Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

Adam Ant
02 Academy Birmingham
1st June 2011

Tonight Ladies and Gentlemen I've come to see the YELLOW DOG. I don't mean to be rude, I'm just speaking frankly. Do you know what I mean when I say I've come to see the YELLOW DOG? No? Well I'll try and explain.

For the last 32 I've been quite happy to own only ONE LP by Adam Ant, his 1979 debut an album that has unquestionably stood the test of time, inspired a multitude and helped to name the first Young Knives LP. OK so also bought the Jubilee Soundtrack album as well but let's not go there for a moment. After 1980 had been and gone though, my personal taste demanded that Adam Ant and I part company as he rapidly progressed into a brand of PANTO POP PUNK PASTICHE that wasn't for me - but was most definitely for just about everyone else.

Tonight then, as I've already said I'm the disinterested one, I'm not a fan of Adam Ant. I've come simply to gawp - to see the YELLOW DOG. And I hate this. I hate the disinterested. The people who moan about standing for too long, who constantly take pictures of themselves and then leave after they've heard the bands biggest hit. But tonight I'm one of them. I'm not one of the faithful wrapped in the Jolly Roger or with Warpaint smeared across my face. I'm not bedecked in a volumous white shirt with long lace sleeves either. I wish I was, but I'm not one of the passionate gang waiting to revel in what they are about to receive, I've simply come see the YELLOW DOG.

PS: The Dirk with the white sox was of course Dirk Bogarde and if your interested in completely daft (or cult films) "The Singer, Not The Song" has just been re-released on DVD. Dirk as a cowboy in one of the most totally bonkers homo erotic films of all time - quality.

But before Mr Ant there were three support bands to take in, only two can be mentioned. Firstly "Dressing for Pleasure" a 3 piece from Birmingham - I'm going to be NICE here, really I am, because "Dressing for Pleasure" were very NICE - however it may involve me indulging in a massive dollop of disingenuousness. "Dressing for Pleasure" are a three piece consisting of a Andy Murray looky-likey on drums (luckily called Andy) and two young sisters who I can honestly say were more decorative than any of the Sheleighly Sisters (I may have lost you here - yeah?).

Now I could spout my usual boring line about bands who aren't really ready to be filling support roles on natinal tours but who wants to hear that shit, and anyway I'm being NICE. DFP came armed with three chords and a charmingly melodic bunch of songs, they did their stuff NICELY enough until mid set they announced they were going to a cover of the Clash's "Should I Stay or should I Go". Because as they said "We only like music prior to 1990".........oh dear. Someone in the crowd shouted out "You aren't Joe Strummer". So lead singer Naomi Hewston replied "Tonight, I am Joe Strummer!" Of course this was charming and NICE and amused most of the assembled. However, for the record, and especially for the shouty dimwit in the crowd - JOE STRUMMER DIDN'T SING "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO" IT WAS FUCKING MICK! Well last time I saw The Clash it was. Or perhaps I'm wrong, perhaps I've taken a blow to the head, perhaps my name is Willard and I live on a psychedelic trampoline in bouncy twating bouncy land. No, apparently I don't, I'm right I just forgot momentarily that I'm living in the age of the idiot - RANT OVER!

Now let's go back to being NICE. Oh right "Dressing for Pleasure" have finished and up next were KRAKATOA, who ambled, nay shuffled on, with a lead singer looking like the mercurial Mancunian monkey man and a rhythm guitarist who looked like Pete Townsend's grandson. I braced myself for pain - it never came. Coz these London kids were fuckin alright. For many years I've wondered what Oasis would have sounded like if Noel had listened less to the Sex Pistols, Slade and the New Seekers and more to The Clash. Now I know, they'd have sounded like Krakatoa. For thirty minutes or so they segued from Rock into Reggae from Harmonica to Melodica and back again - playing as fucking' tight as a duck's doo da and warming up the assembled old farts in the process. I'd like to say more but I don't do hyperbole - I can only just pronounce it. Top band - roll the dice - find out for yourself - GO LISTEN. And also I'm guessing KRAKATOA are a band that would know MICK JONES NOT JOE STRUMMER SUNG "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO"!

Then after a long intro which saw Adam Ant's new band take to the stage and the man himself sprint across the back of the stage, he started at the start with "Plastic Surgery". For a moment the crowd twitched to the beat and stretched they're ears - all was well - there wasn't a problem - the boy could still hack it. Most of the hits got an outing "Goody Two Shoes", "Prince Charming" with cross armed accompaniment from the aficionados. "Stand and Deliver" Ho! apparently. "Dog Eat Dog" "Ant Music" and "Kings of the Wild Frontier" were all reeled off with pin point precision but Adam Ant glistened the most each time he donned his guitar. During "Car Trouble" and "Vive Le Rock" and when talking about Johnny Thunders was when he really came alive and dangerous and rock 'n' roll - strutting - gliding - invincible.

There were tales from the life and times of Adam Ant to punctuate the songs (a load of expletives and vitriol hit the necessary targets of U2 and Roxy music). "Deutscher Girls" and "Lady" and "Cleopatra" from days of yore got an outing and there was Bolan's "Get it On (Bang a Gong) as an encore - again Ant was at his most insatiable here, armed with an immortal riff, a semi acoustic and an egotists swagger his tongue was between the teeth rather than firmly in his cheek.

A topless Ant rounded things off "Physical (You're So)" by which time the faithful, the fans, the disinterested and those who'd just come to see the YELLOW DOG had gratefully received all that he had offered.

And so we shuffled off and out into the black Birmingham night now fully reacquainted with a credible and visceral Adam Ant able to exist comfortably without the full panoply of froth and foolery that once surrounded him. The new LP "Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying The Gunner's Daughter" is due for release next year - it may happen - it may not - albums have been ditched and superseded before. Adam Ant has never travelled a straight untrammelled line his future has always been uncertain. But tonight I have to begrudgingly admit he was damned good, the Heart of a Punk still beats within him and after more than thirty years, bizarrely, I find I'm suddenly interested in ADAM ANT.