Punk and Disorderly 2025
With Butlins discontinuing its Great British Alternative Music weekend, the Courthouse in Skegness decided, with the help of Lee Evans and Dave Taylor, to make something happen, and they sure did with this amazing punk weekender. That was three years ago, and it still continues to grow.
t
.
The event just keeps getting better and better and is always very well attended.
The Puncturists—Photo credit: Shonagh Marshall
The Puncturists opened this year’s festival. I had not heard of them before and bloody hell, they were amazing. I was up dancing immediately. Fronted by the wonderful Gail, this garage-style melodic punk band, as they describe themselves, is something fresh and new. They have songs about being an older woman in a punk band, including “55.” I can relate to this one.
Friendly and down to earth, these guys are super hard working and have now released two albums. Go and see them if you get the chance.
Criminal Damage—Photo credit: Mandi Davies
Next up on the Friday night was the powerhouse Criminal Damage, originally around in the ’80s and supporting bands like The Subs. Criminal Damage reformed in 2022. The only original member still in this line-up is Keef, the guitarist.
In the early days, they were signed to No Future Records and were on the iconic A Country Fit for Heroes Vol. 2. Since reforming, they have been highly active on the live punk circuit, playing major events like The Great Skinhead Reunion in Brighton and headlining gigs in London.
So absolutely brilliant to have them playing this intimate punk gig in good old Skeggy. A great bunch of guys who had the room moving with songs like “Blood In Blood Out” and “Breed,” and many more.
Tear Up—Photo credit: Steve Oi
Tear Up, who have played this event before, are a five-piece from Watford. They formed in 2012 and call themselves hooligan rock and roll. With three albums under their belt: Playground Politics (2018), They Can Lock the Locks but They Can’t Stop the Clocks (2023), and Repeat Offenders (2025).
Jamie Flanigan fronts the band with a physical vitality that captures the audience with its raw honesty. The whole room was alive with punks and skins alike, shouting along and dancing to the energetic street punk/Oi songs. A very hard act to follow and, with their immense popularity, it’s a wonder they were not headlining the weekend.
Saturday brought hangovers, and a need for a good fry-up to soak up some of the alcohol. Then back to the venue, to soak up some more great music.
Critical Candy—Photo credit: Lorraine Carter
After a few last-minute changes in the line-up, I was lucky enough to see Critical Candy for the first time. A trio made up of a mum and her two daughters: founder member Vicky Fitz on bass and backing vocals, Rose Fitz on drums, and Ruby Soho on lead vocals and guitar. Known for their independent DIY punk style and glamorous image. Ruby has a haunting voice that is almost gothic in style, which makes an exciting combination with their fast-paced punk rock tunes. Both the sound and the aesthetics of Critical Candy are breathtaking, and they really stood out against a very male-dominated line-up. Go and see them if you get the chance.
Zero Tolerance—Photo credit: Guy Clark
Zero Tolerance were next up on my wish list, as I had not seen them live before. I wasn’t disappointed in the least. These guys replaced Resistance 77, who had to pull out late in the day due to illness. Zero Tolerance formed in the North East in 2022. They have been described as gritty, angry, working-class punk rock. With anthems like “This Is Our England” and “Punk Rock Will Never Die,” they are a complete joy to watch and sing along to. A hot, sweaty venue, full of happy people singing along with their mates beside them. What more can you ask for?
Next up: Broken Three Ways.
The sound was adrenaline-fuelled ska/punk, with a horn section. Something very different from what had gone previously. Saying this, they were fabulous and had the whole room up and dancing. A five-piece from the North West, they formed around 2008, when they were a seven-piece band. They released their first album in 2014, Return to the Shack, with several EP releases since then.
It’s so great to see new bands, not knowing what to expect, and then falling in love with the sound. It’s so important that we all keep listening to bands we haven’t heard of. It keeps the scene vibrant. It’s so easy to get stuck in a bit of a rut, just listening to the same things all the time. They’re a great band; if you get the chance, go and see them live.
These punk weekender events aren’t just about the bands. It’s time to catch up with old friends from around the country and make new ones too. It’s the dancing, singing, and don’t forget the good old merch stalls to top up on the latest band T-shirts. Before I even had time to realise, it was the end of the night and time to wobble back to our B&Bs to get a bit of kip. Next day is the journey back to both reality and home. Tired but happy and looking forward to doing it all again.
