Skoisters/Crash Landings – Review – Gigs & Bands |Music | Reviews

Here's a choice for you - Sophie Ellis Bextor and Tony Hadley or a couple of little known punk bands in the newly refurbished Portman.

With much difficulty I prised myself away from the progeny of a former Blue Peter presenter and mooched off to Boscombe to see what the Skoisters was all about.

First up is a big up to Mike the landlord who is clearly making an effort with what was, let's be honest about this a bit of a dive. The Portman was fine for a pre match pint but you wouldn't want to stand still too long or your shoes would become glued to the carpet.

All of that has changed and there is more of an air of a place that is making an effort to attract a much wider puntership than just the footie mob.

It will come as no surprise to people that know me to find out that I'm so busy chatting with Skoisters frontman Ady that I miss half of the set for supports Crash Landings.

I find out shortly that this is unfortunate because as I learn these guys have a spark of something worthwhile.

Bashing away at instruments in the true style of a 1970's teenager in his dads garage they launch into a set full of social comment with not a cover amongst it.

For a band that is only a year or so old and as lead singer Si tells me later has only been gigging for around 3 months this is a brave and commendable step. It would be easy to get some credit by playing a bit of pistols but CL stick to their guns and play their own stuff.

There's rough edges aplenty but by the time we get to Billy's Got Tuerettes I'm hearing a bit of the humour of Ian Dury and a kind of Steve Jones sound going on in one of the guitars.

Lyrically they don't feel the need to shout and scream about everything in the entire world and instead there almost a knowing "WTF" about it all.

I very much enjoyed their stuff and look forward to seeing the progression they will undoubtedly make

Crash Landings Setlist:

1) Red Mohican

2) Shove It

3) Her Green Day

4) Hatemail

5) Colour of the Collar

6) Just Got Out

7) Hate Street

8) Billy's Got Tourette's

9) And Finally

10) Getting My Results

11) Sweatshop Stitch Up

you can find the chaps on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheCrashLandings

Unfortunately some of the lyrical content however leaves a bit to be desired and falls somewhere to the right of the provisional wing of the Daily Mail.

This of course raises the age old question of free speech and music as art. Personally I don't give a stuff. Advocating vigilante violence on the streets ends up with illiterate torch carrying yobs surrounding a paediatricians house in Portsmouth because they have difficulty thinking their way out of a wet paper bag.

That's pretty much where Skoisters and myself part company. We share a love of 'Teenage kicks' though. So that was nice.

The loyal crowd demanded encores and being a private party as such the band were able to oblige until they got to the end of their songbook.

Love them or loathe them you've got to admire the fact that they have made a massive effort and no small amount of personal sacrifice to actually get live music out on the road.

You can find Skoisters on facebook https://www.facebook.com/Skoisters

Speaking with the guys over a pint beforehand I get the lowdown on what has turned out to be a sadly patchy tour with some venues not helping with promo but also with an enjoyable and well attended appearance at joiners in Southampton.

Sadly attendance is not destined to be massive at The Portman possibly meaning that there are more people in town who really feel the need to see an 80's pop star than either of us expect.

The guys give it plenty of power and their loyal followers really enjoy what's going down. There's lots of social comment and they take on some subjects that are both topical and sadly underrepresented such as the plight of soldiers leaving the forces. So big up for that.