Massive Wagons, Gorilla. 7th December 2019

I’m out early for tonight’s gig, helping Anne shoot her latest interview with Massive Wagons. Good thing really, as otherwise I’d be watching the football and that didn’t go too well! The interview was fun and I guess the same could be said for opening band Bootyard Bandits. What could also be said is they’re bloody awful. There’s a bloke on stage with an old-timey Americana bowler hat and a fucking banjo, murdering Metallica and ACDC riffs. The singer shouts “Can I get a YE-HAW!!?” I. Shit. You. Not. This is really not my bag. If I’m honest, Massive Wagons aren’t either really, but the tunes are bouncy, the riffs chunky and in singer Baz, they have a genuinely great frontman, who pogos, headbangs, and leads line with aplomb. Yes we’re firmly on the fun side of the rock spectrum, rather than my often preferred moody and edgy take, but it’s this that I enjoyed in a tent at Download a couple of years back and tonight they recapture that ‘let’s go for it’ festival vibe... or should that be festive vibe? For this is the ‘Massive Christmas Ho Down’. See... FUN! There’s even a sodding raffle. They do lose me a little as a couple of songs stray close to Quo territory, but when they hit the punchier songs it’s hard not to get swept up and the crowd have no trouble at all, rarely will you see a bunch of slightly overweight, drunk ageing men move so much. As Slade’s ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’ gets belted out towards the end the place goes off and y’know what, it’s awesome... damn sight better than Oasis’ attempt. They stop short at the Slade Christmas tunes thankfully and end with crowd pleaser ‘Tokyo’ with the refrain ‘‘They won’t play us on the Radio”. Broadcasters take note, Massive Wagons are pretty damn good... and helped me avoid the upside down football score.