POP Will Eat Itself proved they can still deliver a stonking set after decades with their heyday hit singles to bring new energy to Brighton’s 800-odd capacity Chalk Venue. Formed back in the mid-’80s, Pop Will Eat Itself were the midlands indie electro dance grudge mavericks that set the so-called ‘Grebo’ scene as described by the NME music press to describe long-haired biker rock fans and was centred in Birmingham. The term was also used to depict ‘Jesus Jones’, ‘Gaye Bykers on Acid’ and ‘Ned’s Atomic Dustbin’ and could easily be a headlining Glastonbury. Frontman Grham Crabb describes their sound as “electronic Punk, alternative hip-hop hybrid music”.
Pop Will Eat Itself formed in Stourbridge, the West Midlands, back in 1986 and had a decade of chart success with the hit singles ‘Def Con One’, ‘Can U Dig It’ and alternative 1990 World Cup anthem ‘ Touched by the Hand of Cicciolina’. The band called it a day in 1996 but briefly reformed in 2005. They have been back together since 2010 and enjoy sold-out shows nationwide and various festival appearances. The current Pop Will Eat Itself line-up consists of Graham Crabb, Richard March with keyboardist Adam Mole, Brighton-based vocalist Mary Byker and dreadlocked bassist Davey Bennett.
Tonight’s special guests were ‘INTERROBANG‽‘ performing an adequate hectic post-punk set to please the early arrivals. Chalk venue tends to host club nights after their shows have concluded. The three-piece band comes from Leeds and Brighton, with the Lead singer Duncan Bruce, who coincidently is from ‘Chumbawamba’. They certainly made an entrance with a musical onslaught and expressive rants. The lyrics hit the sharp, right notes with no cliches and have influential reminders of Early ‘The Fall’ and ‘Wire’!
Pop Will Eat Itself certainly made good use of the larger Chalk Venue stage with Mary Byker and Graham Crabb jumping around the stage to the delights of the hipster 40’s and 50’s electro-punk fans dancing away to such classics as ‘Karmadrome’ and ‘Can U dig it?’ Each band member is an individual, with Graham Crabb wearing the most outrageous psychedelic shirt, bouncing around from one side of the stage to the other with his mic in his hand!
The evening concluded with a roof-lifting, co-written Prodigy song, ‘Their Law,’ to the delights of all who attended. The Poppies can still delight and sound innovative to diverse audiences, old and new, and are worthwhile an evening’s musical entertainment!
Pop Will Eat Itself Set List:
The Incredible P.W.E.I. v.s The Moral Majority
Dance of the Mad Bastards
Everything’s Cool. Not Now James, We’re Busy
Karmadrome
R.S.V.P
Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies
Chaos & Mayhem
Can U Dig It?
There is No Love Between Us Anymore
Bruiser
PWEI-zation
Touched by the Hand of Cicciolina
Disco Misfits
Def Con One
Bulletproof!
ENCORE:
Ich bin ein Ausländer
Vive le Rok
Wise Up Sucker
Their Law ( The prodigy cover)
