Bring it on Back

Shunt Vaults, London - 22/1/07

The fact that this gig was free was just the foundation of its eccentric offerings, as moments after entering the candle lit recess of the venues entrance, we were all offered gifts of free booze in the form of ice cold beers? I think you'll concur, the best way to start any night.

Further down the cave like dungeon came a lift operated by an oddball machinist whose job was purely to disorientate us, turning the night so far into an amusement park ride over an evening out at a gig, not too far away from riding Hex at Alton Towers.

Soon after being locked away and made to endeavour our way down an ostensibly endless, dripping passageway, we found the venue itself. Surrounded by pallets, candles and bare rock walls you wonder how music could exist in a place like this, until that is you turn a corner and find the stage which bears an uncanny resemblance to Liverpool's Cavern Club, with damp and stained arches forming a burrow of noise.

Everywhere you looked there was something odd about the gig. Bare patches of earth, random sinks and large areas still under construction with signs reading 'danger: possibility of death', which straight away made you feel as though we didn't belong there giving it a 'secret warehouse party' or rave feel.

Only when the bands came on did the night take a more recognisable tone, as excess amounts of the Jamaican brew surged down our necks the bands on the bill held the giddy crowd like veteran puppet masters, steadfast and prominent.

The acoustics were prolific, bold, echoic and loud and bounced around the hollowed rooms of the setting, creating a wind tunnel of racket where nothing but the sounds from the stage could be heard, a much welcomed break from hearing the crowd over the band.

The venue was brilliant, but it was The Rifles who effortlessly stole the show. Still revelling in their ska roots, nowadays their music has been well and truly kicked up the arse, sounding thick and edgy.

Previously, The Rifles had failed to make a solid impact on the music scene, but as the night's performance showed, they're far from over. With an urban, organic and determined sound they've excelled themselves beyond wishy-washy 'American' sounding ska, into a rougher, harder pound that's retro without being dated. It follows where The Jam left off and where Weller failed to go, pushing what punk-ska could be in this day and age of mavericks and rock 'n' rollers.

'Local Boy' is still their liveliest song and riled the crowd into a frisking whirl of movement and commotion, leaving people scattered across the floor in mosh mayhem and anarchy. You can't stand idly by tapping your foot to The Rifles, you have to get involved, get sweaty and get bloody rocking, and 'Local Boy' is the one to do it, though 'She's Got Standards' is by no means lagging far behind. Equally as driving and twice as ambitious it's their biggest track and though there are still whispers of their former twangy days, it's propelled and over the top enough to make it extravagant in appearance but fresh in spirit.

Their best song however is still 'Narrow Minded Social Club', which sounds more forceful now than it did on their debut album 'No Love Lost', which hurled its way into many peoples record collections back in July '06.

Generally, the music was brilliant, but the venue itself shook what could have been a criterion show into one of the most interesting gigs of this writers life. I can only hope that Red Stripe do more of these across the country in equally as fascinating venues, as they're shows that honestly can't be missed.

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