Manchester Punk Festival Releases 37th Compilation
Manchester Punk Festival have released the 37th volume of their compilation series ahead of this year’s festival. Manchester Punk Festival Vol. 37 is…
Live (Oct. 9th, 2008) - Sneaky Dee’s - Toronto, ON
One of the perks to doing interviews the night of the show can sometimes be what you overhear. Especially when you overhear Dillinger Four’s Tour Manager talking about a secret show at Sneaky Dee’s (best nachos in the world) with Toronto’s Fucked Up.
I hopped in a cab after NOFX/Dillinger Four completed their second show in as many nights at the Kool Haus and headed straight for Sneaky Dee’s. Local Hardcore group Career Suicide were warming up the stage, so I decided to head back to the bar to enjoy a couple of beers before Fucked Up hit the stage.
As I leaned on the bar watching Career Suicide, I couldn’t help but overhear a guy behind me telling a friend that Frankie Stubbs (vocalist of Leatherface) was in the house. My mouth dropped and I butted into the conversation demanding to know if he was being serious. He assured me that he was not lying and I became really excited because Leatherface are one of my all time favorite bands.
I searched the room looking for the Leatherface front man realizing that I wasn’t even sure if I would recognize him. Most pictures of Stubbs are grainy black and whites but I knew I could figure it out. And that became very easy to do when the members of D4 piled in and were completely surprised that their friend from Sunderland, England was in attendance for a very special show.
It was now time for Fucked Up to take the stage. I wasn’t sure how much energy they would have in the tank after their trail of destruction they left at the MTV building a mere six hours before. But as the chords to “Crusades” started to play the floor boards at Sneaky Dee’s shook as the crowd went aggro to one of the most fascinating bands in punk rock today.
Fucked Up played a mix of tracks from “Hidden World” and their brand new release “The Chemistry for Common Life”, and warmed out the crowd nicely with their aggressive on stage persona. Before they played their final song they assured the crowd that we were all in for a special performance.
I was pretty sure I knew what he was talking about but I just couldn’t imagine just what Mr. Stubbs had in store for us. As he took the stage everyone who knew what was going on gathered around and formed a circle. Everyone shouted out their favorite Leatherface song in hopes that they would hear their request. Frankie introduced himself and said that this was the first show in the past 15 years that he had to pay to get in and was demanding that D4’s Paddy would reimburse him for the price of admittance.
As the crowd settled Stubbs began to play the soft intro to “Not Superstitious” and dedicated it to a couple (Wally and Jennifer, I think if I remember correctly) who were recently married which was the reason Stubbs was in Toronto in the first place.
Some decided to wave lighters in the air, others smiled softly while singing along, and D4’s Paddy grabbed a beard and hair trimmer and decided to start shaving his beard as Stubbs strummed and sang on with his distinctive blistering voice.
After the last of the secret performances it was now time for Minnesota’s number one sons the Dillinger Four to take the stage. With half a beard and half a head of air Paddy began thumping his bass as they broke into “Noble Standings”.
Now not to say that I didn’t enjoy my first two previous D4 sets at the Kool Haus, but I walked away with the feeling that something was missing. It’s not that they didn’t play well but I had always read about how crazy D4 shows can be, but the NOFX opening shows just didn’t translate as well for me.
Well this feeling was tossed out quickly because D4 seemed more at home in the small confines of Sneaky Dees as they went on to perform a fantastic beer and whiskey soaked performance that lived up to all my expectations of what a D4 show should be.
D4 vocalist and bass player Paddy Costello proved he is one of the most entertaining performers in punk rock as he slowly shaved his beard and head throughout the entire performance. He even shaved a couple of fans, which were willing to part with their moustaches and beards. He also went on to shit talk some English Skin Heads, which resulted in one getting up on stage and confronting Paddy. He quickly diffused the situation with humor and punk rocked on into the night.
I almost didn’t make this show because there was a party down the street offering free drinks, but due to the fact D4 never tours and I rarely miss a Fucked Up show I chose to go to Sneaky Dees and pay for my drinks. And I am very glad I did because that was one of the best punk shows I have seen in a while. Plus add the fact I was able to share some hops and barley with legendary Frankie Stubbs, well let’s just say that my fourth show in two nights was legendary.