Event: Trashstock 2008

Artists: Robin Black, The Glitterati, Patchwork Grace, The Pleasures, Zen Motel, Disarm, Noise, Plastic Toys, Honeykill, DiP

Venue: Junktion 7, Nottingham   

Date:  9 August 2008 

Glitz, Glamour, Inflatable Doll, Inflatable Fruit, Chocolate Cake, Shaving Foam Pies, Leather and PVC all together in one room, was this another of Max Mosley’s famous parties no this was Trashstock 2008. 

Once again Nottingham’s Junktion 7 plays host for Riot Promotions to showcase some of the best underground bands around.  This year’s event was a one crazy fun packed day event, unlike previous years when it was spread over two nights.  The new formula worked really well and even with the early starting time of 4.00pm, the numbers turned up in force from the first note of opening act DiP and stayed until the last note of headliner Robin Black at around 12.30am the following morning. 

As rock n' roll debauchery goes there's nothing better than Trashstock to fit the bill and this year was no different, right from the off the biggest rock party this side of Christmas was underway. 

Opening up the days proceeding were the orange and black quartet DiP who delivered the psycho infused rock that really got the party going, with front man Dazmondo Lawson donning Heath Ledger Joker style makeup as they romped through an impressive set starting off with ‘Wombat’.

Each one of the early bands was given a 30 minute set slot and I must say this worked perfectly as each band did their damnest to make those 30 minutes count.

DiP carried on their impressive opening slot with ‘Sick To The Bone’, 'Take Your Medicine’ and ‘Two Spot’, before the band were joined on stage by headliner Robin Black himself for a stomping cover of Poison’s 'Nothing But A Good Time’, before rounding off with guitarist Laney74 on vocals for ‘Visible’.

Next up were London’s Honeykill whose drummer Alfie was plagued with drum stool problems throughout most of the set, which seem to distract the band who were probably gave the most mediocre set of the day.  

They spent far too much time talking between songs and considering the 30 minute set time, I thought this time could have been better used.   

The band did impress me with a few songs firstly the hard metal edged ‘Shadow’ the impressive ‘Wonderlust’ that reminded me of The White Stripes with a darker edge. 

The set closer ‘Trash Can' was one that also floated my boat as this riotous song ended a mixed set that sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t, but all credit has to go to drummer Alfie who was the star of the band and had to go down as the hardest working tub thumper of the day as he left the stage a little sweat ridden and deserved a pint or two as he thrashed those skins like a demented Keith Moon. 

One band that really made their mark on me were Southampton’s Plastic Toys, as they opened up the electro metal infusion set with ‘Still Alive’ and from this point on I was hooked on the band, as front man Jon reminded me of a young Trent Reznor and the sound the band put together was definitely edging towards NIN. 

The band were certainly on their way to making new friends and fans with one of the sets of the day with tracks like the anthemic ‘Let Me Feel The Love’, the electro pop metal of ‘Devil’, and the excellent ‘God Damn You All’, where guitarist Si really showed his metal as he whipped up a storm on this one. 

The song of the set had to be the simply mind-blowing electro rocker ‘Tonight Only’, which topped a great set that was in my opinion about 30 minutes too short, so let's hope that when Trashstock comes around again next year, this band are given a more high profile slot as they are destined for greatness.  I was so impressed I even bought the bands CD 'For Tonight Only', let's hope this is not the case and we are treated by the band at a future date, either next Trashstock or out on tour.

Well with The Plastic Toys simply blowing me away there could only be one band capable of following them and that was Mexborough’s finest dysfunctional Punk Metallers Disarm. 

This is a band that like The Plastic Toys, have their own unique style and approach to ROCK.  With Disarm it’s all about speed and ferocity and no punches pulled sleaze rock. 

Brad and the rest of the band are true to form as they come out fighting with ‘The River City Ransom Death Pact’ and instantly Trashstock has moved up a gear with the Mex boys. 

With only 30 minutes it's straight into ‘Bullets And Blasphemy’, another six gun sleaze attack which again ignites the spark within the crowd as mayhem soon breaks loose and from this point on there is no turning back.   

‘Girl When Did You (Become Such A Car Crash)’ is next as the band show why they are one of the hottest live bands around, as the energy of the music is captured and projected so well on stage.  The rip snorting Punk Metal continues with 'She’s My Disease’ before rounding off another snarling spit in your eye set with a stomping version of Billy Idols ‘Rebel Yell’ which went down a storm.

