Rebellion day one and two
Fan on the rail at Rebellion—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
This is, of course, a story about the bands and the people I experienced at this year’s Rebellion Festival. But I think the top story has to be one of the best additions to Rebellion ever. I’m talking, of course, about the 30 or so air conditioners scattered throughout the Winter Gardens.
Thank You
Some of us took great notice, especially in the hallway around the RIS Stage, where temperatures have gotten so hot in past years that, according to our friendly neighborhood record vendor, some of the vinyl actually melted. I believe him. The temperature change was definitely noticeable, and on behalf of the vendors and everyone else in that hallway, I would like to thank whoever had the brilliant idea of adding those air conditioners.
I would also like to suggest adding another 40 or 50.
The heat he got for wearing an Iron Maiden shirt was much easier to deal with thanks to the AC
But on with the bands and punk rock family fun at the Rebellion festivities!
I’m going to try to keep my commentary short. Mrs. Slaughter has suggested that people mostly want to look at my photos and read a small amount of my witty, smart-ass commentary and not a goddamn encyclopedia entry on every band. So, short and sweet it is. if you consider about 100 photos and 1000 words short.
Beards and mohawks just look good together—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
I’m also going to do the Rebellion overall recap in two parts so I can finish it faster this year and can move to other articles I have planned about Rebellion, including a colab with Cassie Fox of LOUD WOMEN, Rebellion Muses, and Dicks' unlikely ongoing love affair with Bar Stool Preachers.
The way I approach Rebellion as a photographer is a little different from colleagues like Phil Thorns and John Greenwood, who arrive with rigid lists, schedules, and times and then spend the weekend running back and forth across the Winter Gardens trying to hit everything. I do plenty of that too. There are always certain bands that are absolute must-sees. But I feel Rebellion is as much about the people who come as the bands, and as Dick Lucas once said of the Rebellion Festival, "Rebellion is about that face-to-face contact and that connection. What is great about it is you can make all the plans you like, but you get involved in a conversation, and you miss that band."
The way I do Rebellion is wander.
Glen "Shifty" Johnson of Control
The first band I wandered in on was Control, a UK street punk and Oi! band fronted by former Beerzone vocalist Iain Kilgallon. They were killing it in the Casbah. I immediately felt a certain kinship with them, mostly because my mum also told me that punk rock ruined my life.
Punk Hunk Alert!!!
On my must-see list twice this year were Rebellion darlings Bar Stool Preachers, not just because I love them, but because this is the year BSP gets a Big Dick feature in ISM. It’s also the second year Bungle was picked for a trading card, which did not go over quite as well with the rest of the band as it did last year. They made a point of letting me know when I saw them for the first time this year, they spotted me in the photo pit, and they made their complaints known from the stage.
TJ McFaull and Alex Hay of Bar Stool preachers
I know what you’re thinking: What the hell, Dick? I thought you were the Iggy Pop and CRASS guy. How the hell did you become a BSP fan?
That will all be in the article, but I will say this: I was somewhat forced to go to my first BSP show over a decade ago by Mrs. Bungle. I saw the light and have been a devoted fan and supporter ever since.
Always a love fest at a Rebellion BSP show—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
The Steve Ignorant Band was, of course, on my must-see list. And they never disappoint.
The band was originally set to perform The Feeding of the 5000 and Penis Envy albums in their entirety. But that plan was scrapped, and they decided not to perform “Asylum,” as they felt it was written for Eve Librtine’s voice, according to Mrs. Ignorant.
Instead of performing Penis Envy in its entirety, the second part of the set became more of a mix of CRASS classics, including bits from Penis Envy, as well as “Nagasaki Nightmare” and “Big A Little A.” Carol Hodge’s interpretations of the female-fronted songs made the performance especially moving.
It was incredibly emotional. People were crying and singing along to songs that have been part of their lives for decades. At one point, I watched a man in a wheelchair trying to stand up to sing along. With the help of another attendee, he succeeded. It was a truly beautiful moment and one of the highlights of the weekend for me.
The Steve Ignorant Band alone was worth crossing the pond for. It was a performance I’m glad I didn’t miss.
CRASS is needed now more than ever for the children—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
After Steve, I made a very lucky stumble into the Opera House just in time to catch Slaughter and the Dogs.
Mick Rossi of Slaughter and the Dogs
I have been a longtime fan, so this was a very pleasant surprise. Mick Rossi is a great frontman and an incredible guitar player. The band sounded tight and put on a professional rock show. They never missed a beat.
