999 – Tokix Ephex – at Cafe Drummonds – Aberdeen, UK

Drummonds had filled up nicely by the time Toxik Ephex took the stage in their usual state of disarray. Tonight’s six piece line-up (featuring Blake, Dave and Frank all on guitar) were tripping over themselves as they donned their guitars, unraveled leads and got plugged in. All the while singer Dod Copland was entertaining the smattering of young Punks lining the front of the stage with a selection of magic tricks, spinning a playing card between his open hands and pushing a cigarette right up his nose. Finally they’re ready to go but bassist Ross has disappeared so Inspector Blake regales us with a tale of how he wrote their opening song back in 1979 while sat on the toilet with a dose of bad diarrhea. Fortunately, Ross returns to the stage and saves us from the gorier details and they launch into Fallout Shelter. As usual, it’s sloppy as fuck. I don’t know who’s worse, Dod or Chiz, but somebody is really out of time. But, as ever, Toxik somehow drag it back together and by the end of second song Wild Side Of Life they seem to be firing on all, well, most cylinders anyway.

So what did we get? Well, let’s see. We had Dave playing a home made guitar that looked more like a surf board than the classic Bo Diddley guitar he later claimed it was modeled on. We had Dod spending more time in the crowd than onstage, stealing people’s drinks and spectacles. I nearly died when he did the twins thing with Frankie. We had Inspector Blake precariously climbing atop his amp. We had more magic tricks. We had audience requests and onstage arguments about which song to play next. We had bad jokes. We had pogoing, spitting, beer slinging and Dod continually flaunting the no-smoking laws. We had a very, VERY lengthy string change which only the singing of a vulgar playground song alleviated. We had crowd pyramids and a fully fledged stage invasion at the end for a version of Take Your Share that easily ran for ten minutes plus. Oh, and don’t forget about the fifteen or so short, sharp, punk classics that soundtracked the whole surreal event. In short, a typical Toxik Ephex gig then.

In an age when polished and professional groups of corporate directors from America are considered (by many) to be the leading Punk bands of the day, Toxik remain defiantly shambolic. At one point someone said to me “It’s just like the 62 Club in 1981” and it was exactly that. Exactly that. The lyrics to one song (not played tonight sadly) go along the lines of “Life’s for living, so I’m not giving a fuck about anything!” It’s a sentiment the band obviously hold dear to their hearts even after all this time. Toxik Ephex – not so beautiful chaos – long may they continue.

After all this, I had slight concerns for 999. Not in their ability to follow it, but in how the fired-up Drummonds crowd – a great mix of young Mohicans and 62 Club veterans – would take to them. I needn’t have worried though. After a slowish start – where they were no doubt catching their breath and refilling their glasses – the dancefloor filled again as 999 ripped through their set. Kicking off with traditional opener Black Flowers For The Bride, the band quickly hit their stride and showed why, in their 34th (!) year, they’re still a top live act.

Despite being a wee, round guy these days, Nick Cash is still a great front man as he gurns and hams it up in front of the mic. They blaze through Inside Out with guitarist Guy Days going mad as he belts out the “Woah-o-oh” backing vocals. The first few times I saw 999 play he always came across as silent and moody onstage but the last couple of gigs he really seems to be having fun, using at various times a bottle and his mic stand to shred his strings. He’s the epitome of middle-aged cool in his black suit and is one of those guitarists who makes it look oh so effortless as he rips the lead lines from his instrument. In amongst the classics like Boys In The Gang and Don’t You Know I Need You, we get quite a few from recent album Death In Soho and they fit perfectly with the vintage material. The System and Gimme The World could have fitted just as easily onto their 1978 debut as they do on the current record. In particular, Last Breath sounds really good tonight, prompting an audience singalong on the chorus.

Big Arthur on the bass kicks off Feeling Alright With The Crew prompting a rush to the dancefloor as people recognize the old favorite. There are some really BIG guys moshing in there tonight so I’m staying clear My Diet Coke isn’t really a tipple conducive to punk rock dancing anyway.  We get Hit Me and Titanic Reaction in quick succession keeping the high pace going. In fact, if I was going to have one we complaint (as I always usually do hehe), then it would be that they play their slower songs too fast. In particular, FAWT Crew and Emergency lose the slow burning air of menace that the records have when they’re played this quickly. It’s not all bad though, as the quicker pace gives Homicide a bit of extra zip and really gets the crowd going. Judging by the red and sweaty faces at the end of it, I’m surprised there hasn’t been a heart attack here tonight.

All too quickly, they announce Emergency as being their last song. It seems really quick, but a quick mental recap shows they’ve played about as many songs as Toxik did, just minus the fucking about. After a great romp through it they prepare to leave the stage and it looks like the dancefloor is starting to clear. Nick spots this and asks if we want one more. To be honest, the response he gets is about 50/50 Yes and No but they come back on anyway, tease us with some banter about “Och aye the noo!” and then give us an energetic run through My Street Stinks and debut 45 I’m Alive bringing the night to a satisfactory end. A really good set all in all

I have to head off early to make the drive home and it’s good to see that Drummonds has been pretty full for this tonight. Hopefully it will encourage 999 to return on the next tour and Drummonds to put on more of this sort of line up in the future.  
 

Review by: New York Johnny

Photos by: -Dod M.-
Big Wheel Overseas Correspondent

 

More photos of the event can be seen HERE

 
                                          Go HERE to see all the latest show reviews