80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster (Other Stage, Sunday)

This year they don’t have the car with them, and this year they are even more of a force, perhaps overcast weather brings out more of the blackness in them!

I’ve seen them a few times now and have to say they’re one of my favourite bands at the moment. Guy McKnight, Andy Huxley, Marc Norris, Sym Gharial, and Tom Diamantopoulo are all dressed in black and start bristling with power.

They capture the crowd by the end of the first song and their powerful gutteral punk is a master class for the little playing at it punk lite bands. Sounding more and more like the Birthday Party crossed with The Cramps it’s pure and black and brooding menace and it’s addictive.

Guy with his trademark stance yells head back into the mic before stalking the stage and throwing his black mane around wildly. He sounds less deranged today and it kinda helps.

“Do you suffer from mental?” he sneers at us, and after the night we just had there are quite a few yeses yelled back. Also making it’s presence felt to us are the elements as we press closer and light cold drizzle turns to rain.



They showcase some dark lean tracks from the new album and it sounds promising, as Guy throws himself around the stage. Then of course he wants to get among us, as usual he dives off the stage and clambers into the crowd. I love them for this bit alone, though he can’t slink around us as we are pressed too tightly it’s always a special moment. And clearly though security had obviously been forewarned there’s security and a cameraman haring after him.

More explosions of songs are metted out to us and the band are truly on form, the wrath in the music clearly is noted in the heavens who join in with breathless heaving rain to match our own breathlessness. We’ve rocked at the edge of the elements and returned deeply satisfied. In fact it’s so good that you wonder if 80s Matchbox should hold all their gigs in a maelstrom, because it was very near perfection.<

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