi.
Mark gives a shout out to Dorchester, which causes the “Dot Rats,” Ryann and Sam to shriek with glee. Me, I’m from the posh suburbs of Hyde Park- I have not an ounce of city cred. Towards the end of their superb set they rip the joint apart with a cover of “Hooligans,” by Darkbuster.
I talk to Bill, their guitarist, after their set and he informs me that their first official release should be available by the end of the year.
I wait with bated breathe, and when you hear it, I believe you’ll fully understand why I did.
Mark Lind, of The Ducky Boys, latest project- The Warning Shots is next. A mix of street punk, melodic punk and maybe, some Guns’N’Roses like glam/metal.
Though I really like the early songs by this band, the newer ones seem more pop-like and more fancier in their arrangements, more progressive.
Truth be told, this is not my favorite style- but the band plays awesome, the crowd reacts tons more positively than me. So check them out, you’ll probably end up loving them to bits.
The Welch Boys are up to take us out. They’ve always been my favorite band from the top echelon, of the most popular local hardcore/punk bands. I think they’re worthy of the worship from local hardcore fans. But hey! Tonight!- I see Naoto Yama in the crowd. He is a Japanese fan of The Welch Boys who visited earlier this year just to see them play, at Great Scott’s, and here he is again.
And whether you describe The Welch Boys as a kick ass, hardcore band or a kick ass street punk/Oi band- it doesn’t matter because this is punk from the top shelf- so no matter how you describe it- this is a fookin’ great band.
Yeah, they play their Anti-Nowhere League cover, “Pete Townsend Is A Pervert,” getting everybody clapping their hands, including me.
Personally, I believe he’s innocent. But the decrepit corpse of rock music, trying to vampire-ize the spirit of rock’n’roll, is at least, guilty of artistic molestation and I’ll leave it at that.
And it’s time for me to leave the Midway. But I’ve got a strange feeling, that I’ll be back, soon again.
(Slimedog)
