Spam Javelin / Two Tonne Machete / 77 Spears @ The Skerries, Bangor

The evening started on a low note. A crushing, last-minute defeat for Liverpool against Crystal Palace, combined with the heavens opening into a proper biblical deluge, had me reckoning on a low turnout. Honestly, I really didn't feel like playing.

Dragging myself to The Skerries at 7 PM, I found the members of 77 Spears (travelling from Chorley) and Two Tonne Machete (from Warrington / Mold) milling about. In the spirit of DIY punk camaraderie, we, Spam Javelin, volunteered to go on first. The logic was simple: give the travelling bands a better chance of playing to a decent audience later on.

Imagine my shock, then, when we opened proceedings to a full house! The atmosphere inside was already thick, and we did our utmost best to thicken it with some Farage-baiting. I reckon I lost a good half stone through sweat—the walls and floors were literally dripping with condensation. We had a great time, a great laugh, and made some new friends in the process.

Next up were Two Tonne Machete. I've been giving them a lot of airtime on my radio show, but seeing them live was a different experience entirely. This North Wales feminist punk band are a powerful force. Like their recordings, they delivered a sonic tidal wave that blasted through the condensation. It's a brutal, beautiful sound, often compared to the energy of Idles mixed with the intensity of Amyl And The Sniffers, yet they certainly have their own stamp... and stamp on you they do! TTM are absolutely worth your pound notes and effort should they swing by your town.

Closing the show were 77 Spears. These Chorley boys are hard to pin down. While rooted in the punk genre, they blend elements ranging (and raging) from classic American hardcore (my personal favourite style) to intense noise-nik sounds. They describe their music as '80s style hardcore punk with bits of noise, melody and psych', delivering 'hardcore with hooks.' Frontman Tom provided leaps and bounds of energy, making for a thrilling, cathartic finale.

It was a wholly entertaining, sweat-soaked evening that perfectly highlighted the enduring spirit of the UK's grassroots punk scene. I’m already looking forward to opening for Prey and Thumbsucker here again in a couple of weeks.

Stuntface - Spam Javelin - The Raging Mabels @ G21, Chester

We’ve played the city a few times before, but never in The Saddle. Out the back is G21, a cozy little room with surprisingly big sound – perfect for a night like this. The place filled up nicely, plenty of familiar faces dotted around, and the vibe felt right from the off.

First up were Oswestry’s The Raging Mabels, who set the tone with a riff-roaring set that leaned hard into their Queens of the Stone Age-esque stomp. Great stuff, though clocking in at a hefty 55 minutes! Their guitarist, Sparky, deserves special mention – he builds his own guitars out of chopping boards and worktops, all four-string beasts that look as wild as they sound. Their mini-album Obey! has been out a year now, and if you haven’t already, it’s worth a spin: The Raging Mabels – Obey!.

Then it was our turn – Spam Javelin (v3.0). Something just clicked for us this time. From the first note it felt tight, feral, and gloriously loud. We tore through our Farage-baiting set with sweat flying and no let-up, and though the universe clearly wanted to keep me humble (the only two videos online are of the two songs I managed to balls up – ‘Fatal Attraction’ and the brand-new, first-time outing of ‘Reformed Gammon’), it still felt like one of the most enjoyable shows we’ve done in a long while.

And then came Stuntface. What can you say about this band that does them justice? Life-affirming, that’s for sure. Seeing them alive, spitting, and tearing it up again was a joy – especially knowing that their reformation traces back to that night a couple of years ago when I dragged Wayne up to sing ‘Life Is Loud’ with us. Tonight, they returned the favour, pulling me up to join them on the same track. The last time I tried that I accidentally knocked Wayne’s tooth out with a mic, but thankfully no dental injuries this round!

Wrexham’s finest powered through their arsenal of top-drawer punk rock: the aforementioned ‘Life Is Loud’, ‘TV Told You So’, ‘72 Hours Deceased’, ‘Commando A Go Go’, ‘Time To Fly’, plus a brand-new one making its live debut. Every song hit like a fistful of firecrackers.

And then, as always, it was over too soon. Chester did us proud, G21 did us proud, and sharing the stage with The Raging Mabels and Stuntface was an absolute blast. Roll on Mad Saturday in Wrexham this December where the same lineup does it again – if it’s anything like tonight, it’ll be one to remember.