Sleaford Mods @ UEA Waterfront, Norwich - April 13, 2019

As per, I'd checked out openers LIINES before the show and thought they were okay, a bit shouty-droney but basically a good punk sound, so we showed up in plenty of time to catch their set.

And damn, am I glad. They were so fucking tight! I was really, really impressed. If you get a chance to see this threesome live, go!

more review to come...










Setlist: (approximate)
Into the Payzone
Flipside
Subtraction
Stick In A Five and Go
Kebab Spider
Policy Cream
TCR
B.H.S.
Top It Up
Just Like We Do
Bang Someone Out
Setlist: 
Jolly Fucker
Jobseeker
Tied Up in Nottz
Tarantula Deadly Cargo
Discourse

Sleaford Mods @ Roundhouse - September 22, 2018

We missed Grey Hairs, only hearing the final song as we were entering and checking out the merch table. Consumer Electronics were the other openers and were ferociously loud and sonically challenging. It reminded me of some of the more abrasive Industrial music of the 90s, so parts did appeal to me, but it was all too much and the earplugs went in quickly as we backed to the far wall. My loose cargo pants were vibrating against my legs it was that loud!

This is my second time seeing Sleaford Mods, and I very much doubt the last time. It hasn't even been a year since the Norwich gig I went to, but I snapped up the tickets when I saw they were going to be doing a couple shows at the Roundhouse, a great venue.

These shows were to support their new EP and they played every track. In fact of the 18 songs, 9 were new or songs they didn't play last show I saw. They opened with two new tracks, Flipside and Subtraction, that aren't even on the new EP, but possibly will be on their next album they have planned for Spring 2019.

The new EP tracks, beginning with the first single Stick In a Five and Go, were interspersed between firm fan favourites that sent the moshpit jumping and shoving. The only other surprise was a 2014 Divide and Exit track, From Rags to Richards that they don't play live often. Tonight they skipped the pantomime of an encore, plowing through an energizing final run from Jobseeker to Tweet Tweet Tweet.

The stage is the same sparse setup as always, but Jason Williamson is getting to be even more of an amazing performer to watch. All the ticks and physicality are present along with some more, bolder playing about. Another great show. I'm excited to keep going to their shows.

Setlist
Flipside
Subtraction
Stick In a Five and Go
Moptop
Just Like We Do
Giddy on the Ciggies
TCR
Joke Shop
Bang Someone Out
From Rags to Richards
Routine Dean
Jolly Fucker
You're Brave
BHS
Dregs
Gallows Hill
Fizzy
Jobseeker
Tied Up in Nottz
Tarantula Deadly Cargo
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Sleaford Mods @ UEA, Norwich - November 8, 2017

Janey turned me onto TCR about a year ago and I was immediately hooked. I don't get crazy excited about many bands these days, but I am so impressed and obsessed with Sleaford Mods. They are proof music can still deeply effect me. It seems fitting that the duo are about my age, and so was a large part of the crowd at tonight's show. But this isn't sad old people music. This is punk and vibrant and angry as fuck. Even if Jason Williamson denies being punk; this is the very definition in 2017.

Openers Nachthexen are a female quartet with a keyboard replacing the guitar in the usual expected line-up. They don't have a full album released yet, just a couple of EPs (if that's what they're still called). Their sound is very reminiscent of X-Ray Spex, particularly the female screamy lyrics. I'm sure their sound will grow and diversify before much longer, but what they have right now is still pretty good and appealing. All four have a disinterested stage presence; too cool or too focused on their instruments to do much else.

Jason Williamson has the polar opposite of a disinterested stage presence! He is mesmerizing to watch. His physicality is irrepressible, full of posturing, twitching, and tics and marching around with the mic stand. The lighting set up and plain backdrop silhouettes clouds of dispersing spit as he raps his vitriolic lyrics. Andrew Fearn, the music producer as it were, seemed to be loving the night, frequently grinning as he vigourously bops his head along to the beats he's created.

The setlist is very English Tapas heavy. My pre-show research showed that they don't vary the setlist, so I knew not to expect some of my favourite tracks from their earlier albums. But, as this is my first time seeing them, I didn't mind at all. It helps that I love just about everything they do. Out of the 15 songs pre-encore, the SMs played 11 of the 12 tracks on their recent album. We got TCR mid-set which fired everyone up, and then an absolute cracker of an encore, which a group of young men couldn't resist, rushing down front to start up a moshpit. Perfect.

As fits the age of the band and the crowd, the volume wasn't deafening and the sound was incredibly clean and clear. The only tiny downside was the lights on the crowd that messed with taking a decent photo, but I did my best. Next time they play nearby, I'm going! With their current output of new material, it shouldn't be long before they're on the road with a new batch of songs. Top!

Setlist:
I Feel So Wrong
Army Nights
Just Like We Do
Snout
Moptop
Dull
Carlton Touts
I Can Tell
TCR
Time Sands
Routine Dean
Jolly Fucker
Drayton Manored
Cuddly
BHS
Encore:
Jobseeker
Tied Up in Nottz
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