The Goo 1
Words: Niall McGuirk PUNK As Dublin busies itself
for the exodus that is the Rebellion festival in Blackpool in August there’s plenty of live gigs to keep us going this month. One gig that seems to have slipped under the radar is Escape-ism in Drogheda June 13th. These DC punks feature Ian Svenonius & Sandi Denton. Svenonius was in Nation of Ulysess amongst others and the current duo will have a nod to dc and disco. It’s a good time for Australian punk and hardcore and Speed are no exception to the throngs of good noise coming from Australia. They play with US post hardcore noise mongers Drug Church are in Whelans on June 17th. Dublin’s Thrash Blues are in the Alternative Social Sunday on June 22nd in the Grand Social for the afternoon’s entertainment. Later that night in Whelans Document 7 takes place. Document are the panel events put on by Hope Collective documenting the music scene of Ireland from the inception of punk rock on. Tonight, it’s the turn of the 80’s Underground scene and members of Guernica, Thee Amazing Colossal Men, A House, Whipping Boy, Compulsion and many more will hit the stage and share some stories. Like all the current Hope events it is a benefit show, this time for Streetlink Homeless services. A few nights later the fathers of post punk Gang of Four are playing 2 nights in the Button Factory, June 26th and 27th. If you want to catch 38 a glimpse of punk in its current form then head to Anseo on the 27th where Necron 9 from Milwaukee, Special Branch and Flower Power from Dublin will be playing. The following night Paranoid Visions + The Dubtones + Fluxion + Joe Maxi – will be in The Soundhouse. It’s the Dublin punk legends only headlining gig in Dublin this year Unfortunately, there is also a clash that night for the punks as San Francisco Hardcore band Fentanyl are in Mons Bar, home of Bohemians FC, on the same night. The band harks back to Dead Kennedys ‘In God We Trust’ era so expect a ragin, full on evening. Also on the bill are Hunger Pains + Misshapen Garage punkers All Seeing Eyes (featuring Johnny Walker (harmonica and guitar) of Detroit’s Soledad Brothers whose first single, Sugar & Spice, was recorded at Jack White’s house. That single also featured in John Peel’s Record Box of his most treasured singles) are in the Grand Social on July 3rd, while the following day Australian Punks Civic are in the Workmans club. Independence Day in the USA it may be but these riff laden Aussies will care little about that. A week later the Prongs are back in the Project Arts Centre on July 11. It’ll be a multimedia extravaganza to complement their Fall like post punk. To cap off a mad month (and that’s before you venture outside to any of the big shows in town) Arcadian Shadows new video is being filmed in Fibber Magees on July 13. If you fancy a free drink and being archived as part of Dublin’s punk scene pop down that night. Just some time to mention the new Sympos album which is out now Sympos - To The Dogs - Distro-y This is the debut album from the Waterford punk rock four piece. Tony’s Gruff vocals are sung with his south eastern Irish accent to the fore. Sympos play a straight forward enough street punk sound. ‘Soft Society’ brings back memories of those early UK OI albums or even ‘Dead Cities’ era Exploited but with a modern twist as they sing about social media removing human conversations. The album title is the band’s reflection in Waterford’s city streets. They may think their town has gone to the dogs but with bands like Sympos and shops like Luca Records there is a positive aspect that’s just starting to show its face.