GBH + The Varukers + Desperate Measures at the 100 Club in London on 13 January 2024.
I returned to the iconic 100 club in London a week after my previous visit (for TV Smith) to see one of my favourite bands, GBH as part of the venue’s annual Resolution Punk Festival. This was already the second time that I had seen the guys in the U.K. since the start of 2024, thanks to some judicious juggling of a family visit back to my roots from Belgium, combined with some gigs in the south of England.
First up were Desperate Measures, a band that I did not know previously, but who apparently originally hail from New Zealand but are now based in London. Formed in 1981, only the singer remains from the originally lineup. They sort of reminded me of Eddie and the Hot Rods and similar bands that came out of the London pub-rock scene in the mid/late 1970s. Not really my cup of tea, but very competent in what they do.
Next up, The Varukers who I have seen a number of times and who are a band that have a small place in my heart. Rat Martin is a great front man with a long pedigree of singing in some great bands from the punk scene (Varukers, Discharge, The Vile). Guitarist Biff also plays with Sick On The Bus, another band from the current scene that I rather like.
And last up, GBH. As in Bristol the previous week, stand-in Sean replaced Ross on bass, the latter presumably unable to travel over from the States for the January gigs. Again, he did a sterling job. There’s not much more that I can say about GBH that I have not said on the many previous occasions that I have seen them live. Suffice to say, they smashed it once again and left me looking forward to the next time that I get to see them, which won’t be too long in the future.
