TV SMITH & FRIENDS @ OPERA HOUSE
Making his third appearance of the festival following his two performances with The Bored Teenagers, TV Smith returned to do a solo acoustic set and was joined by guest collaborations from other Rebellion performers.
He began on his own with ‘Land Of The Overdose’, from his latest studio album of the same name, and ‘Generation Y, before he was joined by Leigh Heggarty of Ruts DC to perform his earlier band Cheap’s song ‘Luxury In Exile’.
Smith also played from his band The Explorers with their 1981 second single, ‘The Servant’. He was joined by more guests in the way of Pascal Briggs (The Briefs), singers from The Crows, Atila the Stockbroker and on drums Jamie Oliver (UK Subs), who chorally delivered his 1992 single, ‘The Lion and The Lamb’.
As usual, TV Smith finished his set on classic Adverts songs ‘Gary Gilmour’s Eyes’ and ‘One Chord Wonders’.
03/08/19: TV Smith & Friends @ Opera House, Blackpool Winter Gardens.
© Ayisha Khan.
RUTS DC @ OPERA HOUSE
In addition to their main electric set on the Empress stage, Ruts DC did an intimate acoustic set with Segs Jennings and Leigh Heggarty on acoustic guitar and David Ruffy on a metal drum.
They started with 1980’s ‘West One (Shine On Me)’ and then played from their latest studio album, ‘Music Must Destroy’, with ‘Soft City Lights’ and anarchic anthem ‘Music Must Destroy’, the latter of which they adapted slightly for the festival.
The band dedicated ‘Golden Boy’, from their last album, to original Ruts singer Malcolm Owen and guitarist Paul Fox before performing rockabilly single ‘Psychic Attack’.
Ruts DC ended the show on their classic singles, ‘Staring At The Rude Boys’, ‘In A Rut’ and finally ‘Babylon’s Burning’.
03/08/19: Ruts DC @ Empress Balllroom, Blackpool Winter Gardens.
Photo © Ayisha Khan.
© Ayisha Khan.
HR (BAD BRAINS) @ CLUB CASBAH
Performing at the festival for the first time, the former Bad Brains frontman turned reggae solo artist, HR (standing for Human Rights), played a set of both his solo and band work.
He began on ‘Charge’ from his 1990 solo album of the same name, but quickly moved onto his Bad Brains heritage with ‘I and I Survive’ and ‘I Luv I Jah’ from the band’s 1982 self-titled album. He then played from Bad Brains’ second album, 1983’s ‘Rock For Life’, with a more mellow take on the original track of the same name.
The set was punctuated throughout by a steady staccato reggae riff, occasionally switching to a heavier, faster guitar sound, such as at the end of ‘Fool’s Gold’ and at intervals in ‘Shame In Dem Game’.
The band, formed of Martin, Luke and Spike, brought the set to a close on another Bad Brains track, ‘The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth’, and ‘Re-Ignition’, from their 1986 album, ‘I Against I’.
03/08/19: HR @ Club Casbah, Blackpool Winter Gardens.
Photo © Ayisha Khan.
© Ayisha Khan.
*HEADLINING* WALTER LURE’S L.A.M.F @ OPERA HOUSE
Performing from The Heartbreakers studio album ‘L.A.M.F’, original band member Walter Lure teamed up with former Slaughter & The Dogs guitarist Mick Rossi.
They played tracks from the only album by the Johnny Thunders-led band, with ‘One Track Mind’ and ‘All By Myself’, also including some Slaughter & The Dogs tracks, such as ‘Situations’. They also played some covers, slowing down the tempo with Harlan Howard’s ‘Busted’.
Lure performed Thunders’ ‘London Boys’, from the frontman’s album ‘So Alone’, which they wrote to get back at The Sex Pistols for writing ‘New York’. They then returned to L.A.M.F with ‘Born To Lose’ and ‘Chinese Rocks’, the latter of which Dee Dee Ramone originally wrote for The Ramones and which contains the Eddie Cochran riff that so many punk bands ripped off.
They finished their set on The Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ and ’60s hit ‘Do You Love Me?’ by The Contours.
03/08/19: Walter Lure’s L.A.M.F @ Opera House, Blackpool Winter Gardens.
Photo © Ayisha Khan.
© Ayisha Khan.