The Vibrators, Dun 2 Def, Wolflaw, His and Herpes.

Esquires Bedford Lev 2. Sunday 17th December 2006.

A rare Sunday evening gig on Level 2 features for the very first time in their 30 year career, pioneering punk veterans and legends THE VIBRATORS.

As a callow teenager growing up in the mid to late seventies, it was the groundbreaking new sound of punk that first induced my musical passion. From Saturday afternoons spent on the Highbury terraces to a Saturday evenign searching out some dark, dingy place, looking for a new wave fix. It was a truly special and magical time that led me to so many bands, to catch up again with the now three piece Vibrators is, however, a sobering experience. Bands from the era, on the whole, do not age well, it's a bit like meeting an old girlfriend and discovering that the spark has gone.
However, to be fair to the band, what they have in abundance is memories, which comes flooding back with the popular old classics 'Automatic Lover', 'Judy Says', Whips and Furs'... the list is endless, as they all get an airing. To be brutal though, it doesn't fire me. Punk booted down the doors of musical apathy, it was all about rebellious youth, and tonight is more sad, cringing nostalgia, with only 'Baby Baby' giving me the satisfied hit. The Vibrators play an hour long packaged set that some very resplendant punks enjoy, although the band at times tend to be a little frustrated at the lack of action. Me? I bought a t-shirt as a thank you for 1977.

Main support has been given to DUN 2 DEF. An old school punk band who impress with their two vocalists Jon and Ferret. It's a fast and furious thirty minutes. Good visually, they possess a guitarist with a magnificently groomed mohican, while Floyd powerfully pounds away with intense brutality. Songs are culled from their excellent new album 'Every Weekend', especially 'Don't Give Up The Rifle', while 'Drinkin' and Fightin'' is a compendum of all that the band project. The tell us midway through that they are gutted to have missed the snooker final tonight. The audience's reaction warrants that it was worth it. We certainly were Dun to Def.

The two other supports tonight HIS AND HERPES and WOLFLAW were sadly blanked by the crowd. A shame because young bands have to start somewhere. The 'Herps' are playing with more confidence whilst the 'Wolfs' play the best tune of the evening, 'Break The Law', albeit as a three piece due to a jinxed string problem.