LIVE IN A DIVE: Citizen Fish headline anarcho punk chritmas knees up

Went down to the legendary TJs lastnight/this morning for a an evening of no frills punk rock mayhem with Citizen Fish, The Bus Station Loonies, This System Kills, The Rejected and lots of drunken punks.

Local boys The Rejected get angry

First up were the Rejected, local boys who have not been around long but are already making a name for themselves. No holds barred angry shouty punk noise that shows plenty of potential. A few more gigs under their belt and they could become a force to be reckoned with.

This System Kills "did you spill my pint?"

Things starting to hot up now, with our old mates This System Kills. These boys have been around the block a few times in one form or another and the years of experience show. The intense full on angry brigade thang is kept warm by some chunky rhythms and the valley boy banter of the Pigmeister between songs. Like a pitbull named Chomsky with his testicles on fire and a squeaky toy from a pound shop trapped in between his sharp teeth. Quote of the night has to be “30 years ago the Sex Pistols played Caerphilly and the local church turned up to sing carols outside as a protest. What have we got tonight? Two drunks and a dog pissing in a doorway, no body is scared by punk anymore, it is time to change that.”

"Vodka laced cider sir?"

Tonight TSK treat us to a King Kurt style Christmas toast, scooping a cocktail of White Lighting 8% cider and vodka out of a bucket and pouring it into the necks of already tanked up moshers using a plastic cup taped to a broom handle. No wonder the toilet floor ended up covered in puke.

Then Plymouth's Bus Station Loonies take to the stage. Not sure where they get the bus station bit of their name from.

Last up we have Citizen Fish taking conscious lyrics and the energy of angry punk and injecting skanking ska vibes to create bouncing beats for fun loving crusties. They have been rousing rebels at festivals gigs and parties since 1989 and are by now something of an institution. For some bands their past can be a mill-stone around their neck, but the fact that they will always be known as the band that used to be the Subhumans and Culture Shock, is no hindrance whatsoever; past present and future getting along nicely, which is how it should be.

Tonight they hit the stage late and manage to get the club rockin’ which is no mean feat given the state on some of the faces that have been drinking and throwing themselves around the dance floor for a good five hours. Dick, the man with the plan, tears around the stage like a stick insect on speed never keeping still long enough for us to get a decent photo without us resorting to flash.

Having been around in one form or another since 1982 they have built up a massive reputation but this is where they belong, bargain basement rough and ready toilets; this is how music should be, grass roots, high energy, back to basics rock ‘n roll with no pretensions; putting out their own records, manning the CD stall themselves, then tearing up venues where the stage and dance floor merge into one. Long may they continue to keep it real.

Young Tom shows maturity well beyond his years, looking like a wino that has been drinking for 40 years. Don't worry, we carried him to the car, opened his front door for him and put him in the recovery position (which was a good move 'cos he threw up in his sleep!)