Review: Rezillos, Bierkeller

Christmas came early for a busy Bierkeller as the lovely people at Death or Glory provided us with a belter of a show.

First up were Healthy Junkies from that London – given a generous support slot, which they filled with relish. There’s no doubt the band have their roots in classic seventies punk and post punk, but they have transcended their influences and carved out a pretty unique sound. The tunes are beautifully aggressive; lyrics are wide ranging but cliché free and they play with skill and passion. The songs are well crafted with surprising twists in their structures, and although fast and furious at times there are dub breakouts, quiet moments and they’re all topped off with killer choruses. Unlike some of their contemporaries the band aren’t afraid to show off their chops, guitar solos that wouldn’t be out of place at Download and the rhythm section know their way around a dance beat or four. A bracingly refreshing band that went down a storm – make an effort to see them and have your faith in punk as a creative genre renewed.

The Rezillos have something of a chequered history and arguably should have been massive in their heyday. But you know what – they’ve bounced back with an absolutely classic new LP and relentless touring in the States has knocked off the rust ensuring the band are gonna knock you out every time they hit the stage. The set was well structured, opening with Can’t Stand my Baby and then full throttle in to the first new cut (Take Me to the) Groovy Room. With the exception of the superb Flying Saucer Attack the band then plundered the newest LP Zero for a chunk of songs that simply sounded like classic Rezillos aka Scotland’s finest “new wave beat group”. The raucous crowd responded well to the new material, no let up in the dancing and with plenty of singing along. Plenty of banter too, one wag commenting that Eugene Reynold’s quiff was no longer as large as it used be, Reynolds retorted by suggesting the loss of quiff had been compensated by enlargement elsewhere (come on, surely you can work it out).

Faye Fife and Reynolds have lost none of their chemistry, the former providing bonkers go-go dancing that was more Gerry Anderson than Ready Steady Go and the latter beefing up tunes with occasional rhythm guitar, and each singing as well as, if not better than, the olden days. Jim Brady completed the front line attack, peeling off fizzling solos and sci-fi riffs at will all the while bouncing around the stage like a tartan Tigger. Angel Paterson and Chris Agnew brought the drums and bass, and whilst physically anonymous, the pair laid down a pounding foundation for the songs.

The set finished with a breakneck charge through the remaining highlights from the original LP, generating miles of smiles, and a pogo frenzy that left the crowd hoarse. River Deep, Mountain High was an unexpected delight that led delightfully in to set closer Destination Venus. Of course the encore finished with Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In and then the band were gone. Far from a band trading on past glories the new studio material and the vim on display show that the Rezillos are still a force to be reckoned with, but don’t take my word for it – score the new LP and then you too can sing yourself hoarse next time they hit town.

Photo Credit: John Higgins