It should be said that this is not the usual style of music for this particular reviewer but finding themselves in Glasgow, they decided to go along to check out the iconic Barrowlands and of course the infamous obnoxious Australian bar punks The Chats who have clearly ascended from their local bar scene since they started out with a self titled E.P. Since then they have released another E.P followed by their first album High Risk Behaviour’ on their own label Bargain Bin Records in 2020 and now they are here to tour the latest 2022 release Get Fucked on yet another world tour. Allegedly being one of Scotland’s favourite punk bands the show is unsurprisingly sold out
The first band we catch is The Chisel from London with Frank Carter style vocals with a Turbo Negro style rock n roll sound at some points but mostly an urgent more old school chanting OI punk, pogo round like maniac vibe – with a bit of hardcore for good measure. Featuring galloping drums, strumming and racing riffs they whip through short sharp bursts of anti capitalist anger, warming up the crowd to the perfect pent up temperament/temperature for The Chats
The Aussie trio unassumingly walk on stage with a kind of ‘don’t give a fuck without the arrogance’ attitude and singer Eamon Sandwith, adorned in a Budweiser vest cut off and denim shorts clutching a beer greets the rabid crowd with an unmistakable Aussie twang “Hello Glasgow, how the hell are ya!?” before launching into an older track from 2018 ‘Nambored’ playfully toying with the pace of riffage while slowing down and speeding up, Sandwith nonchalantly half talks half yells into the mic.
The crowd get rowdier with each short burst of the 25 tracks, (basically their entire discography) and get riled into a moshing and crowd surfing frenzy with the new singles ‘6l GTR’and ‘Struck by Lightning’ from 2022’s Get Fucked. Even a wheelchair is spotted crowd surfing (though it will not be the first nor the last time this has happened) Ripping through a raging set of raucous and raw punk hit tracks which the audience (including yours truly due to the catchiness roar along to with great gusto. Overall, it’s really nothing new but the feverish and contagious energy means it is hard to not stay still and just forget oneself in favour of being carried away by ridiculous music with on agenda or ego. Think old school Ramones, but what they do they obviously do fucking well and have clearly captured the hearts of the Barras as well as punk fans all over the world. Closing with a rendition of Kiss’s ‘Rock and Roll’ all night as well as hit track ‘Smoko’ (which definitely gets the biggest sing along) is a great way to close the party, albeit ear;l and without an encore though it is disappointing to be herded outside in the sweaty mass into the rain quite so abruptly and indeed so early, perhaps somewhat ironically for the final track.
Words and Images – Abi Coulson // Darktones Photography
