A celebration of DIY -Dublin October 8+9

Hope Collective are proud to be part of the Dublin DIY Festival taking place next month.   Having come together last year for a night of punk rock and hip-hop, The Hope Collective have once more joined forces with State Magazine and are proud to present an all ages day long event in Dublin Workman’s Club, supporting Oxjam Ireland’s work for female rights and the Dublin Simon Community.  This festival falls under the Community Tourism Diaspora Initiative and provides a chance to highlight the great work going on around Dublins Underground music community.

The previous night Hope are joining with FOAD Musick to announce the launch of Steve Ignorant with Paranoid Visions new album “Now and Then…!” in the Hangar

Profits from this gig will go to Inner City Helping Homelessness 

Saturday October 8 – The Hangar 

Steve Ignorant with Paranoid Visions
plus
the Gakk
Steven VX and the Art Rats

Now and Then…! is the highly anticipated follow up to 2013’s “When…?” album from the collaboration of Dublin art terrorists Paranoid Visions and Crass frontman Steve Ignorant.
Over the past 2 years the band have played major festivals in the UK, Holland, America and Canada and garbered a significant following that surpassed the expectations of the original project. This is the collaborations only Irish appearance.

Sunday October 9 – The Workmans Club

Bill Blood – as part of Flexihead, Jackbeast and Redneck Manifesto, Niall Byrne has graced many DIY stages in the country and beyond. Bill Blood is his latest musical incarnation.

Carol Hodge – described as “Shakespeares Sister fighting Amanda Palmer and Tori Amos in a dimly lit Victorian pub”, Carol is a seven fingered pianist best for her singing work with Steve Ignorant (co-founder of punk legends CRASS) on his Last Supper world tour.

Ed Wenn – first visiting Ireland with the band Sink in 1992, Ed made his name with The Stupids, where his Ed Shred persona blasted out some early UK skatecore riffs. He has also been the main songwriter behind Bad Dress Sense, Big Ray, K-Line and more.

Mhaol – having made their live debut at last year’s WSO, M(h)aol have established themselves as one of the most fiercly political bands in Ireland today, with music to match.

Not Monsters – the meeting of deliciously experimental melodies and in your face power, Not Monsters are firmly in the DIY tradition – springing from a network of shared gigs, spaces and ideas.

Simon Wells – one of the founding members of UK Hardcore legends Snuff, Simon has continued to play and tour throughout the world with Your Mum, Southport and many others.

the objectorZ – sitting somewhere between hard rock n’ roll and punk, the Dublin band flter in a power pop influence.

************

What Is We Shall Overcome?

We Shall Overcome is a movement of musicians, artists and community organisers who are angry about the human costs of austerity policies but who want to do something practical to help those affected. For one week from 3-9 October we’re encouraging people to organise gigs and events that will –
1. Get direct help to those in our local communities who have been adversely affected by austerity policies.
2. Raise awareness, show solidarity or apply pressure to those who have political power
We operate under the tagline ‘A RAISED FIST & A HELPING HAND’

My Favourite Gig – The Shend

This is the ninth in a series all taken from the Fanzine Hope *.2. The fanzine sees a collection of 70 contributors from the punk rock world.  All asked the same question What is Your Favourite Gig. The zine is €5 including postage to anywhere  It is a benefit for Pikpa Refugee Centre, Lesvos   Pay by paypal, here

This week it is the shend from the cravats

Last Supper
London 2011

The Cravats have existed since 1977 but playing live was not a favourite pastime of mine in the early days due to finding it near im-possible to sing and play bass at the same time. Since Svor Naan (Cravats sax behemoth) and I recruited new members and reformed for the Rebellion Punk Festival in 2009, I have loved doing the darned things and playing the final, ‘Last Supper’ Steve Ignorant Crass gig at Shepherds Bush O2 on 19th November 2011 was a particular highlight in the Cravats journey.

When we were asked to appear as special guests I was somewhat surprised. The Cravats, had never really slotted with ease into the Crass roster of bands. We were silly, jazzy, and peculiar but Penny Rimbaud had always been a huge supporter of the band and had, almost, single-handedly mauled our sound into what it had become.

