Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

HMV Institute Birmingham 9th April 2011

Yes I know after The Sugarmill in February I said I wasn't going to see The Vaccines again, but, well, shoot me, I lied, I thought I'd give them one last look. So here we are back at the HMV Institute not even 5 months since we saw The Vaccines at the HMV Library (a 300 punter gaff) at the end of last year. It's the Institute proper they're playing tonight (a 1100 punter gaff) and hey, it's a sell out!

And now The Vaccines have got BIG proper merchandise stall! And BIG fluffy towels! And Pete Robertson has a BIG drum riser to sit on! And Árni Hjörvar has got a BIG new stage personae (he sort of freezes stock still every now and again) yeah! And there are young people in the BIG crowd! And everyone's up for it, BIG time! "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by Talking Heads was played just before the Vaccines came on - it came back to me later and I dug out some old videos, see later.

The Vaccines had revamped set for this last gig of the tour "Under Your Thumb" kicked things off instead of "Wreckin Bar". What? I can't deal with these changes. I didn't take any photos coz all and sundry were doing it. And I won't waste anymore ink here coz everyone knows what The Vaccines sound like now, The Vaccines are suddenly everyone's favourite band. So like "Tyres" in "Spaced" whilst folk are going ape shit and the band are playing "Nørgaard" I will exit stage door left and slip away into the night nodding my head in sure and certain affirmation. Bye bye Vaccines, keep away from "Minor Threat" they were nothing but a cul de sac on the highway of zip. Try "Dignified and Old" by Modern Lovers instead, and remember read the words on the blimp, they're there for you, be lucky, tonight The World is Yours!

But before we go let's talk about the first support for The VACCINES a four piece combo called The Caezars (see above). They've got the sound and they've got the look but do they have the luck? Rock n' Rockabilly Punk - razor sharp suits - razor sharp features - greased black - jet black - slicked back quiffs - Rickenbacker riffs - Roddy Radiation should have been here to see this. Thirty minutes of straight up blistering Rock n Roll with a cover of Plan B's "She Said" shoved into their set for good measure. (So I'm told). Personally I'd rather have heard them play anything by Dr Feelgood coz the guitarist had a touch of the young Wilko about him - but what do I know. The Caezers a mightily good rock n rockabilly band - so if that's your bag find them out and find out for yourself. GO HERE

"It's All Good" by The Vaccines - in case you couldn't tell