05 January 2025 (gig)
2 d
When Ferocious Dog tear up the legendary 100 Club, you can bet no one’s calling the punk police.
As part of the Resolution Festival—an annual punk extravaganza tracing its anarchic roots back to the infamous 100 Club Punk Special of September ’76 (the one that earned Sid Vicious a brief stint in the slammer)—Sunday was reserved for the Headsticks and Ferocious Dog to take the stage. Perhaps that’s why the crowd wasn’t as packed as usual; some fans may have decided to sit this one out, saving their energy for the upcoming work week.
The Headsticks, hailing from Stoke-on-Trent and proudly billing themselves as purveyors of "Revolutionary Punk Roots Rock’n’Roll," have been on the road since 2012, steadily building a loyal following. Frontman Andrew led the charge, opening with Cold, Grey English Skies and immediately showing the crowd what they’re all about.
Andrew’s commanding voice, combined with his slightly theatrical yet thoroughly entertaining stage presence, set the tone. The band’s sound—built on razor-sharp riffs, melodic strumming, rolling basslines, and driving drumbeats—offered an eclectic mix of high-energy anthems like Miles and Miles and ballads like Tyger Tyger. Andrew had a knack for drawing the audience in, firing his tricky lyrics into the crowd and locking eyes with fans, one by one. It felt like you were being drafted into the action, whether you liked it or not. The front rows certainly rose to the occasion, belting out the lyrics in a spirited singalong that proved they were up for the challenge.
Closing their set with Peace and Quiet, the Headsticks left the stage with the audience thoroughly warmed up and ready for the main event: Ferocious Dog.
The Nottinghamshire-based band, led by the ever-charismatic Ken Bonsall, has rightfully earned their reputation for delivering powerful, masterfully executed folk-punk. That said, trying to squeeze their sound into a single genre hardly does them justice. Their repertoire is a rich tapestry, and the lads crafted a setlist that packed as much punch as a punk festival demands—no small feat in just 45 minutes.
Opening with Haul Away Joe, the Hellhounds (as the fanbase proudly call themselves) were singing along from the off. Strangely, though, the energy felt unusually muted at first. Typically, the place erupts by the time Poor Angry And Young makes an appearance, but for a while, it was more enthusiastic dancing and singing than the usual frenzied chaos.
Broken Soldier cranked up the heat, and by the time Parting Glass rolled around, the much-anticipated mosh pit finally took shape. From that moment, there was no stopping the fans.
The grand finale was—of course—Slow Motion Suicide, with Jamie’s virtuoso and deeply emotional violin solo resonating with every soul in the room. And naturally, Ken couldn’t resist signing off with his iconic rendition of Nelly The Elephant, a light-hearted and boisterous end to a truly unforgettable set.
Setlist:
Headsticks:
Cold, Grey English Skies
Dying For A Lie
Miles And Miles
Naked
Mississippi Burning
Flatline Town
The God Song
St. George's Infirmary
Tyger Tyger
Dark Waters
My Own War
Peace And Quiet
Ferocious Dog:
Haul Away Joe
Iron Mike Malloy
Spin
Kleptocracy
The Glass
Poor Angry And Young
Black Gold
Too Late
Freeborn John
Broken Soldier
Pocket Of Madness
Darker Side Of The Town
Punk Police
Sus Laws
Parting Glass
Johnny I hardly Knew Ya
Paddy On't Railway
Hell Hounds
Mairis' Wedding II
Slow Motion Suicide