Although well rehearsed, I think it was on the drive up to London from Brighton that the ‘fear’ set in. What if the sold out crowd decided we weren’t suitable entertainment for this final Last Supper show and hurled abuse from our opening chord to the final feed-back racket of ‘I Hate The Universe’? Or worse still, stayed in the bar.

After Andy T and Paranoid Visions had shown how it should be done, we walked out onto the lovely old theatre stage of the O2. It was ruddy packed to the gills and I could see from the smiles that it was unlikely we were going to be machine gunned by indignant punks that night. Never had I witnessed a reaction so glorious to our noise but it was a special night and there was a lot of ‘Crass love’ in the air. Folk were happy and felt a part of the unique channel that Crass had created all those years ago.

Our actual performance passed in a fuzzy, joyous cartoon blast that left us all shattered and chuffed. We went down a storm and still had the pleasure of seeing Penny and Eve do their stuff followed by Steve Ignorant and friends show why those Crass songs had meant so much, to so many, for so long. Top night.

Cowboy Killers Irish tour – 1990

Jan 18 1991 Cowboy Killers – NCAD
Jan 19 1991 Cowboy Killers, Shred, Paranoid Visions – Attic
Jan 21 1991 Cowboy Killers, Paranoid Visions – Grattan

Through SKETCH I came into contact with the drummer of Cowboy Killers, Kip Xool. They were based in Wales and really wanted to come over to Ireland. Paddy was in NCAD at the time and he got them a lunchtime gig there. I contacted Trinity College about the possibility of the band playing there also. Senseless Things were already booked in but they added Cowboy Killers to the bill. At this point the word had spread around Dublin that Hope were the people who put Fugazi on and I think both colleges were secretly hoping that they could get Fugazi the next time they played Ireland.

I never said they could; but come to think about it, I don’t remember saying they couldn’t either. Both college gigs came with set guarantee fees, which meant COWBOY KILLERS could cover their ferry fare. We then booked another 2 Dublin gigs. They came over for a weekend and did a Dublin tour. Their Attic gig nearly brought about the downfall of the floor. The place was packed and despite Lenny’s frantic efforts people just wouldn’t stop dancing. The plaster was coming off the ceiling below and the floor was literally shaking.

Those who weren’t dancing were standing on tables and seats. It was crazy. The Grattan on the following Monday evening was only slightly more refined. Very slightly.

Rebellion 2016 – Day 3

The ruts take the opera house by storm

Rebellion 2016 – day 3

Nothing like a bit or raucous punk folk to start the day. I didn’t make it to black pitts but will catch them in Dublin soon I hope. Matilda’s Scoundrel were on the introducing stage and judging by the receptive crowd they weren’t being introduced to many. Accordion, mandolin, tin whistle with guitar, bass and drums drumming up some sing along punk anthems

Dunstan bruce has a very interesting story to tell and he is not only doing that on the literary stage he is in thee process of making a movie about it. The first phase of his Kickstarter campaign was successful but more funding is now required to get into the edit stage. Chumbabwamba played a folk set at rebellion just before their hiatus and Dunstan wasn’t around then but he is now back with his new band interrobang. Before their live set though he had a story to tell. Unfortunately johnny wah wah was asking the questions so there was little insight, it kind of feels like the questions are made up on the spot. Maybe the intention is to come across like two friends having a conversation over a drink and we did get to hear that chumbabwamba wanted to be a northern version of Crass whilst listening to the fall and the mekons.

Dunstan started interrobang as he still feels the need to be part of something that wants to change the world, be part of a movement. Their sound does hark back to that post punk era Complete with loud hauler found at your nearest protest march. We get a brief break during the set when all three start screaming “I’m mad as hell. I’m not gonna take it anymore”. Dunstan even travels through the audience while we politely applaud. Great to see the evolving sound and message of wanting to change the world still being strong 30 years after I got a reply from my first letter to hin

Shot! were on the introducing stage. Rocky punk sound. Again the new band stage is shining, no inhibitions as bands give it everything in this small room. Rooms like this is where the bands playing on the larger stages in the venue all started out. This kind of energy too