There’s one thing about any Disarm show and that's it leaves you feeling violated and defiled, but strangely enjoying every minute of it. 

Next up were another favourite band of mine and one seems to been around for a dogs age, they are Zen Motel.  Out of the ashes of Johnny Zivargo guitarist and joint frontman Lee Wray formed Zen Motel and kept his passion for rocking going.

I’ve seen Zen a few times now and have been impressed on every occasion but today the band really were at the top of their game as they opened up with ‘21st Century Bitch’, an instant crowd pleaser if ever there was one.  Like most of the bands today the chat was kept to a minimum as they let the music do the talking and quickly continued their set with ‘I Wish I Was Where I Was…’.   The tempo was kept at a high with ‘Devil Song’ as the crowd joined along with the lyrics on this one. 

The pace never let up as the band ripped thru ‘Girlfriend’, then there was a little role reversal as Lee took a step back as Alex took up the mike for the storming ‘So Selfish To’.

Another favourite of mine from the band was next ‘Rocket 69’, not only was it one of my favourite songs from band, but as I looked around the packed out room, almost everyone was singing along to this one. 

The best set I’ve heard from the band was rounded off with the angst filled ‘Sex And Violence’, this wrapped up a great set from the band who have gone from strength to strength since the last time I caught them live and long may it continue. 

Last year Icelandic glam idols Sign topped the bill at Trashstock and tonight the Icelandic theme continues this time with Reykjavik metalheads Noise.  This quartet of Einar Vilber on guitar/vocals, Stefan Vilberg on bass, Hordur Birkisson on drums and Hilmar Birkisson on guitar ignited the stage with a crunching riff laden set of blistering heavy metal. 

This band are all about the big licks and even bigger sound as their punished set with a couple of notable highlights the hard rockin ‘Hit And Run’, the excellent riff filled ‘Sleepless’, and the quite sublime metal of ‘Ride The Wave’.

This was my first encounter of the band and I must say the sound system at Junktion 7 was a little under the cosh from these Icelandic Metalheads and I would like to catch the band in a bigger venue to really appreciate the total might of Noise, this is a band I will be looking out for in the future.

The next band on the bill took the term Glam to new and unexplored heights, they were Hamburg’s The Pleasures. This band are a must see band if ever there was one, they come on looking like an explosion in Elton Johns dressing room but when they rock they ROCK! 

The glamsters came on stage like headliners and were out to impress as the opened their account with ‘Parade Parade’ and instantly frontman Dancette was in full control of the crowd as they sang along from beginning to end. 

Again with a short set the band kept things going with the fantastic ‘Juicy Jacuzzi’ before turning it up a notch or two with the rocking ‘Some Like It Rock’.

The band were out to make this a real rock n' roll party as bassist Sensai got the anthemic ‘Glory Hole’ underway, again the crowd were up for a little audience participation as the chanted along with the band. 

There was a short lull in the music as Michelle Riot came on stage with birthday girl Louby and the first of the birthday cakes of the night.  Soon it was back to the music with ‘Voyeur’, a great track that I once described as Industrial Glam and I’ll stick with that synopsis. 

Before the next song Sensai took up the mike once again to give thanks to Robin Black, Patchwork Grace and Jamez and Michelle for a great tour over the past eight days, before the band broke into ‘Freedom’. 

After the band intro’s they rounded off another storming glitz and glamour filled set with ‘All Over The World Tonight’, which again saw Michelle on stage as she sang along with Dancette on this one. 

And with the band announcing their return in March next year it farewell and can't wait for March to one of the best live acts I’ve seen this year.  

After the glitz and glamour to The Pleasures it was time for Nottingham’s own Patchwork Grace to bring a little sanity to proceedings with their own unique new wave infused rock. 

The band are fronted by the whirling dervish that is Tori Trash and led by the guitar talent that is Crip, who I must say is destined for greater things, but enough about that. 

I caught the band recently at Bradford’s The Gasworks and to be honest the sound didn’t do the band any favours, although here tonight they were extremely sharp and on top form as they warmed a partisan crowd with their infusion of Pop and Metal in a unique sound that you won't find anyone else doing. 

This was the bands 3rd year at Trashstock, which has seen them build a formidable following judging by the crowds entering the hall before the band came on stage. 

