Social Distortion arrive at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire, as part of their current European tour. As they celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of their self-titled album, these shows see the band play the aforementioned album in its entirety. We sent Marcio Bigoto down to capture the show.

A long time ago two brothers attended Middlesbrough college to study music, or rather become music. It was there they met Bi:lingual front man Dillan Cartlidge an introvert poet with an inner rage that fires up black coals and burns the machine to the ground. 

Before that began though the stage was stripped back of all its electronic apocalyptic mayhem and a sermon was set by the incredible Idle Violets. Paying a homage to the heavy industrial rock of times gone by, the threesome thrashed a dark demonic groove out that gave the feeling this was not just any other gig. A black crowd of acid heads, trendies and 'new faces' swayed to the hypnotic flow; heavy riffs and crashing symbols blazed on through a tight set. The build ups and head-banging climaxes in to waves of sound that fuse together with the large projection behind the band all reminiscent of some far off place in rock history when the LSD had just hit Lemmy.

A quick scan of the audience seemed to project some type of funeral for modern culture, after all Idle Violets were not doing anything new, this style of three piece has rocked out for years. The mood though is anything but sombre. As the final song dwindles in to noise, an exhausted audience catches the moment it's in and looks around to see all have made it through.

Good things are on the head for Bi:lingual as front man Dill tells me before they are due to go on. With a UK tour coming up from the team behind recent Queens of the stone age UK tours; the four lads from Middlesbrough have all played key roles in bringing a music scene to the underground of the North East. Bass player Arron Lythe was a champion in bringing fresh bands to the area; here is now being ready to reverse the process and take the talents of Teesside and put it on display for the world to see.

From the off the pace never lets up; Stephanos Louca hitting the drums with a force and precision that could be felt seven blocks down. Over drive bass lines locked in tight whilst the acid overtones of George's guitar scream dark lines in to the electronic equipment he fiddles with between every song. A tone that's been sculpted and shaped to represent the hard callings of the frontman's shriek.

A thumping noise is cracked wide open as the half political half satirical vocals are spat out with venom. On stage the chemistry between the band is seen in the raging emotions each of them plays out with their instrument. This is a band who are not afraid to go to ground if needed.
The funeral rages on and the machine is being smashed into a million little pieces; somewhere in the chaos Bi:lingual manage to ignite a flame that will burn for a new century to come.

As the music comes to a close you can see that these lads are not the same inside. The black mass is over and the demons have been released; the energy poured out into the room has left the building and entered the ether. Things will never be the same again.

Wire are a British rock band who have been linked to the punk scene since they formed in the 1970s with their debut release Pink Flag. Fourteen albums later, Wire, accompanied by their latest self-titled LP set up their equipment on the Brudenell stage. Slightly in front, a curly haired couple share a delicate moment, hopefully in reminiscence of that sweaty night they met; probably throwing punches and wearing ripped denim in the '70s.

A shiny, silver Ipad is placed centre stage just left of Colin Newman’s microphone. Visions of synthesis and guitar pairings come to mind, or Newman impressively programming his own light show right from the stage. Its purpose is still undecided as it seemed to be only used to check lyrics, as Newman glances over to the white illuminated screen and clicks to what can only be a shortcut to Lyrics Mania.

For some reason Wire’s transition from track to track does not feel that fluid or consistent. This could be down to the Robert Gotobed on drums counting in with a traditional click from the sticks with every other song. Or it could be down to the contrast in sound from the Pink Flag tracks, to sounds from their latest release, Wire. This is not necessary a bad thing, but at times certain tracks did drag on with no reason or intention, which is surprising due to most being under three minutes.

The show is packed with newer tracks like 'In Manchester' and ‘Burning Bridges’, along with the more familiar songs like ‘Blessed State’ taken from their 1979 album 154. The aggression in the delivery has softened, yet still remains engaging and meticulous. What is left is a slightly downtrodden, deflated punk groan from Newman’s throat, which makes each track darker and more looming. The show peaks at a high frequency, pounding through the chest of Wire’s followers. Even plugging the ears of some with yellow foam, the pure rattle that squeals out of Matthew Simms’ guitar leaves the unplugged ears ringing afterwards.

The crowd that stands looking up at the quartet are not surprisingly mature. Unconventionally, a young-ish looking guy walks through the crowd with a full 12 inch box of pizza and begins to munch on it as the performance continues. Slightly strange, but it does sum up the lack of raw enthusiasm that seems to correlate between the less aggressive performance and the audience.

Tracks from their latest album sound almost dystopian, running guitar riffs and the repetitive hi-hat climbs without reaching a crescendo. This abrupt end urges the sweaty necks of the people standing side by side to yell things like “We are not worthy”. That alone shows the cult influence that perpetuates out of Wire's every move and every note. Sturdy baselines and wondering guitar licks add to the atmospheric satisfaction in tracks like ‘Harpooned’ wire intended for the evening.

The show tonight seems to be more about a bands exploration as Wire's music takes a slightly different direction into a distance dystopia fuelled by atmospheric melodies. This is something they do exceedingly well and the audience do look on idle yet content with Wires’ new direction. For me the show is too self-seeking, as I would rather punk punched me in the face than wonder by aimlessly.   

No support act tonight for Nick Cave In Concert at Edinburgh’s Playhouse (Scotland’s ‘Broadway’ apparently, a whole street of theatres in one) so the near-capacity crowd were aware from the off that they’d be getting a lot of the man himself.

Taking to the stage a little after 8pm Cave & band (including regular cohort Warren Ellis) received a rapturous welcome from the clearly hardcore audience and with little in the way of fanfare started in to a set peppered with songs from throughout his career. Stretching from Leonard Cohen’s ‘Avalanche’, from the first Bad Seeds album, through to Push The Sky Away's ‘We Know Who U R’ via ‘The Lyre Of Orpheus’, ‘Mercy Seat’, ‘Jubilee Street’, Brompton Oratory’ and plenty more both well known & less frequently played. All of this was gratefully lapped up by the eager fans.

Although sat behind his piano for the greater part of the set Cave ventured out to the front of the stage for a few numbers and pressed the flesh with some of those lucky enough to be in the front row. Warren Ellis managed to deliver some pretty fiery fiddle and guitar work whilst remaining seated for the entire gig. Anyone expecting to witness the Nick & Warren show, as seen in the recent bio-pic 20,000 Days On Earth, was though set to be disappointed. Indeed banter of any sort was at a minimum – a recurring joke about someone in the front row being scared of Cave’s shoes, an “I’m Spartacus” moment when a number of fans claimed a dedication and amusing absent mindedness when it came to song choices were about your lot. This was Cave the performer stripped back to the essentials, rather than the raconteur version.

Two encores were performed so there was ample time to include ‘Breathless’, ‘No More Shall We Part’, ‘God Is In The House’, ‘Jack The Ripper’ and ‘People Ain’t No Good’ before the well satisfied throng was disgorged on to Leith Walk and back into the unseasonably chilly night. 

Further photographs from the show can be found here.