One of the bands I was most looking forward to see as part of this festival was the spoilers. They are on new band stage clashing with Carol Hodge, channel 3 and hifi spitfires. But it doesn’t matter. They are nearly worth the admission price alone (it’s a lot of money just for one band). spoilers storm this rebellion introducing stage. They pop us in and punk us out. Catchy tunes that demand you join their gang. Bizarrely enough it was the worst sound that I’ve seen in that venue but still you could reach out and touch the power

Dick Lucas has now added artist to his repertoire as he has an exhibition in the punk art and even had some sold stickers on his paintings. The time culture Shock don’t play rebellion will find the festival with a huge hole to fill. Regular entertainers with their ska tinged punk filling the outdoor tower arena

I keep hearing and reading that there is a rebellion family and it is a great opportunity for people to catch up. I’m usually pretty introverted and love saying hello to people but after that start to struggle a bit. I’ve decided to try and work on this so go up and say hi to a few I see annually but had some connection with since playing in my first band in 1984. Socialising I think you call it :). It was great to catch up with people but meant I missed out on Jfa and the wall. I did get to hear the angelic upstarts as i stood on the road chatting and searching for wifi so I could see how the dubs were progressing in their football match. There was a huge turnout for the upstarts, a larger entrance had to be opened. I first saw the band in Blackpool in 1984 and they played many songs from that night, and played them just as well.

So the next dilemma of stage time clashes!! Hard skin won out to louise distras, flat back four and the Newtown neurotics. I had to hear the between song banter of the second biggest anti fascist band playing here. I even got to hear some new skinhead anthems that hard skin have written, oh wait hang on – they weren’t new they were just written this decade. I think the north pier theatre in Blackpool are looking to book hard skin for a residency. Comic genius but an undercurrent of reality, the mark Thomas of oi..

Got three neurotic songs which was a real bonus, could have done without the effects on the vocals though

The weird and wonderful world of Spizz / Spizz energi / Spizz athletico 80 waqs next – definitely Spizz energi now and it gave me. chance to sit down, restore some energy and not worry about beer being thrown for a while. I don’t know what it is about gigs that makes people think they can just throw a glass with liquid in it up in the air. One sped past my head at hard skin and the goon that threw it just smiled and said sorry. Lucky for me I’m old and not bothered these days otherwise I probably wouldn’t have seen anything other than a red mist for the rest of the night )and maybe even a+e after an inevitable defeat. Spizz took the stage in full make up, bleached blond hair and lights on his fingers and eyes. I wonder if he looks like that on his bus pass ticket? now that would be a statement. New wave music that only moved enough to make me leave so I could catch some cockney rejects before the last acoustic set of the day.

I stumbled across the end of the hobo jones acoustic set and what a sight. 350 punks singing along to sheena is a punk rocker with the lyrics changed for a little girl who requested last year they play a ramones song. It was the cutest request they ever received so they agreed to learn another one for this year. Of course they forgot until today and then charged it for Sydney. We all sang and clapped. Sydney danced and it was one of those magic rebellion momentsl, of which there are many

Henry Cluney, acoustic set rebellion

Henry Cluney was the original guitarist in Stiff Little Fingers, a hugely influential band. Slf are playing tomorrow night and their influence can be heard right throughout the weekend. Henry is no longer playing with the band, plying his own wares in xSLF. His acoustic set is a joy to behold as he packs the room to the rafters. Again the respect is just oozing in the room. Henry is part of a huge Irish contingent over for the festival. Not just consumers of what’s on offer, like me, but many artists here this weekend. A long list. Those Slf songs sound as good acoustically and rebellion is a perfect avenue for this but is not its about what was happening in 1976, 79,82 or whatever wave was going on. Yep some bands are still playing this songs the same way but with the songs stripped down to the bare guitar and vocals cluney has the acoustic room in his hands, hundreds singing along dreaming of that other world we all thought was possible

Ruts are another that have evolved. Death has seen to that. But wow have they evolved. We are the flock and the ruts are our pastors. Each year they play an amazing set and throw in a new song or two, The Dub element in their sound is lessening bu us still prevalent. The newer songs hark back to their original day, If Rebellion is one big happy family then the rus are the relatives everyone opes will visit.