They hit us with classics like “You’re a Bore” and “What’s Wrong Boy?” along with a cover of Lou Reed’s “White Light/White Heat” that was, dare I say it, better than the original.
Inside the Casba
Then, believe it or not, on my list was Bow Wow Wow, featuring the always outspoken Annabella Lwin. I could only stay for a few songs, as I had a date with The Stranglers and could not be late.
But Annabella was everything I hoped for. She diva-ed it up. First, the mic cord became an issue, and she yanked and fought with it while sending some seriously hard looks stage right. But in spite of the equipment difficulties, she performed like a pro and never let them get in the way of the show.
Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow
The lights were another story. After the second song, she stopped and requested that the spotlights be turned on the crowd. As the audience lit up, she said, “That’s what it feels like to be up here. The spotlights don’t help anyone.”
The photographers all kind of looked at each other, thinking, "Well, they help us."
It got better, or worse, from there. Someone in the audience yelled, “Piss off!” Annabella was not having any of that. She asked him to repeat himself, so he did. She told him that was exactly the kind of negative behavior we don’t need in this world and told him that he should piss off, then called for security to, I guess, toss him out of the Opera House.
It was hilarious, and I wanted to stay, but I had to get going because, like all but one person in the photo below, I was excited to see The Stranglers.
This could be very possibly the lady with the tattoo's look of total excitement. —All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
The Stranglers blew the roof off the Empress Ballroom. They were great from start to finish, and the crowd absolutely loved them. Whatever Baz Warne is doing to stay in shape, it’s working. He’s the youngest 62-year-old I’ve seen in a while and had the energy of someone half his age.
Jean-Jacques Burnel Bass, Jim Macaulay Drums, Toby Hounsham, Keyboards - The Stranglers
They gave us all the hits, and by the time they tore into “(Get A Grip On Yourself)” just three songs in, the Empress Ballroom was already in a full-blown frenzy. The crowd was completely theirs, and they never let go. If ever there was a performance worthy of a Rebellion headliner, this was it.
Baz Warne Guitar and Vocals, Jim Macaulay Drums, Toby Hounsham Keyboards - The Stranglers
By the end, there was no question why The Stranglers earned their place at the top of the bill. But they weren’t the last band of the night. I still had one more on my must-see list.
He was pretty proud of that sleeve.
That would be Millie Manders and the Shutup. They may not be as well known in the States as The Stranglers, but they are very much on the rise, and you should check them out. This is one of those bands that gives an old punk like me a little hope for the future.
Millie Manders and Pete Wright of Millie Manders and the Shutup
They seem to be having a great time, and they’re damn good at what they do. The show was fun, the songs are great, and Millie has a fantastic command of the stage. She also has a lot of fun with the audience between songs, which makes you feel like you’re part of the show rather than just watching it.
Her personality and between-song banter weren’t just about getting laughs. Millie and the band are not known for backing down from their political views, and they recently ran into trouble with a group of lawyers from a certain country who apparently didn’t appreciate the band’s stance against killing babies and bombing hospitals.
Millie Madders and Georgina May of Millie Manders and the Shutup
But I don’t think the band plans to slow down or change their ways anytime soon, and good on them for that. It certainly didn’t stop them from putting on a great show, which also included a rather vigorous exercise routine.
At this point in the evening, I should have been enjoying that delicious fish and steak pudding pie I’d waited a year for, sitting on some steps if I were lucky enough to find an unoccupied spot near the fish shop. Most hotels in Blackpool don’t allow takeaway food in the rooms, which is completely understandable.
But that’s not quite what happened.
Some people come to Blackpool for bachelor parties or the roller coasters. I come for the late-night cuisine. —All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
Oh, I got my fish and pie. I ate it sitting on the curb and enjoyed every bite. But I was worried the whole time.
You see, for the last two years, I’ve covered Rebellion for ISM with my colleague John Greenwood, who is usually accompanied by his better half. Let’s just call her the lady who left her wallet on her seat at Rebellion Festival.
Yup. As we got to the fish shop, she realized it was gone, and all of her and John’s important stuff, including their money, was in that wallet.
As they raced back to the Winter Gardens, those of us at the fish shop discussed their dilemma.
“Well, John’s British. They’re not going to let him back in the States,” his mate said.
“Well, it’s Rebellion. Someone might very well turn it in,” I said, somewhat wishfully.
John Greenwood in his Skip the Needle shirt at Rebebellion
About 40 minutes later, they came walking back arm in arm with huge smiles on their faces because, sure enough, one of the Rebellion family had turned that shit in, money and all.
