The Final Rock Show

It’s been a while but GD is back with his unique view of the rock, metal and punk scene. So sit back, raise a glass of your favourite tipple and prepare to Face The Rock…

The Final Rock Show @ The Tap N’ Tumbler Nottingham 18.11.16:

Below: Rob Wylde (TCC)

After thirteen years Nottingham based power pop band Teenage Casket Co. (TCC) are calling it a day and to mark the occasion they’ve decided to play one last show. The final rock show at the tap n’ tumbler Nottingham is more of a thank you to their loyal fans (Friends) than some grand all singing all dancing farewell extravaganza. Support tonight comes in the form of an acoustic set from fellow east midland rockers New Generation Superstars (NGS), these two bands have shared many a bill in the past and it seems appropriate they are both here on this momentous occasion. The venue is already heaving and the atmosphere is laden with an uneasy tension.

NGS put us all in a good mood, they always do, bassist Jonny Suicide however has sold his acoustic bass so tonight along with AJ Superstar and Davy Messiah he’s playing an acoustic guitar (shoot me now) the trio treat us to some well loved NGS songs and a few covers, ‘I used to love her but I had to kill her’ yeah and we can still hear her complain. I think AJ’s lead vocals benefit from the ‘acoustic’ rendition and I can foresee an acoustic EP or even album sometime in the future.

After the NGS overture a bizarre if not predictable incident happens…

Friday night’s at the tap are mostly cover-band affairs so when some woman comes up to me and asks “are you the man in the band? My definitively negative answer falls on deaf ears as she proceeds to request the Deep Purple song “Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurn!”

“It’s an original band tonight love”

“What about enter sandman?”

“No they won’t do that either, they’re an ORIGINAL band, they play their own songs”

She bumbled off with a look of disdain on her face with my parting shot of “Tourist” ringing in her ears.

But I digress, back to the final rock show, it’s like one great big party has we prepare to say a final farewell to a band we’ve loved for over a decade. For the last three years TCC have consisted of Rob Wylde (lead vocals/guitar) Rob Lane (bass) Mike ‘Spike’ Hollinshead (drums) and Dave Kerr (lead guitar) before Dave joined the band they were going out as a three piece but back in 2009 when founding member Jamie Delerict (vocals/guitar) quit to form JD&theFDCs it seemed like it was all over so the last seven years have been a bonus and makes tonight’s show even more special.    
                
Below: TCC in action @ the Tap... 

Now if you didn’t see the band back in the noughties let me run a fanciful analogy past you, think of The Beatles, John, Paul George and Ringo well what if around the time of the magical mystery tour John Lennon quit the band and Paul, George and Ringo had tried to sail the yellow submarine on their own… Are you with me so far? Well imagine if you will someone like Eric Clapton joining The Beatles just in time to record ‘let it be’ and you’re someway near to the Teenage Casket co. story… I don’t know how I think em’ up.

Back to the Tap n’ Tumbler and I’ve mistimed it very badly, when I return from the packed bar with drinks TCC are already into their third song, I shoehorn my way to the front as the band run through a popular set of old and new favourites. For the first and last time Rob Lane takes up lead vocal duties on the song mirrors and wires (why wait till now Rob?) many cameras are pointing at TCC, live internet streaming is happening every person in the room are 100% into this show. It’s a celebration nothing to be sad about but as I write this review I know I’ll never hear songs like ‘thank you for nothing’, 'ain’t got nothing on me’ and ‘cocaine’ played live again so in the words of that Dickensian vagabond Fagin and with apologies to Lionel Bart I sing…

“Cheerio, but be back soon.

I dunno, somehow I'll miss you

I love you, thats why I

Say, "Cheerio"...

Not goodbye.

Don't be gone long

Be back soon.

Give me one long,

Last look...

Bless you.

Remember our old tune...

Be back soon!"

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings, in Teenage Casket Company’s case it ain’t over till Laney74 sings. After tonight’s performance many people including me invade the stage collecting mementos like guitar picks, set lists and the odd drum stick as well as showing much love for Nottingham’s fab four… Some people are on the stage… they think it’s all over… IT IS NOW!

GD Manofmetal. 

                                            Video courtesy of Steve Fisher...  

Videos from the final rock show by GD...