Trillians Rising

Trillians is Go

This week has been amazing (see my main blog for why here) , and tonight at Think Tank? my friend Barbara told me she was reopening Trillians , Necastle's legendary Rock Bar , with a proposed opening date of 12th of June.





When Trillians closed it was like something had been cut out of Newcastle , and with the proliferation of  flash harry bars made me fear that something similar would happen here, but know it's been taken over by someone who holds the rock spirit close and will foster that, giving the rock community it's home back.

I saw many great gigs there including The Coyotemen and the Star Spangled Chestwigs, as well as just enjoying the cracking jukebox , and fantastic atmosphere. I am so looking forward to going there again enjoying good music , great atmosphere and just being with great people.

You need to get there too , if you don't use it then don't complain when all you have left is your local Tesco to buy your drink.

The music is The Eagles "Journey of The Sorcerer" , theme tune to Douglas Adams Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy, Trillian  being the girl Arthur tried to get off with.

So get yourself down there , it's time to rock again.

Think Coyotemen , Think Dictators

Tonight was my fourth gig in five days. Everyone has been brilliant, Clippah , Arkala , Ms Dynamite , Dalaro, Pop Will Eat Itself,  and tonight The Coyotemen and The Dictators. I must say I am extremely spoilt in my options to go and see bands in Newcastle , and the long weekend has given me the option of making the most of everything.


     

Coyotemen are go

Tonight we went along to Think Tank? and were served up a high energy treat, Missed the first band but the Coyotemen ,bedecked in suitable shirts and impressive Mexican wresting masks served up typical classic high octane rock and roll peppered with classics such as "Any Port In A Storm" and "New Tattoo" (hope I got the titles right).


 These guys give you faith in rock and roll and get better every time I see them despite every gig they play being their final blow out , but we know the Coyotemen will go on forever. Not a second wasted, top speed entertainment, setting the stage for the nights headliners.......


   

Dictators on Stage

... the Dictators featuring Handsome Dick Manitoba, they are rock royalty , and it is just amazing how many songs you know and even if you don't know them you ended up singing along. Mr Manitoba has a bar in New York and offered everyone a drink , so that is one of the places I need to visit when I go later in the year. Songs like "Cars and Girls" , "Avenue A" , "Faster and Louder" and the place jumping , spiced with covers of "Slow Death" , "California Sun" and the finale of "Kick Out The Jams".


A stunning night , I've seldom seen so many smiling faces at a gig , and Handsome Dick is a brilliant front man in a brilliant band. I know they are legends , and tonight I found out why.

Los Coyotemen Hang Up The Hood

..well until next time. This was the Curtain Call of The Coyotemen, and a brilliant night it was too.



First up were the Exes , who seemed to veer (in a good way) between Link Wray and Pavement with with B52's verve. Not sure of the title of the song but click on the name and you can get to their Facebook page or rather you could if I could find them as the Exes is a TV series according to Facebook. Definitely a band to watch.



Next were the more muscular Mansions of Glory, with some solid rock noise, which went down very well with the crowd, you eight minutes of them in the video below. Again well worth going out of your way for.



Finally the band everyone was waiting for Los Coyotemen, and they did not disappoint. The crowd got their moneys worth (ok it was a free gig but you know what I mean). Lot's of Coyotemen Classics capped by the return of Helmut Bruiser with Loopy Lopez. The doorman tried to eject Helmut but didn;t succeed and the Coyotemen went on to deliver another memorable set.

I hope they're back again soon but there's a few videos from the night on my video channel here. Check out all the Coyotemen posts here.

Trash Shack X-Mas Bash 2011

I got in at 1am today which is quite late for me on a school night , after attending this excellent 3 band trash bash at The Central Bar in Gateshead. The line up was (in order of appearance)

• Dick Bronte and the Cosmonauts
• The Coyotemen
• Lord Rochester

The first two bands I knew , but Lord Rochester only through word of mouth and Youtube!!.

The place was jumping and standing room at a premium , but from the first notes it was obvious that the mini multicoloured coxcombed soundcrew were spot on .

Dick Bronte sounded good and everyone remarked it was the best they'd every seen them. Lead singer Kenny was in great voice as well as providing eye candy for at least a few ladies I know , while bearded Phil's guitar sounded great and the rhythm section were excellent .  They specialise in obscure rock and roll , and grarge rock and a solid version of Rufus Thomas' "Walkin' The Dog" , was accompanied by an impressive take on Dave Bartholomew's "The Monkey Speaks" , and a darkly comic "Black Cadillac" amongst others . A superb opening set for the night.

Next up were The Coyotemen , still "taking shit from no man" , in which mild mannered pub host Dave Campbell is transformed in to silver Mexican Wrestling Masked wild rockin' animal "Ratty" Coyoteman , jumping from floor to wall to ceiling , running through classics such as "Any Port In A Storm" , "Loopy Lopez" , "Primitive Urge" and lots lots more. Sound again spot , although Ratty reckoned someone had knocked his microphone out of tune , but the sounded great to me , and the crowd agreed. How much good staff can you get in a single night!! And there was more....


Headliners were the impecably turned out Bo Diddley guitar toting Lord Rochester , with Lady Muck loking lovely on her McCartneyesque Hofner violin bass providing solid rhythm with sophistication , and on drums the marracas weilding Scot Siberian Tim. A heady mix of originals an covers "C.A.D.I.L.L.A.C." , "I tried to send a monkey by UPS" , "Deathbed" , "Seasick" as well as Chuck Bery's "Almost Grown" , and Bo Diddley's "Hey Bo Diddley". A revelation and will be definitely seeing them again (well all the bacds)

All in all a night of pure gold , you really should have been there!!

Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?.. It Certainly Can!!

..a tribute to the not so early, but still great Lux Interior , late of the Cramps, who shuffled off his mortal coil earlier this year. This post will grow as I sort pictures and video, so give me a day or two . The videos for Jeepers Peepers will NOT be youtubed unless they specifically want them done.

The night was organised by Mr Dave Campbell , circus master extraordinaire, providing us with a veritable cornucopia of delectably depraved entertainment , in keeping with the memory of Lux Interior.


The excellent Jeepers Peepers Burlesque group opened up the festivities and provided superb diversions throughout the night...

Here's some images from the event , accompanied by Link Wray's "Rawhide" available here.

Incidentally the Cluny are hosting the "Female Tournament of Tease" to select the "Naughty North" entry.

We then had a suitably shambolic magician Steve Drayton, straight out of the Wheeltappers with an array or tricks and jokes which stretched the meaning of the word "entertainment" . Definitely he has to be seen to be believed!!







First band of the night were Staggerin' Jon Lee and His High Class Chancers with and interesting fermentation of Link Wray , Pedal Steel , and Fifties crooning, appropriately attired!!







Then came bug eyed escapologist
Chris Cross seen with the
master of ceremonies (left)
and on stage (right).





Due to a band dropping out , Ratty and The Shitkickers, filled in
admirably with their own brand of entertaining psychobilly.









The Light Brigade provide a superbly Cramped set of echoey Human Fly Rock and Roll!!








The finale was the almighty Coyotemen, all backed by some incredible B movies ("The Mad Butcher", "Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks" and "Teaserama" are three that I can recall at this point). All this cost a fiver . It was really like have your very own time machine!! Besuited , and suitably masked the set was a litlle slower than normal as this was a Cramps Tributes , but still as impressive as ever , and it was good to hear that the still "Take Shit From No One"!!!!


....and finally The Coyotemen's rendition of "Teenage Werewolf"

.......