GIG REVIEW – Boycott The Baptist, Emissaries Of Syn, Spam Javelin, Teeth Crack @ Cross Foxes, Prestatyn

“While sinking a few pints on a quiet Sunday evening, the blue skies over Prestatyn were split by a raucous, discordant tide of glorious punk rock. Following the rapid guitar, vocal angst and screaming drums, I found myself, drink in hand, nodding ferociously to the sounds of Spam Javelin and Boycott The Baptist. A large group of baying punters packed the pub’s makeshift barn, a perfect venue to be gleefully terrorised by this incessant and glorious sound. I was happy to be among them.”

Those are the words of ex-journalist Martin Williams. He very nearly didn’t get to write them as the gig was cancelled at 5pm, then restored by 6pm! Confusion over the date and the promoter being stuck in the Lake District and no PA took me back to the days of once being on a tour where none of the venues knew about us playing! We played every date by hook or crook (usually crook).

Between the four acts and (Saint) Rich Phillips, we cobbled together a PA, backline and microphones – the show must go on… And it most certainly did…

Teeth Crack has been annoying people for almost 12 months now, and long may it continue… His prolific output is one of the most talked about on my radio show – people either love it or hate it… Me; I love it in bite size portions and a twenty minute set like tonight’s, where it was mixed about a bit was near perfect. Hopefully, James could be persuaded to add visuals to his set (costumes ha ha) maybe play in a white open tent with visuals projected into it. Check out his latest release – a split EP with Skinflick ‘The Wetworks Of Heresy’ out now on bandcamp.

The Cross Foxes in Prestatyn is where Spam Javelin (pic by Lorraine Peaker) made our debut almost two years ago. It is also our first gig this year, and the first time this line-up has played together since last September. We were as appalling as our bandcamp page 🙂

Emissaries Of Syn (pic by Lorraine Peaker) are fast becoming a name on the scene, both home and abroad. Despite Mark’s high-pitched lost voice from a rasping throat, they still put in a great and ferocious shift, as is becoming expected of this fine socially aware ensemble. Make yourself more aware by listening to them here.

Enter Boycott The Baptist all 17 minutes of them… Seventeen pure unadulterated head mincing bliss. No one is safe, not even Jade Goody, not even Minor Threat, not even Yoko NoNo. This two piece have grind blisters on their blisters, such is the intensity of their playing… This is my kind of hardcore – get in there, smash the place up and get the fuck out… Fantastic – as is their ‘Bash The Bishop‘ album.