My last band for the day are Paranoid Visions playing with Steve Ignorant. WIth Steve on board the visioins play a more straight forward punk set. It’s a packed stage, chaotic and powerful, they even sneak in a cover of a crass song at the end. Do they owe us a living? Well do they? Top class

FUAL, Coitus, Paranoid Visions, Ciunas – Dublin 1991

May 18 1991

FUAL, Coitus, Paranoid Visions, Ciunas

Charlie’s

This was the first gig since the farce of no-one turning up to see The Keatons the previous month. Coitus were based in England and featured Skinny, who used to be in
Paranoid Visions. FUAL were from Belfast and were doing an Irish tour.. Both bands asked to play on the same day so they were accommodated together. Paranoid Visions also played this gig and the records show they were given £5 for their efforts. To their credit Paranoid Visions made nothing of this fact.

They did get to play a gig with some friends. I don’t know what is worse: playing a gig and getting nothing for a gig or glaying a gig and being given a fiver.

Vicarious Living, Support – Dublin 1984

GIG

This was the first gig I was ever involved in. For Christmas 1983 my friend Andy and
I decided to get guitars and form a band. A friend of ours, Paul, played drums in Artane
Boys band so we got him involved. We had been listening to my brothers’ record collection
for a few years and got a Clash book so we could do some Clash songs.
We went to see Dublin punk band Paranoid Visions play a few gigs and thought they were brilliant. They weren’t professionals, they just got up on stage and made a racket but they also had stuff to say in their songs. This was great to us. British bands like Crass, Flux Of Pink Indians and Partisans were favourites of ours so we got the band going knowing that if they could do it, we could too.

After learning how to play (!) we decided to do a gig. I had been to see The Gorehounds play in Tommy Dunne’s Tavern so I knew it was available for live music. I rang up the manager and asked could I book 2 gigs. To my astonishment he said yes so we were ready. My brother John was drafted in on vocals. Some other friends had formed a ‘serious’ band (in that they knew how to play their instruments) but they had no name. We asked them to play and put them down on the (handwritten) poster as “SUPPORT”.

We didn’t think about it at the time but that band then called themselves “Support” and it
made me reflect upon how we use that word all the time in music. It has become a pet peeve of mine, as I felt embarrassed that we had the audacity to label them that way’. I know it’s just a word but its use can be widely interpreted. We pestered all our friends and associates to go to the gig and to our surprise 70 people came along. During the second week Deko, singer from Paranoid Visions, got up on stage and sang along to one of our songs. We felt it couldn’t get any better than this

 

Splintered, Paranoid Visions, The Grown Ups Dublin 1991

 

Feb 2 1991

Splintered, Paranoid Visions, The Grown Ups

Charlies Bar

The Attic’s management were tiring of the afternoon gigs with No Age Restrictions and a new, slightly bigger venue called Charlie’s approached ‘Hope’. They said they would go with Saturday afternoon gigs and would agree to let in Under 18s. Charlie’s Bar on Aungier Street was to be home to many gigs for the next 9 months. Saturday afternoon seemed a better time for a gig. People go into town anyway on a Saturday. More and more people had been in contact about coming over so we tried to go with a regular No Age Restrictions event every fortnight in Charlie’s – Perfect!

Richo from Grim Humour fanzine was in a band called Splintered and they wanted to visit Ireland. We agreed a suitable date and got a (a fee-paying) gig in Trinity. The Splintered gig was my introduction to a hair crimpers. The first thing Richo requested when he got to my house (after a long carferry journey) was “where’s the socket for my hair crimpers”? My guitar tuner went missing after this gig. The fact that it had been a recent Christmas present made it worse. To my knowledge this was the only time something vanished at a Hope gig.

We Shall Overcome benefit Paranoid Visions, I AM A Carcrash. Checkpoint, The Black Pitts, Kiss My Acid, Cross Guns

October 2 2015

We Shall Overcome benefit

Paranoid Visions, I AM A Carcrash. Checkpoint, The Black Pitts, Kiss My Acid, Cross Guns

Fibber Magees

Membranes, Paranoid Visions, Kill Devil Hill – Dublin 1986

April 7 1986

Membranes, Paranoid Visions, Kill Devil Hill

Belvedere Hotel

Hugo asked me to join a band with him, Kill Devil Hill. He also did a fanzine. While putting it together, Hugo came across John Robb, editor of another ‘zine called “The Rox”. John was also lead singer in The Membranes. Hugo asked John why they hadn’t played Ireland and he said that nobody had asked him and it grew from there. Simple as that. My assistance to Hugo for that tour entailed mixing flour and water and using it as a paste to stick posters up around buildings in Dublin city. There were no official poster sites at that stage and whilst it was technically illegal to put up posters there were never any repercussions if you weren’t caught in the act. Unlike currently, where one can be fined if caught postering illegally.

