Spunge have been around now for 19 years, and have come to
that point in their career where they want to put out a greatest hits, but not
in the normal way, no, they want fan input to decide the setlist so they can
re-record classic songs and make give them back to the old fans and introduce
new fans to the best of the band. So they’re doing a few gigs like tonight to
spread the word about the album and also to show people there not dead yet!
The venue is a lovely little venue in a side street in
Kidderminster, it’s got a nice bar, friendly staff and it’s all open at the sides
to make the hot summer breeze float throughout, instead of making it boiling
hot and unbearable. The gig is a late one, so the one and only support band
gets on stage at half 9 and rocks a set of covers, but not normal covers…. No
this band does bread related covers!
Sister Sandwich, are a local 4 piece who’s lead singer
dresses with tartan trousers, googly eye glasses and with a giant sandwich
costume over the top. They do rock and pop covers including Lady Gaga’s Poker
Face, The Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop and a cover of Ricky Martins Living La Vida
Loca which the lyrics are changed to Living In A Toaster. They’re a cheesy
cover band, but it gets the crowd rocking, everyone is smiling and dancing
along, they even join in with the singing in the more punkier songs but some
songs are a miss, as I suppose it’s hard to get a room of punk fans to sing
along to a cover of One Directions You Don’t Know Your Beautiful. They play a
nice set and get the spirits up ready for the main act.
Spunge take to the stage at 11, they set up their own
equipment and as they’ve been milling around most of the evening no-one pays
much attention to them until lead singer Alex Copeland says “Hey we’re ready
now, everyone who’s having a fag outside get in here as where about to start”
this then gets the room full to brim as people appear from all different areas
of the building to see the main band play a great set. They kick things off
with 2 tracks from Pedigree Chump; Lyrical Content and Idols before going into
chart hit Roots. They sound great in this small venue, with the upbeat hard
hitting drums smashing across the room, mixed with the funky bass and fast rich
guitar all with Alex’s gravely clear vocals on top. The crowd get into the
swing of things and jump around like crazy, bouncing into the small stage and
each other, with the less crazy people dancing on tables towards the rear of
the room. The set contains lots of great songs that are bound to be on the
greatest hits, but with them letting the fans decide we could have a comeback
off songs from the first album or even a load from their last self-titled
album. They play Backstabber, Skaking Song, Nothing At All, Ego, No Woman No
Cry, Jump, Some Suck Some Rock and few others. The audience loves every second
but you get a few people who are a bit too anxious for that one song, and keep
chanting “Kicking Pigeons” between every song, but Spunge take it in their
stride and make jokes between songs; especially bassist Jarv who brings the
taste down as he makes jokes about periods and paedophiles as the rest of the
band cringe and apologise for him, but it’s all good fun! The time comes and
they play Kicking Pigeons much to the crowds delight and then by the end of the
song the stage is full of fans jumping and singing along, but it’s not over
yet, the crowd clears the stage and Spunge play a cover of Centrefold before
calling it a night. The crowd chants we want more and eventually they come back
to the stage and announce how they don’t normally do encores but how they’ll do
it tonight seeing as everyone’s been so great and they finish the night on a
high with everyone happy, hot and sweaty.
Spunge stick around and sign people’s tickets and albums and
continue to spread the word about their Pledgemusic greatest hits project, so
fans will go on the site and donate to the project where they will be
guaranteed the album along with other limited items along with t-shirts and
cd’s, the band are that passionate about the project that they didn’t bring any
merch to the gig as they’d rather fans go out and pledge than buy a t-shirt on
the night.
So tonight was a great gig, a late one but a great one. The
band are still on top form even after 19 years! If they’re playing near you on
one of these small dates they go and check them out as they’re great in a small
venue and if not, they’ve got a big full UK tour in November at bigger
venues(where they also sound awesome)! So if you’re in the mood for some Ska
Punk just remember to go and see Spunge, as they’re not dead yet!
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