It's Wednesday, it's raining hard, it's cold and....Rock City is packed. No one was gonna be put off and at stay home if The Chats were in town. It's time to party..!!
A mix of young and old punks had filled the Rock City main hall to celebrate The Chats' beloved music, and they were not disappointed. First support came from London, a band called Rifle, a kick-in-the face style of punk that instantly won the crowd's attention. A hard-edged, no-nonsense approach to their music and a retro feel that took me back to the furious 1980s' US hardcore sounds. Formed in 2022 and with a debut EP and album under their belts, these guys have a lot to prove. You have been warned!
The main support band (does that even make sense considering Rifle were so good?) was The Prize from Melbourne, who have supported The Chats throughout the European/UK tour. A five-piece power pop, pop punk, polished punk, punk punk sound consisting of drums, bass, 3 guitarists and vocals. Cleverly crafted three-part guitar harmonies, economical but driving bass lines and rock steady drums delivered a perfect wall of sound. These guys even shared out singing duties and they are a band who are destined to achieve greater days ahead. You have been warned again.
After a never ending sound check - sorry guys, I know it can sometimes be difficult to get the sound right - The Chats from Queensland, Australia invaded the stage at 101 mph. They take their name from Australian slang for gross or disgusting, but what's not to like about these guys. A no nonsense approach, playing fast songs at a relentless pace is never easy but this band made it look effortless and their love for the fans came over loud and clear.
Eamon Sandwith gave thanks to the crowd for turning up on a wet and miserable Wednesday night and even showed respect for the folks who had to work the next day! With just three musicians on drums, bass and guitar delivering a huge slab of sound, dare I say the partnership of Sandwith and Boggis on bass and drums reminded me of Motorhead's approach, an impeccable tight a/f foundation that set Josh Hardy free to do whatever he wanted with his guitar riffing frenzy.
If all this was not enough to give a great show, the lads made sure to include some of their best songs including Smoko, 6L GTR, The Price Of Smokes and the brilliant anthem Pub Feed.
A final show of appreciation and thanks to the crowd and they were gone, leaving the fans to face the wind and rain. Please come back soon The Chats, and thank you for a great evening.
The Chats performed at Rock City on 4th December 2024.
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