The highlights of this short set had to be the excellent ‘Shiminanio’ which went down a veritable storm, as did the bands latest single the cover of the Cures 1983 classic ‘Lovecats’, which has been given a complete revamp by the band bring it bang up to date. 

The final highlight had to be the show stopping ‘Soap’ as Tori displayed what a great voice she has underneath that entire stage persona. 

The next band on the bill were The Glitterati, a band that seemed to have simply vanished out of the spotlight as quickly as they had come into it.  But after what seems like a dogs age the band are back and with a few band member changes are set upon living up to the hype that followed their debut album. 

The band opened up with ‘Nobody Fucks Me Up Like You Do’ and straight away the band have rekindled my faith in them as it's back to the sound that I first heard when I caught the band supporting The Wildhearts in what seems like an age ago. 

The band were out to win back fans with this quite superb set as the all system go rock kept on coming with ‘Heartbreaker’, before the first of a couple of new songs including ‘Overnight Superstar’, which really cemented the fact that Paul and the rest of the band were back and ready to kick ass once again. 

The next of the new stuff was ‘Fight Fight Fight’ which will be the first single off the new album. 

It was back to more familiar ground with ‘Back In Power’ then another new song ‘Keeping Me Down’, another great rock song from the boys in black.  It was then time to do an quick X Factor test for the new guys in the band Baz Morrison Gaff and Billy Jones as they were put to the test by playing something that the band hadn’t rehearsed that much ‘Do You Love Yourself’ and they passed with flying colours and even went beyond what the previous band members had done in my opinion. 

Before the set closer is was time for another new track from the forthcoming album, ‘Right From The Start’ was another great up-tempo rocker. 

None of the bands on the bill today have had a top forty hit single except The Glitterati and with that ‘You Got Nothing On Me’ rounded off a great comeback for the band and with the announcement of a forty date tour with Disarm in support let's hope both bands break into the big time as a result. 

Now to the headliner Robin Black, on the back of a tour what better way of rounding things off than the headline slot at Trashstock.  Robin is 110% entertainer and his energetic mix of glam and hard rock has been a miss since their last tour. 

He has lost his Intergalactic Rock Stars all except Chris “Starboy” Cunnane, now joining the fold are the big Swede ‘Peter Arviddson on lead guitar, Robbie Ruckus on bass and Aaron Verdonk on drums completing this new look band.

The band get the wild party going with ‘Better Than You’ and from this point on no one is leaving the room as the rock party of the year reaches it climax big style. 

It straight into ‘Teenage Sex’ before Robin announces that tonight would be a celebration of life as he climbs the barrier front of stage as the band explodes into ‘TV Trash’, which goes down as storm with the capacity crowd.

Once again Michelle Riot ventures on stage to announce another special birthday that of Robin himself and promptly crowns him Queen of Trashstock 2008. 

It's back to the music with ‘More Effeminate Than You’, after which a cake is brought on stage to which Robin propels said cake right back at Jamez, Michelle and the rest of the back stage crowd as he carries on the show with ‘Out Of The City’, a storming rocker that really brings out the best in the crowd and even more so as Robin indulges in a little crowd surfing. 

Then Dancette and Lord of the Pleasures join in the fun as they sing along to ‘Why Don’t I Love You’ before and the regular inflatable doll of Trashstock makes an appearance and is passed around the crowd while simultaneously being undressed as she makes her way around the rest of the room throughout the night. 

The venue was at boiling point by this time as the band continued with ‘Candy Flip’ and ‘Some Of You Boys’, before the roof of the venue was nearly blown off with a storming version of the Sweets ‘Hellraiser’. 

With ‘Time Travel Tonite’ and 'Only You' rounding off the main part of the set, the band left the stage for just a few moments as the cries of "Robin Fucking Black" filled the room. 

It wasn’t long before the party started again, this time at a more sedate pace as Starboy showed off his vocals talents to ‘Your Seventeen’ as Robin sang backing vocals. 

The mayhem ensued once more as the band ripped through ‘So Sick Of You’ before being joined on stage by The Pleasures and Patchwork Grace for the final song, ‘Hurt You So Bad’, then Dancette and Lord presented, no not presented smashed, a shaving foam pie into Robin's face mid way through the song, to which Robin spread the foam all over his semi naked body, much to the delight of the majority of the female members of the crowd and a couple of male members as well.

This was one hell of a Trashstock and Jamez and Michelle did us all proud once again.  Long may it continue.  I for one can’t wait to see what 2009 has in store!

 

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