IPA Music

28/08/2024

I've had a wee break from gigs to give my feet (and liver!) time to recover from Rebellion Punk Music Festival.

But on Friday it's time to get back on the horse with this cracker from JS Promotions at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton, which I'm looking forward to visiting for the first time.

It features two of my favourite bands on the same bill, with Gimp Fist opening for The Bar Stool Preachers. I believe tickets are still available - in advance and on the door. See you down the front!

04/08/2024

Day 3 of Rebellion Punk Music Festival completed, with 16 bands/artists seen. My gold, silver and bronze medals go to C**k Sparrer, Millie Manders and The Shutup and Gimp Fist, with honorable mentions for Crown Court, Dakka Sk**ks (first time I'd seen them both), Harbour Rebels (first time I'd heard them), Los Fastidios (who were singing their antifa anthems while the EDL behaved like k***s outside) and great acoustic sets from In Evil Hour and Jonny Robson which started the day.

03/08/2024

It's also Gimp Fist day. In fact it's double Gimp day, with Jonny Robson doing an early solo set. I'll see the usual suspects down the front Gus Gunnion and Lewis. Here's a review of their new album.

ALBUM REVIEW: Gimp Fist – Losing Streak (Breakout Promotions/Sunny Bastards) Two years after the splendid one-two that was 2022’s two-albums-in-a-year (Isolation and Unification),

03/08/2024

Looking forward to seeing Millie Manders and The Shutup today. Their new album, Wake Up, Shut Up, Work is a real album of the year contender. Here's my review. https://ipamusic.co.uk/?p=11102

03/08/2024

Day 2 of Rebellion Punk Music Festival completed, with 19 bands seen. Riskee and the Ridicule win gold, with The Mistakes taking silver and new-to-me PEST in bronze position. Honorable mentions to Split Dogs, The Baboon Show, The Bar Stool Preachers (acoustic), Los Fastidios (acoustic), Control hooligan rock n roll and, last but not least, The Men They Couldn't Hang, who made me cry (again!) when they brought Shanne Bradley on for The Green Fields of France and dedicated it to Cush and Shane MacGowan.

02/08/2024

Day one of Rebellion Punk Music Festival completed, a quite ridiculous 21 bands seen. The Drowns take my gold medal in a photo-finish from The Bar Stool Preachers, with Slalom D taking the bronze. Honorable mentions for The Meffs, who look like future headliners, Tom Robinson Music (who I'd somehow never seen!), Cyanide Pills and first-timers No!se and Clobber. Roll on day two...

25/07/2024

Here's a bit of a write-up on last night's excellent gig featuring SUBALTERNOS, Zero Tolerance and Slalom D at Trillians Newcastle.

GIG REVIEW: Subalternos + Zero Tolerance + Slalom D @ Trillians, Newcastle, Wednesday 24 July 2024 One of the spin-off benefits of the

24/07/2024

Cheeky little worknight gig at Trillians Newcastle tonight as it hosted a free Rebellion Punk Music Festival warm-up gig headlined by SUBALTERNOS, all the way from Sao Paolo, Brazil.

They were excellent, as were the two support bands, Slalom D and Zero Tolerance, who didn't travel quite so far!

Subalternos singer Alberto Rinaldi is one of the happiest men in punk, and him joining Zero Tolerance on stage and then getting Graeme Kitto up to join his band later were smashing moments. Here's a small taste of a great night.

03/07/2024

GIG ALERT!: New intimate-venue dates from The Bar Stool Preachers, including one in the North East!

Rising cross-genre punks The Bar Stool Preachers have announced a trip of intimate shows to promote their forthcoming new EP. Below The Static,

24/06/2024

Former Angelic Upstarts guitarist Newts Newton is back with a new band, HEED CASE. Here's a review of their debut album, out now!

ALBUM REVIEW: Heed Case – All The Rage (self-released) Heed Case are a new North East duo comprising long-time Angelic Upstarts guitarist Neil

19/06/2024

Live At The Star, the long-awaited live album by DIRT BOX DISCO, is a fitting tribute to Stu Taylor of indie punk label Records - here's a review:

ALBUM REVIEW: Dirt Box Disco – Live At the Star (STP Records) Manchester-based S.T.P. Records was the brainchild of Stu Taylor, punk fan,

13/06/2024

Nice arrival in today's mail - a double helping of Faintest Idea vinyl, thanks to a flash sale by those lovely people at TNSrecords last week! £27 + pence for the pair, including postage (and a bunch of lovely free stickers). Are you seeing this, big record companies? Support the independents folks!

11/06/2024

Unstoppable, the long-awaited debut album by NYC Oi 'n' B band 45 Adapters, has just been released on Pirates Press Records, and it's a cracker - right up there with my favourite albums of 2024. Here's a review:

ALBUM REVIEW: 45 Adapters – Unstoppable (Pirates Press Records) Even though they’ve been around since 2009, this is the debut album by New

27/05/2024

The highlight of my bank holiday weekend was seeing The Lovely Eggs at The Grove Newcastle, with support from potty-mouthed poet Violet Malice and post-punks Loose Articles. Here's a review and a few pics:

GIG REVIEW: The Lovely Eggs + Violet Malice + Loose Articles @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle, Saturday 25 May 2024 The Lovely Eggs

11/05/2024

It's Clobbering Time! Nine bands later at Phazed Out Festival it's headliners Sick Of It All. Absolutely magnificent!

