The Leeds originating band were on tour again following the release of the remix version of their 2025 studio album ‘Horror’, renamed ‘Horrorble’, which was released in summer and produced by Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu). The touring lineup, now formed of Jon Langford (vocals, guitar), Sally Timms (vocals), Susie Honeyman (violin, vocals), Rico Bell (keyboard, harmonica, vocals), Dave Trumfio (bass, backing vocals) and Steve Goulding (drums, vocals), took most of the set from this album, beginning on the wobbly basslines of teasing punk song ‘War Economy’, sung by Goulding.
The merry folk of ‘Aberrant 1984/85’ from their fourth studio album of the same time, ‘Fear and Whiskey’ was performed with Bell playing accordion and followed with the melodious rhythmics of ‘Insignificance’. Honeyman sang the fruity beats of ‘Last Dance’ also from ‘Fear and Whiskey’ with the rest of the band on chorals. Langford updated the lyrics to 1993 ‘I Love Mekons’ song ‘Millionaire’ to “We hate them billionaires”, which he got the audience to sing along to.
Returning to ‘Horror’, Mekons performed the album’s single, ‘Mudcrawlers’, which ended with a snippet of contemporary Leeds’ post-punk band Gang of Four’s ‘Damaged Goods’. They then played their 1978 debut single, ‘32 Weeks’, which was sung nihilistically by Bell who also did a harmonica solo in ‘Hard to Be Human Again’ from ‘Fear and Whiskey’.
After the recent death of American.honky tonk singer John Anderson, the band covered his song ‘Wild and Blue’ during their encore, in which they also sang the anthemic ‘Memphis Egypt’, for which their technical man Mitch joined them on stage, with its nasal dripping guitar riff and chaotic banter. The ended the show on their 1978 second single, ‘Where Were You?’, with plenty of leg kicks for an explosive end.
23/10/26: Mekons @ The Garage, London.
Photos © Peter Tainsh.
© Ayisha Khan.