buzzcocksfan: Three Day Millionaires, Traits, Ericbana. The Venue, Northallerton. 08.07.17.

Promoted by Flame Squad Gigs.

The Venue in Northallerton has been putting on decent gigs on a regular basis for a couple of years now. Tonight there’s four bands for six quid. Four punk bands for six quid. Bargain, especially if even only one of them turns out to be really good. Unfortunately by the time I get there the bill has dropped to three bands due to Natterers pulling out. A shame as I was thinking they were going to be my favourite band of the night.

Things are kicked off by ERICBANA– hardcore punk from Harrogate – whose short, but loud and chaotic set sees frontman Coop spend the whole half hour in the crowd encouraging them to come closer and dance. And, whilst they don’t dance they do get up out of the sofas that are scattered round the edge of the room and join in with the banter, and the jokes, between songs. Songs that fill the room with wall to wall noise – slashing guitar, heavy bass and thumping drums. Hardcore punk it is. Shouty punk it is. If rants of “I don’t fucking like you” is your thing they do it well.

Check them out here - Ericbana

ERICBANA

Next up come Traits, a four piece punk rock band from Leeds who from the opening notes of the opening song hook you right in. This is punk in its more traditional form. It’s loud, it’s thrashy, it’s fast. It’s also tuneful, catchy, foot tapping stuff. Songs to play really loud while you get ready to head out for a great night when you know you’re going to have a blast.

They’re tight. Jon Simmons guitar playing not too far from that classic infectious buzzsaw sound and as he shifts around his small area of stage you wonder how much energy he’d put into things given a bigger venue, Dan Powell delivers a pounding beat on drums which together with some tight bass playing by Joe Tilston provides a perfect backdrop to the punk-pop vocals of Jonny Smith. Powerful, honest songs about trust, narcissism and the fact that we’re all a dick sometimes.

It’s a great set that’s over too soon.

Check them out here - Traits

Traits

The huge riffs and full on attitude of punk rock headliners Three Day Millionaires is the perfect end to a great night. Relentless energy, gritty, rasping vocals from Daniel Harrison, supercharged drumming from Jamie Dean and grating guitar riffs from Adam Pyrah cross punk with metal perfectly yet stay the right side of ‘hard core’ to include real moments of tuneful melody that keep your feet moving and your mouth humming. Loud, fast, thrashy, tuneful, thoughtful, aggressive, poignant, shouty, melodic. Stick them all together, mash them up and you get Three Day Millionaires. There’s some obvious influences but at the end of the day Three Day Millionaires make their own noise.

Go see them next time they play near you. You won’t be disappointed.

Check them out here – Three Day Millionaires.