Eater – Live In Newcastle, UK

After watching and listening to an England Euro’s match, that they won the hard way, as usual, it was a welcome relief to be in the bowels of an old Flax Mill in Newcastle, thankfully its now a music venue that hosts two stages, a bar full of real ales and very friendly staff, what more could you ask for?

This gig is being held as I said in the bowels of the building, a basement area thats full of modern fittings that have been lovingly wrapped around the history of the building, its small and personal, and its pretty obvious by the demographic of attendees that most are here for the main act, but have turned up to catch both support acts (always the best thing to do). After a few swigs of my cold cider, it was time for artist number one, Zenxith, who ambled onto the stage guitar in hand, the solo artist was young and new to me, and most others there it turns out. He played some pretty melodic ballads that sounded a little rough round the edges, and as it turns out, this was only his second live show. Given time and experience, this could be a singer songwriter to watch, Indie pop with original riffs, this was well listened and enjoyed by all.

Next up and I’ll fess up now, the main reason I attended this event, Jo Jo And The Teeth came on to my radar 2 years ago with the release of their debut album No More Good News, that was moment in time that’ll live with me for a little while, back then I wrote that this is a band and album that’s “not punk, but punk as fuck” and I meant it. In that 2 years this will be only the second time I’ve seen them live, Rebellion Festival last year being the first. Now a four piece after the moving on of their original lead guitarist, this is still a band to blow your socks off (if you wear them that is), a presence on stage that can only be described as watching a West End show in a burlesque club. Only one song in and its obvious that the uninitiated in the audience are already wondering what’s just hit them, these are songs that have soul and angst all in perfect measure with Jo Jo’s vocals wrapping you around her 8” high red leather platform boots and then spitting you out. With songs like My Babe, No More Good News, Is This The Dream and some brand new ones thrown in, this show was a performance that oozed glam, rock, a huge slab of dirty guitars and the emotional heights that come with a vocal of chilling beauty and power, this was something that struck a chord with the crowd too, comments were all very much like “I’m so glad I made the support band, this was something I won’t forget in a hurry”.

After a very short cool down, this being for the audience as much as the band, a few drinks and some wonderful chatter, its time for the headline, Eater these days is made up of Jo Jo & The Teeth with Andy Blade on vocal, which some of you might think is a bit of a strange way to hear your favourite 1977 punk band, but believe me this did in no way affect the songs, the crowd was in most part made up of hardcore Eater fans, and from the off you felt the love for how they sounded, but if you know the band, you’ll also know just how important the lyrics are to the songs.  

This gig even though being something in the region of 47 years from the bands inception, was their first in Newcastle, and the audience were at pains to point that out, “I’ve waited forever for this moment” was shouted as they danced away and sang the words back to the band. This is also a band that sits in the same camp of sound, style and standing as The Lurkers and 999 to name a couple, tonight was not changing my mind, in fact it cemented this even more, the whole set was just effortless and highly charged, songs like Anne, Lock It Up, You, and the song named one of the best punk songs of all time Thinking Of The USA.

Is this a band you should spend your hard earned money on and go see live?, yes and yes again, you’ll not be disappointed.

Night over, every one of those that attended now happy they came for more reasons than one, it was time to head on back to normality, until the next time!

Check out Zenxith HERE – All Photo’s HERE

Find Jo Jo & The Teeth HERE – All photo’s HERE

For all things Eater HERE – All photo’s HERE