11/05/2024

Something a bit different today the first Phazed Out festival, celebrating hardcore and alternative music. Local act Liminal have the honour of opening at The Cluny. Only eight hours to the headliners. Glad I brought ear plugs!

23/03/2024

Saturday night is gig night tbis week. Here's FORCE FED LIES at Hunwick W M Club.

15/03/2024

Friday night is gig night this week. Here's Glen Matlock opening proceedings at O2 City Hall Newcastle.

09/03/2024

Second up are Ceramic, who are a new band to me but very good.

03/03/2024

We've also had a guest review from an old friend, of the only New Model Army UK date until April, at Roadmender in Northampton as they start their tour to promote new album Unbroken.

GIG REVIEW: New Model Army @ Roadmender, Northampton, Tuesday 27 February 2024 New Model Army released Unbroken, their 18th studio album, on 26

03/03/2024

The 2nd gig was at The Doll at the Black Bull, where Desperate Measures NZ were paying a first-ever visit, backed by familiar faces LoGOz and Loudmouth (official). Here's some words and pics:

GIG REVIEW: Desperate Measures + Loudmouth + LoGoZ @ Black Bull, Gateshead, Saturday 2 March 2024 Desperate Measures have had to wait a

03/03/2024

It's been a busy old weekend, with gigs on consecutive nights. Here's my review of the first, The Bar Stool Preachers + Gimp Fist at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle, with some pics by me and better ones by Sue Welford. Thanks, once again, to Jon and Sam Connor at JS Promotions for the passes.

GIG REVIEW: The Bar Stool Preachers + Gimp Fist @ Boiler Shop, Newcastle, Friday 1 March 2024 Four years to the day after

27/02/2024

Next gig up for me is this on Friday night at Boiler Shop - The Bar Stool Preachers and Gimp Fist - 2 of my favourite bands on the same bill!

19/02/2024

I attended a great all-day punk gig at The Doll at the Black Bull yesterday. In Evil Hour, FACE UP, FORCE FED LIES, Healthy Junkies, LoGOz, Slackrr, The K*t & Kid Klumsy took part in a wonderful tribute to Stu Taylor from STP Records// Rebellion Punk Music Festival. R.I.P. Uncle Stu.

GIG REVIEW: Stu Taylor Memorial Gig @ The Black Bull Gateshead: In Evil Hour + Face Up! + Force Fed Lies + Healthy

19/02/2024

I attended a great all-day punk gig at The Doll at the Black Bull yesterday. In Evil Hour, FACE UP, FORCE FED LIES, Healthy Junkies, LoGOz, Slackrr, The K*t & Kid Klumsy took part in a wonderful tribute to Stu Taylor from STP Records// Rebellion Punk Music Festival. R.I.P. Uncle Stu.

19/02/2024

I attended a great all-day punk gig at THE DOLL@THE BLACK BULL yesterday. In Evil Hour, FACE UP, FORCE FED LIES, Healthy Junkies, LoGOz, Slackrr, The K*t & Kid Klumsy took part in a wonderful tribute to Stu Taylor from STP Records/ Punk Music Festival. R.I.P. Uncle Stu.
https://ipamusic.co.uk/?p=10330

17/02/2024

The line-up was announced yesterday for North East Calling 2024 and I'm excited already, even though it's seven months away. Some of my favourite bands will be playing! I'm talking about you Gimp Fist, The Bar Stool Preachers, Riskee and the Ridicule and Guitar Gangsters, though the other seven aren't bad either!

The line-up has been announced for the 2024 edition of the North East Calling punk all-dayer in Newcastle. The popular event will be

12/02/2024

One of my favourite bands, American punks The Menzingers, have just finished a UK tour. I was lucky enough to catch their gig at Northumbria University last week. Here's a review.

GIG REVIEW: The Menzingers + Prince Daddy And The Hyena + Gladie @ Northumbria University, Newcastle, Thursday 8 February 2024 Four years after

04/02/2024

London hardcore/oi merchants The Chisel are on the road promoting their new album, which comes out on Pure Noise Records this week. I caught their show at The Cluny in Newcastle on Friday night, which featured support from Rifle + Unified Action UKHC. Here's a review...

GIG REVIEW: The Chisel + Rifle + Unified Action @ The Cluny 2, Newcastle, Friday 2 February 2024 The Chisel are one of

23/01/2024

Ooh, this looks good. Pre-orders open now for Pixies At The BBC, 1988-91, their full sessions for John Peel and Mark Goodier.

Pixies have today announced an expanded reissue of their classic BBC sessions compilation – and it’s available for the first time on vinyl.