Peter Pan Speedrock – Live (Sept. 7th, 2013)

It’s Saturday 7th September and the Wheatsheaf pub in Oxford was full of the kind of people you never seem to see in this quintessentially English university town. Punks, metalheads and rockers were out in force and it was good to see authentic mohicans and quiffs, rather than the faux versions every celebrity and hipster seem to be sporting these days. Where these people hang out on a day to day basis is beyond me; it could be that they’re part timers with ‘normal jobs’ who only dig out this gear on the weekends, or maybe (and more likely), I just don’t come to this pub enough. My money is on the latter. Never mind, I was there to see Dutch rock and roll outfit Peter Pan Speedrock who were playing in the UK for the first time in a number of years. 

They blasted off with little more than hello and then threw themselves in immediately with guitarist and vocalist Peter van Elderen thrashing away at his axe while delivering every lyric with such ferocity that I actually feared for the mic stands’ survival. The rhythm section in bass player Bart Geevers (sporting a quite impressive Unabomber style beard) and drummer Bart Nederhand played their part as well, keeping the pedal to the floor and hardly letting up. The crowds’ reaction was equal to (if not above) the energy emanating from the stage; so much so that the band had to appeal for calm in the pit after just one song. Following that, the only break from the relentless sonic bludgeoning was provided by 2 instrumental interludes (which normally I despise, but in this case was happy for the break). Despite being plagued by feedback and sound issues throughout, it didn’t affect them in any way – Crank Up The Everything, Killer Speed, Motorblock and You Do It Or You Don’t were all highlights, but in reality every track, save for the aforementioned instrumentals, was killer. 

And then, in an instant, it was over. No encore, no bullshit. Just an hour of honest, straight up rock and roll delivered with an enthusiasm that is lacking from so many other bands of today. My only complaint was that the bands unofficial mascot, Dikke Dennis (aka Fat Dennis), didn’t make an appearance.