Not only do I dislike the word veteran in relation to bands like NoMeansNo, the lazy genre box that is progressive punk joins in too. What exactly is the reader supposed to think when they see, “Veteran progressive punks from Vancouver”? Ugh. It’s punk rock beyond three chords and depending on how much Pro Tooling your favourite band needs, your mileage may vary.
In Scotland, no-one will say a bad word about any post-rock band no matter how derivative they are. It’s almost as if music writers’ think, “cool, let’s get an Explosions in the Sky / Codeine reference in there” and then proceed to cream their pants. I enjoy air-drumming to that sort of thing as much as the next music obsessive but it does reveal how blinkered the thinking can be on occasion. Genre bias pisses me off. Let’s just get that one out of the way. It’s one of the reasons why it’s taken so long for people to realise that The Hazey Janes from Dundee are excellent. But this isn’t about them. It’s about NoMeansNo, the idea of progressive punk and their Scottish support bands.
Two of Scotland’s most interesting bands who walk their own non-hipster path will be supporting NoMeansNo this month.
Recommended gig action ahoy!
Hey Enemy are opening the Glasgow Stereo show where you’ll likely be able to pick up a copy of their latest album. Never have I been disappointed by their live shows and this will be no different. If you want to get full value for your ticket make sure to get down early and hear their own take on noisy rock.
Stereo’s website sums up the show’s headliners:
NOMEANSNO define post-modernist hardcore. They are intelligent, articulate, studied, thoughtful, violent, passionate, intense, and playful. Acclaimed by peers and adored by fans, this musically adept trio has consistently thrilled sweaty crowds around the world. The band is a punk rock success story, albeit on their own terms, well hidden beneath the radar of the music industry.
Fat Goth return to Edinburgh’s Electric Circus venue to open a show that, fingers crossed, will continue to build their fanbase in the capital.
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
NOMEANSNO + HEY ENEMY, GLASGOW STEREO, SUNDAY 26 MAY, £13
NOMEANSNO + FAT GOTH, EDINBURGH ELECTRIC CIRCUS, TUESDAY 28 MAY, £12
You can listen to their albums on Spotify right now if you’re so inclined.
