Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers are a band custom built for a live experience; for someone like me, growing up in the unexciting confines of Bexhill-on-Sea, their sleazy mixture of rockabilly, punk, country and god knows what immediately evokes the neon-lit barroom scenes of a thousand Hollywood movies. They seem capture an essence of the dark side of Americana, and a sound which offers that immediacy pretty much demands a live setting. While I thankfully no longer live in Bexhill, it isn’t currently an option to see them in ideal circumstances – those circumstances obviously being a backwoods Louisiana bar with Swayze’s Dalton ripping someone’s out a troublemaker’s throat while the band play from behind a mesh grill. I have to settle for The Garage in Islington, a long-time supporter of the more underground side of guitar-based music.

After an afternoon drinking Irish coffees, we reach the venue in time to catch Yorkshire’s finest Serious Sam Barrett. If you’ve yet to hear Sam’s 12 string blend of country, folk and blues you’re missing out. His musical influences are cut with an attitude taken from growing up in West Yorkshire skateboarding and punk/hardcore circles alongside a heartfelt love of Yorkshire itself – if that doesn’t have you intrigued, then this may be the wrong gig review for you. ‘Sometimes You’ve Got To Lose’, the first song from his upcoming record, fits immediately into a set otherwise compiled of classics with some finger burning fretwork and a story which will resonate with any skateboarder to come off worse from a fight with the concrete (that means all of us). The growing crowds’ loud response is evidence of fans gained tonight.

A short break and some Quality Streets later (the sure sign of rock 'n' roll excess), JD Wilkes and co take to the stage with ‘Mud’, the stomping psychobilly opener of their newest album The Southern Surreal. Wilkes is the visual linchpin of the band’s live show, with a manic energy and stage presence which adds the finishing touch to the band’s Americarnival whirl. He buttons and unbuttons his shirt compulsively throughout a set heavy on new album The Southern Surreal, and his hand finds its way down his trousers on myriad occasions. Like a sex-crazed pervert preacher, he keeps the energy flowing between each track to ensure that there is no let up for the sweat drenched crowd. Musically, however, this is definitely a group effort. The distorted rockabilly snarl of Rod Hamdallah’s guitar underpins Wilkes’ Southern Baptist preacher-like vocal contortions, with the rhythm section underpinning both. While the band may enjoy flitting between various genres, their bedrock lies in playing tight, bluesy rock n roll. It is undoubtedly this base which keeps a hold of the group’s cohesive sound, helping to make them such a formidable live machine.

While the fact of a Wednesday night slot means that the gig isn’t completely packed to the rafters the crowd could not be described as small and, from our position by the merch stand which has become our drinking spot, it feels like we are poised on the fringes of some kind of revved up and punk infused Mardi Gras. As the last spike of distortion dies down and the last beer dreg is supped, we head out into the cold London air with a strange sense of culture shock. In the heart of England’s capital, the Shack Shakers carved out their own slice of the American South for the night. Don’t hesitate to experience it when they next return.

Ooooh, you can literally smell the anticipation in the air at tonight’s Franklin Rock ‘n’ Roll Club. It’s busy and hot; with bearded men in Bonnevilles t-shirts and pretty high-heeled ladies in attendance. What does anticipation smell like, I hear you ask? Tonight it’s definitely Hai Karate mixed with cheap booze.  

Which conveniently leads us nicely onto the first act: Grrrrrrrrrrrrr... It’s The Brutes! And, never has a name been more apt for a band of this ilk. The last time I saw them play was at this very same venue supporting Les Grys Grys back in September (read about that epic show here). They have it all. As I previously stated, it’s the stuff Pebbles comps are made of. Fast, fun, cheeky and just tight enough to produce that nonchalant garage-punk sound. Breezing through tracks like ‘Good Times’, ‘Knock Me Out’, favourite ‘Whaddya Want?’ and cool covers like The Electric Prunes’ ‘Never Had It Better’ and garage grrr-owler ‘Hang Up’ by The Wailers - top screaming from Beauregarde. Shout out to Heinrich Mitt-Schticks on thumping, as he pounds his way through the whole set without breaking into a metaphorical sweat. 

