The venue. The Underworld is a great venue - down some steps to the bar then down some more to the stage, so there was the option to either mosh by the band or observe the mayhem from above, like some latter day senator overseeing the massed horde of gladiators.
The fans. Quite a mix - I had an MiB t-shirt, there was a Damned one and a whole heap of Ramones - which gives you an idea of the main act's sound and energy levels.
The support act. I missed the first, but the second was Louise Distras. With just an acoustic guitar and very powerful voice she can across a bit like a terribly angry Michelle Shocked. Her set was a very entertaining half hour or so.
The Dickies. Four guys came on stage - bassist like an out of condition pro wrestler, drummer wearing collared shirt and bow tie, one guitarist who wasn't born when the Dickies released Banana Splits and main man Stan Lee. They started with a hilariously fast version of Nights in White Satin. A couple more numbers and things get a bit....bizarre. Stan tells us that their regular lead vocalist could not make it, so a succession of guest vocalists grace the stage. There's the guy who runs the merchandising stall, who sings like a proper Dickie and dances like some sort of comedy Ian Curtis. He is followed by one of the roadies, the underworld's manager, and someone that according to Stan is "just out of prison, I think". And a couple of other random guest singers.
Meanwhile, in the mosh pit.... things go from quiet to manic in the space of a couple of numbers. I get a couple of beer shampoos courtesy of some excitable punters, and the aforementioned occupant of the Damned t-shirt was getting very boisterous.
Things predictably finished with Banana Splits, via Breaking the law (bafflingly preceded by Stan the man asking "are there any Nickelback fans out there?"), Paranoid and a number of Dickies originals, including Gigantor, Minnie Moe and Jack and Toxic Avenger. Around 75 minutes of pop punk mania.
So all in all, a fun way to spend an evening in a great venue. I celebrated by buying a t-shirt. My daughter has banned me from wearing it in her presence. I have no idea why.
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