Style 43

Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, Useless I.D & The Remnants @ Bristol Academy, 06/06/09.

Starting off the night were Bristol’s own Pop Punkers, The Remnants, or as I like to call them, The Green Idols. Kicking off their set with live favourite “Square One” The Remnants proceed to fit in as many songs as they can in to a half hour slot, making the most of the space they were given and working the crowd in to a small frenzy. I can definitely see these nerds becoming a force to be reckoned with in the near future.

Main support tonight were Jerusalem’s own Useless I.D, I seem to remember these guys being a lot faster a few years ago. Even though their musical style has seemed to change and they’re not really my cuppa tea they still play an outstanding set with infectious vocal melodies (the kind that will stick in your head for a while) Useless I.D really make the place their own and managed to win over at least half the crowd leaving the stage victorious.

Now! What can I say about Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s, well for those who know of them know that they are a covers band and play some of the most amazing covers of that can be done I think. Except for one person who was overheard saying “I have never heard or seen this band before but I seem to know a lot of the songs, weird”. Featuring Fat Mike (NOFX), Joey Cape (LAGWAGON), Spike (Swingin’ Utters), Scott (Face To Face) and Dave (Lag wagon and RKL), these legends presented themselves in front of the 1,400 (That’s a rough guess) excited fans, in lovely tight white trousers and Hawaiian shirts.

With no introduction needed, they start with the hit “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and automatically the crowd turns in to one giant pit of sweaty but happy souls. Leading in to “Rocket Man” and playing lots of favourites such as “End of the Road“, “Blowing in the Wind”, “Only the Good Die Young”, “I Believe I Can Fly”, “Me and Julio Down By the School Yard” and many more. The one hour or so set seemed to fly by, but what I would say, and I think everybody there would agree, is it was fucking awesome.

Review by Mertle Strangler.

Photography by Nathan Hicks.

www.myspace.com/gimmegimmes

www.myspace.com/uselessidfanclub

www.myspace.com/thebloodyremnants

Tags: Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, The Remnants