Ringing contact numbers for venues listed in the Hot Press Yearbook, Hugo asked if they were interested in a British band playing? He got a good response from people in Drogheda and Limerick; they were willing to give The Membranes money to play and also to allow Kill Devil Hill to do the gigs Hugo then booked a Dublin venue, the Belvedere Hotel, and asked a mixture of bands that crossed musical genres to play. All readily agreed and, with over 200 people there, the gig was a huge success The Membranes were delighted to be able to tour another country and to see places they’d never been to before. The fact that they got paid was a bonus. We travelled around Ireland with the band and got to experience their enthusiasm. That enthusiasm infected me.

Hope Show 115 – the lowdown

Hope Show 115 – the lowdown

 

Hope Show 115
1. Black Bank Folk w/ Damien Dempsey – Aunt Jenny
2. The Clash – White Riot
3. Paranoid Visions – From Dublin With Love
4. Against Me – Pints of guinness makes you strong
5. The Three Johns – The World of the workers is wild
6. Half Man Half Biscuit – National Shite Day
7. The Redskins – Lev Bronstein
8. The Neurotics – Take Strike Action
9. Hard Skin – The Kids Are Innocent
10. The Ex – Walt’s Dizzyland
11. The Evens – All These Governors
12. Fugazi – Merchandise

Starting off tonight with local Dublin folksters who have just released an album celebrating the events of Easter Week in 1916 in Ireland. Damien Dempsey has a song on the record celebrating the joint effort put in by women that somehow has been erased from that fight. The invisible ink is reappearing and thanks to songs like this (and the events themselves) they are getting noticed once more.
As the Rebellion was pretty much a riot why not get the Clash to celebrate it. Actually tonights show whilst coinciding with 100 Easter festivals since the Rising in 1916 is more of a ode to a list of favourite albums that i was asked to compile. I found it almost impossible to limit to double digits never mind fourteen. I tried but in vain. The Clash were top of that list though, no question.
Top Irish band is Paranoid Visions, hands down. Steadily releasing on the button songs reflecting the thoughts of a generation, a generation being ignored. From Dublin with love is from their 1983 demo.

Against Me made my list – their Reinventn’ axl rose album really is a class record. When I first heard it I was ready to follow their revolution but really you need to make your own. ‘Pints of Guinness makes you strong’ is not really encouraging you to drink guinness, sure it’s not even vegetarian.

One thing that has really struck me this week is how quick people are to dismiss a group of workers on strike if it means inconveniencing them. Our Luas (tram) drivers are on strike for better pay and conditions. The latest offer recommended by mediators was dismissed 99% by the workers. That shows a committed and united workforce. So they won’t go to work on Easter Sunday, they will stay home, eat easter eggs and not get paid. Many people will wish to get into the city to see the Easter Parade, celebrating the work of James Connolly and other Volunteers who gave up their life to create a republic. Some of these people would have travelled by luas and now they can’t. Is that reason not to support workers in their struggle?

The Redskins would have always supported strike action, as would have the Newtown Neurotics. These bands, along with the three Johns and Billy Bragg gave me a musical introduction into trade unions. I then moved on to Woody Guthries and other
traditional songs but these bands took the music I listened to and said, workers whould be in unions and picket lines should always be respected.

Hard Skin were near to my list of albums, didn’t quite get there but i thought you’d like to hear the kids are innocent.

The Ex did make it and could have been in there a few times. A more recent, if 2001 can be classed as recent, release made the list. Dizzy Spells is 12 classics mixed into an overall great. Walts Dizzyland is top of my mix when dj’ing too.

The recorded output of Dischord records could have made up my top 10, it certainly is one of the seminal labels. I’ve taken 2 with an Ian McKaye mix but there’s a lot more that could have been in here.

I’ve left it short as I need to start walking to town 🙂

niallhope