30 April 2007 (gig)
21 May 2007
It's been 3 long years since Eighties Matchbox released their superb last album 'The Royal Society' ...Since then they parted company with their record label,lost their Guitarist (and key songwriter) Andy Huxley(who's new band supported tonight) and have played only a handful of gigs.
Tonight they're playing the sold out sweat pit, The Camden Underworld. The place is rammed, and not just with the old Matchbox faithfuls, theres plenty of kids here that would have barely been in their teens when debut album 'Horse of the Dog' rampaged like a Rabid Pit-bull onto the streets 5 years ago! It would seem that with little promotion word's got around anyway and the kids want to check out the nasty stepfathers of The Horrors.
The band clamber on stage looking as menacing as ever and kick straight in to a storming new track, 'Horses can swim', swiftly following this up with their best known single 'Mr mental', the crowd need no further invitation to do just that and the mosh pit starts to spread.
The band are obviously keen to showcase their new stuff asap tonight, and it doesn't disappoint. 'The Garden' is an immense towering dirtfest using the full range of guys vocal abilities, from the low pitched Dave Vanian-esque voice to Guy's awesome scream. The Opening riff of 'Love turns to hate' instantly sucks you in and drags you through the song, and 'Kemptown Animal' chugs and chops along making it impossible not to join the ever increasing mosh pit.
As well as the new stuff, we get a good portion of classic Eighties Matchbox, and although material from the hugely under rated second CD is largely ignored, we get half of 'Horse of the Dog' including the singles 'Psychosis Safari' and 'Chicken', it's these 2 minute segments of pure adrenalin fuelled noise that the crowd go the most mental for.
On stage, Guy is in his usual face pulling, jaw juddering, gurning, insane zombie from hell possessed form. When is he ever any different? He only drops this persona for a few seconds to politely thank the crowd for coming down (he's a nice bloke really!) before launching into 'Presidential wave' and jumping into the waiting crowd.
There's only one song the band are going to finish with tonight and we get it...... Sym's bass rumbles the opening riff and 'Celebrate Your Mother' crashes in, the whole crowd eager to shout 'I wanna f**k your mother' back at Guy, so wrong, yet so right!
The Eighties Matchbox live experience hasn't changed much over the years, and no-one wants it to. I can't think of another band that leaves you feeling like you've been assulted by one of Motorhead's roadies, and loving every minute of it. Lets hope these guys soon get some of the success they deserve. If you've never seen them, even if you've never heard of them, go and see them live, it's an experience you won't forget!
Set list:
HORSES CAN SWIM
MR MENTAL
GARDEN
KEMPTOWN ANIMAL
PSYCHOSIS SAFARI
TERRIBLE NIGHT
CHICKEN
UNKNOWN NEW ONE
I REJECTION
LOVE TURNS TO HATE
PRESIDENTIAL WAVE
YOU SAY YOU'RE A DOCTOR
GIANT BONES
CELEBRATE YOUR MOTHER
