New Century has recently opened a new room known as The Locker, a 400 capacity club space that has tonight been transformed for a tribute to the legendary NYC club CBGB.
With a packed line up and originally billed as an all-nighter, a change from up high without explanation sees the event kicks off early instead, doors being at 17:00 and folk in their fancy dress finery flock from the off. Bathed in blood red light, the industrial venue is the perfect setting to pay tribute to the infamous scene where so much began.
Opening are Clive, a half Leeds half Manchester outfit who open us with the dulcet tones of Television, executed in superb style of both costume and note. They play through their back catalogue with much gusto, and set the room dancing in no time at all. They also through in a tune of their own which is a great way to know who they are.
Next we have The Cindys, fresh from Bristol, who look the part as The Velvet Underground, including Nico. They fire through the slower, more melodic side of the Velvets repertoire before Cardiff’s Casual Smart take the stage and blow everyone away with a stunning take on The Patti Smith Group. If a band starts with ‘Gloria’ and absolutely nails it note for note, you know things are gonna be good.
Local lads and rising stars Wax Head are next as The Ramones; queue bad wigs, bad count ins and excellent tunes. Choosing tracks such as ‘Rockaway Beach’, ‘Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue’ and ‘Blitzkreig Bop’, we are also treated to a rendition of ‘Spiderman’ complete with a confetti yielding stag diving Spiderman and ‘Surfin’ Bird’ which always sets feet a moving. They really pulled it out of the bag.
Legends in this scene themselves, The Wytches conclude proceedings as The Cramps, once more piling on the attitude and even without the female influence, more than do justice to their notorious impersonation. They smash through tracks such as ‘Goo Goo Muck’ and pull out an exquisite version of ‘Human Fly’. Having readily admitted they did not compare notes with Wax Head, we get another rendition of ‘Surfin’ Bird’ to conclude, no less brilliant.
A spooktacular night of tribute to a legendary venue, Manchester deserves more nights like this.
