Massive / Takeaway Thieves, Gullivers. 3rd August 2022

I’m a plus one for tonight’s gig and with little prior knowledge it could go either way. It starts well with a band called Takeaway Thieves, a bunch of gentlemen who bash out ear bleeding rock n roll. The singer has a bandana with a feather sticking out that perhaps tells you all you need to know. My head won’t stop bobbing throughout their set though, which is the other thing you need to know and although it’s not gonna change the world, it’d sound ace careering down an open highway with your foot jammed to the floor. It sounds pretty decent indoors too, with layers of rock swagger distorting Gullivers’ walls. The lead guitarist has some decent tricks up his cutoff sleeves, the feathered singer has a great set of pipes and the bassist (Rev borrowed from Towers of London, remember them!?) looks cool as fuck, like a punk rock Craig Federighi (one for the nerds). Despite them being new to me, I do know one song, ‘This is Rock n Roll’ is used as the theme for my other half’s interviews that promote up and coming rock and metal bands. I’ve heard it hundreds of times or I’ve heard the chorus at least. Live it’s a fucking juggernaut and I suspect that’s where this lot are best. They look totally charged on stage, a lifeblood running between them. It’s only rock n roll, but I like it.

Which is just as well, as that’s exactly what headliners Massive bring too. This is a different flavour though. Faster, punkier, the Green Day variety, with a hefty dose of 90s American rawk backing it up. I’ve cheated a little here and listened to their 2019 album ‘Rebuild Destroy’. It’s a pretty polished record and I’m intrigued to hear how they translate live. Fucking raucous is the simple answer. The studio polish is ripped off as they tear through a set of brutal bouncy bone-shakers. The banner behind them sums it up ‘Beer Drinking Rock N Roll’. It’s straightforward route one stuff, but there is space in there too, which is unusual for bands like this and much to their credit. They’ve an ear for a hook, a killer riff, catchy chorus and a breath in which to appreciate it. I’m also inclined to warm to them due to the Man City flag draped over one of the monitors. Classy move to appeal to the locals. This lot aren’t from around here you see, they hail from Australia, although tonight they're a couple of members down and have a local filling in on bass from Gorilla Riot, Deggy who sports a tshirt with ‘Brenton Kewish’ emblazoned across it, the man he’s covering. Aussies rock hard don’t they. I’ve seen a few of their countrymen and women in the last few weeks and there’s an air about these bands that don’t give a shit about our pompous Britishness. Singer Brad is the proverbial ball of energy. The stage is small, but that’s not gonna stop him. He’s comfortable with the crowd too. “If you like us we’re called Massive, if you don’t we’re Gorilla Riot”. New single ‘Reset’ sees Brad grab (and eventually plug in) his acoustic for a glorious stomper that perfectly illustrates they’re not predictable and can twist a turn like any great live band. If you need proof of that, as the rest of the band depart the stage leaving Brad and his guitar to take requests, someone shouts “Barbie Girl”. It’s a bloody awful song, but he obliges effortlessly, before correcting our heads with some AC/DC. Alright maybe ‘Thunderstruck’ is a little on the nose for an Oz man, but it’s awesome, even more with one guy and an acoustic. As he reaches the end to a roar from the crowd, he asks “where the fuck are the band?” and they appear, grab axes and sticks and unleash. They’re a hard working band. It’s not easy for bands at this level to tour, to travel post brexit, to entertain us. All fucking power to them! When you turn up at a gig without expectation, the gloves are off, the guard is down. Honestly I think I wasn’t expecting to be as enthralled. Surprises are nice aren’t they.