Whilst we catch our breath, and make a quick dash to the bar, time for step-in Jim to don his DJ hat and spin a few disks. Then on with the show...

‘We’re Geek Maggot Bingo - Good Evening!!!’. Taking their name from the early '80s no-budget cult horror flick by Nick Zedd, this should give you an indication of what’s in store; and as they launch into their first number with an invitation that is hard to refuse, come ‘Join The Freaks’ with its twisted side-show style hooks. One of the things that I really like about this band is their ability to tell a story and set the scene. Engrossed. I feel like I’m right there with the tattooed lady, the pinheads and the wolf boy (some may say we really are). Acid Maggot’s dulcet tones were once likened to "a corpse being dragged across gravel", which is a fair compliment; but there is much more; reminiscent at times of Lux Interior, The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Hasil Adkins, M. Valdemar (go Google it), and even the deep hypnotic broodiness of Rev. Horton Heat. With one foot firmly wedged in '50s riffs, the other in '60s garage, and a wicked eye quietly observing the crowd. Other notable numbers are fuzzed-out ‘I Saw What You Did’; the instant paranoia of ‘Laughing At You’, and we are duly warned about strange noises we may hear on the way home in ‘Ghoul In The Graveyard’. An extra helping of fuzz with ‘High Time’ which is proper Watusi-able. Wrapping up the set with the excellent 'Swingtown'. Time for an encore? Wait, they aren't the headlining band. Next time, next time.          

The Brutes and Geek Maggot Bingo are in many ways like two bookends, and share a lot of common ground. However, they each have their very own unique way of expressing it. I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping to see both bands on the bill at Franklin Fest 2016, and certainly headlining their own shows soon.  

Speaking of headliners ... enter Garage Punk Blues™ magoos - The Bonnevilles. The two lads from Northern Ireland kick off with ‘Good Suits And Fightin’ Boots’ - popular with the crowd and possibly one of their best known. It's only seconds before you realise that, for a duo, they have more presence than most bands with double or triple the amount of people and equipment. It's an intimate affair between the crowd and band, as singer/guitarist Andy McGibbon beckons us all to come closer. Phew, it's getting hotter. (I'm now starting to regret my decision to wear a crimplene dress). McGibbon goes through not two, but three guitar changes during the long set - I wish I knew about the technicalities of guitars to list them all, but I don’t. All credit to them; they don't bat an eyelid when fallen upon by a drunken punter. They throw in a corking rendition of R.L. Burnside's 'Poor Boy' then slow the pace (for 5 mins anyway) with twiddle-y number 'I've Come Too Far For Love To Die'. McGibbon asks "has anyone ever had a broken heart?", cue a Mexican wave of nodding heads. McGibbon has, that’s for sure. He's reliving every moment right here, and in every bead of sweat. Both he and drummer Chris McMullen certainly put their all into their performance. McGibbon comments later on about the lack of dancing, which is instantly rectified. Towards the end I can't actually see the band at all, save for the curly-wurly head of McMullen bouncing up and down - he's that tall, even when sitting down! He plays the drums like he's on a buckaroo. It's been well over an hour and they show no signs of wrapping up the set, but when they finally do it's probably the longest encore ever, and then some. They are certainly giving the fans their money's worth. During one of the encores, they debut a couple of new songs, one of which 'The Whisky Lingers’ sees McGibbon proclaim "I don't want to be skinny anyway", above lots of feedback. Before they take their leave they express their thanks to the other bands and the organisers for a top evening.

At the risk of repeating myself, it’s been another fabulous night, at the cricket shack of delight that is The Franklin.

If you want to hear more about The Bonnevilles, I caught up with Andy McGibbon before they headed out on tour, click here for that.        

