Live Review: Fur Dixon’s WTFukushima / Klammer – Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough, UK, 15th July 2018

Klammer belt out some dark post punk tunes, guitars that switch effortlessly from real punked up searing chord work to sharp, angular picking that drags up memories of Pixies and even a little Cocteau Twins. Vocals with a uniquely deep tone, often almost speaking or chanting verses covering the perils of modern living or the memories of early life in rough places. Rumbling bass riffs and steady drum beats drive things along. Klammer’s songs can be melodic and catchy. They’re always powerful and stick in your head long after they have finished. With just Somewhere New from debut album, Auslane, their set is split evenly between their self-titled sophomore album and the new, yet to be released, album, You Have Been Processed.

Older songs such as Reciprocate, the thumping High Life, Power Of N and  the single Everything Depends On The King all thunder along with real force and hook you in guitar riffs. Their recent single, Modern God, together with the newly released Spiral Girl are brilliant post-punk tunes with guitar soaked choruses, both will feature on the new album and these, together with new songs that are aired tonight in the shape of Coast To Coast, Production, the driving punk of Baddest Block and the slower, but no less fierce No Memory show Klammer to be a band people really should be checking out and You Have Been Processed to be an album we should all be looking forward to.

Fur Dixon and her band, WTFukushima, are garage royalty that is comprised of The Sonics drummer Dusty Watson, Dave Provost of Dream Syndicate on bass, Bernard Yin formerly of The BellRays and The Fuzztones on guitar and of course Fur Dixon, one time bass player with The Cramps. This was always going to be a special gig, Fur Dixon’s WTFukushima deliver superb, dirty, in your face, full on rock ‘n’ roll with much of tonight’s set culled from the freshly released Return 2 Sender album. From the opening track, Safari Road, tonight is a non-stop ride of hot, sweaty, dancing, garage guitar licks, occasional surf riffs, the 70’s glam of the first number and sultry blues, in the form of Daydream Walking.

Topping all this is Fur Dixon’s voice which, quite frankly, is beautiful, assertive, intense and often delicate it tops perfectly a rock ‘n roll band delivering a faultless sonic assault. Add in blistering covers of Poison 13’s One Step Closer and Buffy Saint Marie’s Cod’ine and an encore of a trio of favourites from The Cramps vault, Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?, Love Me and Tear It Up, and it would have been hard to ask for anything more. It’s hard to believe Fur Dixon hasn’t toured for over 30 years as she completely owns the stage and possess a presence that captures your attention, grabs hold of it and keeps it. Rumours are she’ll be back in the UK in 2019, let’s hope so.

Fur Dixon‘s website is here

You can stream and purchase Return 2 Sender via Bandcamp here

Klammer‘s website is here