Happy Lady next day with Wallet
At the beginning of Day Two, there was one band right at the top of my must-see list, fronted by the man I lovingly call the James Brown of punk rock, Dick Lucas. Dick isn’t just the frontman of Subhumans. He also fronts Culture Shock and Citizen Fish, is constantly performing, painting, and creating, and somehow always manages to put on a phenomenal performance.
The hardest-working man in punk rock, Dick Lucas of Citizen Fish
It’s great when all three bands Dick fronts play Rebellion. I usually try to catch at least two of them, and I wanted to make sure I saw Citizen Fish this year because they’re just so different from Subhumans. I love the horn section, and seeing them always feels like something a little rare and special.
Let’s just say Citizen Fish were beyond great, and anytime you’re within striking distance of a band fronted by Dick Lucas, by all means, go see them.
Vicky Fitz of CRITICAL CANDY
Next, I headed to the RIS Stage to catch Critical Candy, a true Rebellion family band made up of a mother and her two daughters. The family have been regulars at Rebellion for years as audience members, but this was their first year onstage. Their band has really come a long way, and they gave Rebellion a very high-energy performance. They seemed to be very well received, winning over more than a few fans in the crowd.
Next on the agenda was Meryl Streek, an Irish-born, Canadian-based performer who has been called an avant-garde punk producer. He raps and sings over beats, and that’s not always a favorite with some of the old guard. But in my opinion, there are no rules. What Meryl Streek does is not only entertaining but also innovative. If everything sounded the same, it would be pretty boring.
Do you think his eyes work like flashlights?
And if there is one thing Meryl is not, it’s boring. He hit the stage hard with his white eyes and heavy accent, belting out his first song and pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. The audience started out with folded arms and hard stares, but Meryl didn’t let that slow him down one bit. He leaped off the stage, climbed onto the rail, and started singing right in the scowlers' faces and then jumped directly into the crowd.
Meryl Streek addresses the crowd
It was an incredible set, and that didn’t seem to be lost on most of the crowd. By the end, he had won many of them over with his talent and confrontational stage presence.
I’ll be easy to find at Rebellion. I’ll be the old guy wearing a black band T-shirt.
Later, I ran into Meryl outside with what looked like a smaller version of himself. I asked, “Is this your son?”
He said, “No, this is one of my favorite fans. We’re having a bite and a chat.”
I was really taken aback by how thoughtful it was for him to take the time out and how much that moment probably meant to the young fan.
You know you’ve arrived when you have your own mini-me. —All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
And the award for best mustache at Rebellion Festival goes to Mickey of Swiss hardcore band Defused. It is one hell of a handlebar mustache, and I’m sure his wife or girlfriend absolutely hates it.
Mickey of Defused and his fabulous mustache.
If the stash wasn’t enough, Defused rocked the shit out of the RIS Stage with their own brand of hardcore that the crowd loved. They actually had a bit of a pit going, which is unusual for the introducion stage.
It was a very happy accident that I stumbled in on them. I now have a new favorite band and a mustache to aspire to.
That mustache entered the room before he did.
Below is the kind of photo I spend thousands of dollars and travel thousands of miles to take, and it’s well worth it.
Breakfast of Champions
No, it’s not a mistake. I was back for The Bar Stool Preachers' second set the next day because I wanted to stay for the whole show, this time in the crowd, to get a feeling for what the audience feels about the band for their upcoming feature article.
And, oh my, did I get what I came for.
Just for You, Here’s a Love Song
It seems BSP fans love the band almost as much as the band loves each other.
Did Karl ever get the kiss he was looking for? You’ll have to wait for the BSP feature to find out.
Then it was time to check in with another of our ISM correspondents at Rebellion, James the Kid, our youngest photographer, who is assigned to get the lowdown on the festival because that’s where he shoots from, down low.
Check out his article from last year and keep an eye out for his pics from this year. James and his dad will also be featured in Rebellion Muses, as they are both very photogenic.
Read, James-the Kid at Rebellion—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
After my meeting with young James, it was time for something I’d been waiting a very long time for: finally crossing Lene Lovich off my bucket list. Somehow, after all these years, I had never managed to see her live. That was about to change. Sort of.
Lene Lovich: Wait, a minute, didn’t Siouxsie Sioux sing “Peek-a-Boo”?
She graced the Opera House stage completely covered in a stylish red-and-black ensemble that included veils and a sort of turban-style hat. It gave the first couple of songs a wonderfully theatrical feel and created this strange, almost haunting atmosphere. It was kind of awesome.
