Now that’s what I call music

While the rich and famous were rubbing shoulders with David Cameron at the Friends of the Earth fundraiser gig in Camden (cost price £55 a head, far more on ebay), Globalise Resistance endeavoured to provide some free, top quality entertainment for those who had been on the streets over the weekend.

A sweaty airless room, no stage, no ‘security’ around the band, an attitude of two fingers to the management (both the venue’s and the band’s), the band fucking rocked. Once we could open the doors (this was punk, never smooth OK?) the bouncers prepared to id the entire queue. Given that the average age of punters was about 16 or 17 that could have proved problematic, but a couple of words in the right ears and we overcame the situation. Trigger Box was the unannounced support act, and it’s always a surprise to get a talented bunch of musicians that actually benefit the gig like that - they did and their version of that classic “My Sharrona” was great. I never thought I’d use the words in the last sentence in that order, but I have checked it and I still mean it.

Anti-Flag, being told by their management they could do no more than 5 songs and play for no more than 30 minutes treated the instructions with appropriate disdain and really rocked. Sharing the mics for most of the gig with the front row of the audience, Anti-Flag do politics, they don’t do subtlety. We didn’t want subtlety anyway. Fuck Police Brutality raised the rafters and the finale, a cover of the Clash’s White Riot was brilliant. This was young angry raw and political. It was a joy to be there, and gigs like this only come along once in a while.

If you missed it, Anti-Flag will be playing the Astoria on Sat 13 May. There, you will be able to encounter ticket touts, squeeze up against the barriers, get hassled for anything from the bouncers, pay for a ticket, stand about 10 yards from the band and go home. It might be worth it but last night was how it should be - always.