Gold Blade

The Abdoujaparov song which makes me grin silly and want to skip through fields in a "hello birds! Hello trees!" kind of way (perhaps not that extreme) is 'There's A Monster' in my garden, and it wasn't played tonight due to stand-in bassist Salv considering it "too twee" or something, so for that he shall be branded an evil, evil man. He will be forgiven in time due to the fact he plays in other favourites of mine, Jim's Super Stereoworld (you spotted the Carter USM connection yet? Well done), and former New Wave Of New Wave heroes, SMASH.

Anyhoo, most of the smashing debut album **'Air Odeon Disco Pub'** IS played, natch, and very good it all was too. It's a bit disheartening that most Abdou fans latched onto them as they were old Carter USM fans (hey, I guess that includes me) but Abdou are a great band in their own right and support slots like this should bestow them to a whole new audience, which is what's needed right now I rekkin.

ANYHOO, the tale of cyclists' woes, 'Fish Face', is straight-up punk rawk and spruced up with leaping loony (as he's probably never called) Marc Ollington, who provides police siren noises. Luvverly. 'Aren't We All's lyrics are altered to bitch about the World Cup. Rah! The last single, **'Emergency Medical Hologram'**, is singalong fun. To sum it all up, they looked like they were having ball, and 'the kids' did too.

Gold Blade have been battling against hardcore snobs and apathetic, beard-stroking musos for some time now. After their old record label vanished, the band could've too. Fortunately they're back with a new album and are out on tour round the UK. The world fucking needs bands like Gold Blade. YOU need Gold Blade. Like Abdoujaparov, they can make you laugh, make you sing, make you mosh (I hate that term. It brings to mind images of loutish metal kids. Ugh).

There are plenty of favourites like - joy! - 'Black Elvis' and there are plenty newies such as 'AC/DC', and what a fantastic name for a song that is. Everything hits you like a good smack in the mouth. Mancunian motormouth John Robb is still one of the finest frontmen this country's got. Gold Blade are one of those bands you can always rely on to provide you with a good night out. Are they incapable of playing a bad gig? Tip to young bands: watch and learn.

Plus, top tunes played inbetween bands by Simon Price. A bit of a fucking good night out. You shoulda been there.