Three wishes, but you can’t wish for more wishes
After what felt somewhat like a Broadway production, I made a beeline for the Empress Ballroom for what I guessed would be the complete opposite. And as you can see by the photo of the smorgasbord of distinguished Punk Hunk eye candy already lined up on the rail, I was about to get the real deal: first-wave UK punk, the kind that has been ruining lives for nearly 50 years.
How much sexy can you take? Look for one or more of these hunks in Rebellion Muses.
The real SHAM 69, fronted by everyone’s favorite Cockney cowboy, Jimmy Pursey. At least I think it’s Jimmy Pursey.
My lucky number’s one—possibly Jimmy Persey of Sham 69
As the band took the stage, Jimmy emerged wearing a ski mask. I thought, "Oh great, he’s taking a page from Lene Lovich’s book and isn’t going to show off, mug for the camera, or make funny faces."
But all that changed as soon as the band launched into “What Have We Got?”
He ripped off the mask, and from that point on, his tongue was out of his mouth more than it was in, making for exactly the kind of SHAM 69 photos I crossed the world to take.
The set was incredible. The crowd didn’t miss a word as they sang along to every song. SHAM 69 were worth the trip on their own.
Punk Hunk of the May 2024 Jimmy Persey & Spike T. Smith of Sham 69
While waiting in the Opera House for number one on my Day Two list, The Rezillos, a PUNK IS DAD moment of note happened on the rail.
The gentleman with the green mohawk was trying to get the attention of fellow photographer Callum Clark of Mohawkcallum Photos. I said to Callum, “Hey, it looks like your brother over there wants to talk to you.”
He looked at me and said, “That is my dad, you cheeky bastard.”
I had no idea. But I should have known, considering the number of times I’ve featured his dad in our Rebellion coverage. The resemblance is uncanny.
Punk is Dad at the Clark house—All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
Then it was time for what I had been waiting for: The Rezillos. Always a huge hit in the Opera House, and in my opinion, if you don’t like The Rezillos, there is something wrong with you. They are a new wave, punk, sci-fi explosion of zany fun that somehow gets better every time I see them.
Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds of The Rezillos
The set was everything I hoped for. It started with everyone’s favorite Fleetwood Mac incognito song, “Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite,” and somehow only got better from there.
Fay and Eugene gave us both barrels with a nonstop onslaught of 19 or 20 Rezillos classics. I lost count, but they played “Flying Saucer Attack,” “The Curse of the Pretty Man” and, of course, “Top of the Pops,” before a cover of Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz” that shook the Opera House to its foundations. For any real Rezillos fan, this was a performance they will never forget and one worth making the trip for all on its own.
How Eugene Reynolds has not been voted Punk Hunk of the Month is beyond me.
It had been an amazing Day Two, and I was pooped, but there was still one more band on the list, so I made my way over to the Arena Stage.
Not only is this handsome young lad a true fan of The Rezillos, he also recognized Helen from Bad Ass from her trading card.
I had to show some support for a hometown band, Bite Me Bambi. If you’re from the West Coast of the US, you’re probably already familiar with the high-energy ska supergroup fronted by singer and actress Tahlena Chikami, a fellow Orange County, California, native who also happens to now be married to the most humble of the Bar Stool Preachers, TJ.
A rare on-stage photo of Tahlena Chikami of Bite Me Bambi not in motion.
Turns out they didn’t need my support. The place was packed, and as soon as the band let loose, Tahlena exploded all over the stage. It didn’t matter that there were five other members up there, not to mention wires, speakers, pedals, and everything else. She didn’t give a shit. She was dancing, jumping, and tearing it up all over the place. High energy doesn’t even begin to describe Bite Me Bambi’s set at Rebellion. It was more like a lightning storm.
This is more of a freeze frame, as she was dancing up a storm. —All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
That concludes my Day One and Two Rebellion Festival experience. Instead of another photo of my nightly fish and pie, I thought I’d leave you with a slideshow of photos I took offstage in and around the Winter Gardens. If you’re included and would like a free high-resolution copy, just ask.
Please watch for Days Three and Four in coming days, and you can find Rebellion Festivals articles year-round on InSpiteMagazine.com from me and our other contributors.
If you’d like to tell us about your own Rebellion experience, contact Editor Dee at editor.inspitemag@gmail.com. And don’t try to use AI for anything other than spellcheck. She’ll know. She has robots that search for robots.
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