Up-Load UK, Gigs News & reviews Rock City 25th Anniversary

25 years of music and memories – Happy birthday Rock City.

The Legendary Rock city is steeped with a history no other club can dare lay claim to, they throw down the gauntlet tonight for the future. We stood witness to the new era for the club with a bit of a flash back to the past and an insight to the future of music. The main stage paid homage to the great Undertones ‘the first band to grace the stages of Rockcity 25yrs ago’ they shared their arena with the superb Gibraltian Metallers Breed 77. Downstairs ‘The Basement’ hosted the Yorkshire Punk band The Dead Pets in support of the almighty Sikth.

The party and festive atmosphere is rife throughout the club, the audience banter about memories of past gigs and the stories of nights in the club as people made their trips to Donington ‘the nostalgic home of rock’ are to be heard all over – this is a night were 25yrs of history are being unfolded in every corner.

As the last bars of Ice Ice baby play out Breed 77 enter the stage “Merry Christmas everyone, lets get ready to rumble” grins the lead singer Paul as the chords of Individuo resonate around venue. Breed 77 have an inimitable style of metal that consists of Spanish style flamenco guitar rhythms and heavy riffs fused with powerful vocals and an enormous drum sound. You can almost feel the blood pumping through the veins of the Gibraltian quintet as the intense set is released, Breed 77 never seem to get tired of the live circuit and tonight is no different as they tease the crowd with 4 new tracks from the highly awaited new album, it is also the night that their fans show their respect for the band and announce the official fan club born from the message boards.

As I entered The basement it was in full swing with The Dead Pets brass section included. The Dead Pets make ole punks like me grin; it is like a breath of fresh air in a sometimes stale arena. These 7 lads totally love what they do and their following adore them. The pits are strewn and bouncing with brightly coloured Mohawks and colourful personalities. They are full on, in your face hardcore punk fused with swing and ska and rockabilly added in for measure. . This is one band that I have enjoyed watching, the pure force and drive is rarely seen in the newer punks bands that have surfaced over recent years, it really is a total energy rush. The Dead Pets command their stage and absolutely love what they do. It was a frantic set and one that eclipsed when the lead singer ‘Sweeny Todd’ jumped over the barrier to get down dirty with his fans, one of which had his eye bust open by the lead singers pit antics! Class set. Their fans are with them tonight and the dancing and party will go on well into the night.

Back upstairs the Undertones step out to a packed house of mixed age and genre. Front man Paul Mcloone is more than an adequate replacement for Feargal Sharkey the original lead singer of the Undertones and he shows his persona and charisma as he swaggers about the stage and hypes the crowd up with the old crowd favourites as ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ and ‘My perfect cousin’. It was a confident and striking performance, the band totally at ease and effortlessly trading banter between songs giving the feeling of backroom intimacy to their set. Their infectious pop punk is still as eternal and just as unblemished as they set the crowd ready for the blistering performance of ‘Teenage kicks’. It was a stunning performance and it blew the roof of Rock city – memories of John Peel on a lot of people’s minds. Superb and stunning set.

Back downstairs in the rammed basement the invincible Sikth are still in the middle of mayhem and chaos, something that is a bit of a tradition with this masterful metal band. The set is technically pure and rampant with energy ’n angst. The mosh pits are fuled by an unadulterated assault from the dual vocalists Mikee and Justin sending them out of control and into a wanton rage with their primitive and guttural vocals fused with gusto and frenzied performance all round. Sikth still manage to enthuse, mystify and captivate me, an amazing band live and for me a great way to start the next 25 years of Rock City. Awe inspiring.

From the 1000’s of us that have religiously made the trek to Rockcity over the years I say thank you – it was a pleasure to share your birthday and I personally am looking forward to being a part of your next 25yrs for as long as my body will take it.