And, If you're not totally worn out by all of that excitement, the next Franklin Rock 'n' Roll Club takes place on Friday 18^thDecember - hosting old favourites The Wildebeests, and the anticipated return of The No-Things, click here for more info. 

Clearly being unaware of some (okay in my case 99%) of the bands on this weekend’s bill was part of the fun for a number of people. Sitting in The Vestry early on Sunday afternoon the conversation immediately behind me centred on the quality of Niall McCamley's moustache and his banter and how Spook School records needed to be obtained forthwith. Having found the band’s existence hard to avoid over the past year or so it’s easy to forget that everyone can’t be aware of each group as they appear. Up until the end of this summer I’d no idea Dundee was home to Make That A Take records or BYAF, it all depends what you’re exposed to through the various types of media.

Logistical issues came to bear on the festival today, requiring some swift rescheduling and the vagaries of the diy tour schedule were highlighted with Lenin Death Mask having to drive for nine hours from the final night of their tour in Newport so as to make their slot. Given the rescheduling and my need to skip out and eat dinner the odd band or two may in fact not have been who I thought they were but you can definitely hear a track by each of the acts who played across the three days on the event’s bandcamp playlist which is attached below.

Showing that a lot of those involved don’t let the grass grow under their feet today also saw a few bands featuring one or more player from the other two days. Fair play, if you’ve an urge to emote in a different style then find some compadres and do it.

Band of the day were Elk Gang, not least for the comedic moment when their drummer was accidentally forced off the vegetarianism wagon with a mouthful of Greggs sausage roll. Days on site without accident – Zero. Copenhagen’s Forever Unclean were also an intense live prospect, whilst Shitgripper added some variety to things with the inclusion of samples and the laying down of hefty instrumentals. The Vestry played host to mainly bands today, with Slowlight being promoted to Buskers to maintain timings there, and for me this didn’t work as well as the solo or dual acts on Saturday. Brendan Dalton's heartfelt work was the most impactful of the day down there with Dave Hughes, Edgarville and The Shithawks not really reaching me at all.

Lenin Death Mask, Robot Doctors, Slowlight and Please, Believe! were variously emo, screamo or generally players of a thin kind of sound and so none of them really grabbed me. Riven with gig fatigue I buggered off before the final acts of the night. The bottom line though is that this was a very well organised international event that must have presented plenty of issues during the planning and preparation yet which went off with only a couple of minor hitches at the very end, at least to my knowledge. All concerned can be rightly proud.

With a newly released album that tells of both morals and belief, along with a collection of well-remembered older material at the ready, Montreal’s Half Moon Run deliver their own musical sermon at a former Holy Church at Trinity, Bristol.

A sell-out show in an intimate and impressive building only begs the question, how long before this group no longer perform for audiences of 600, but instead double that, in larger venues. There is a sense that it wont take much time at all and opener ‘Turn Your Love’, is exactly why the clock is ticking at an impressive rate. Strip lights dot the stage, flicking on and off and entwine themselves between the four band members.

By jumping straight into such a quick first song, the group allow themselves to impressively balance their set throughout the evening with more moderate tracks such as ‘Nerve’ and ‘Unofferable’. All is as it should be and this is without doubt a reflection in the band members’ attitudes on stage. Lead singer Devon Portielje smiles and thanks the cheering Bristol audience for returning after the original shows rescheduling and glances at guitarist Conner Molander, who is also sharing a moment of such gratitude.

Half Moon Run’s live show never seems to seek out an easy route, and without doubt, the thought of giving a performance that doesn't meet expectation is totally out of the question. The band play with passion and sincerity, and honestly look to be enjoying every note that is travelling through the old church.

New additions from recent release Sun Leads Me On, work well in the set alongside favourites from previous album Dark Eyes, but none more so than ‘Full Circle’. An obvious audience pleaser that has the crowd singing every word directly back to the Canadian group.

Realisation hits hard. Half Moon Run are building something thoroughly noteworthy and everyone in the building knows it.