Show #186 - Louder Than War Radio (25.08.25)

 

I hate it when Liverpool are on Monday Night Football. Matches never finish on time anymore, and full-time seems to creep closer and closer to my show’s 10pm kick-off. Last night against Newcastle was a prime example: constant stoppages, niggling fouls, and the Geordies trying to blend cage fighting into their tactics. By the time I was playing the opening songs, the game was still going.

And then, it happened. In the 100th minute, 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha smashed in the winner for Liverpool. Our youngest ever goalscorer, and only the second 16-year-old in Premier League history to bag a winning goal (after Wayne Rooney). I was leaping around the living room like a teenager who’d just scored it himself. Safe to say, the adrenaline was pumping so hard that it took me a good 20 minutes into the show to settle down – so apologies if I sounded a little jittery. Just like Liverpool, I suppose.

The show kicked off with something rare and a little special: a mash-up from Swansea’s Head In The Shed, who many years back spliced Rage Against The Machine with Colwyn Bay’s Global Parasite. As far as I know, this mix is unavailable online, so you could call it a Crud exclusive – even if it’s a decade or so late! Oh, and happy birthday to Dave Global Parasite Cox.

With England still wrapped up in flag-waving nationalism and road painting, it felt apt to follow that with Mouthparts’ biting Flag Shagger and Anhrefn’s classic Swings a Rowndabouts. Context, people.

From there the set hurtled into old favourites and new bruisers alike: Crass with Rival Tribal Revel Rebel, Yung Rare declaring This Machine Kills Fascists, and CoVid 21 ramping things up with War Whores. Laced between those were gems like Gentleman Jesse’s garage-soaked I Don’t Wanna Know (Where You Been Tonight) and the blistering energy of AKU (Phase Me Out) and Father Stone (The Entertainer).

I’ve been talking up the new Schkeuditzer Kreuz record Swan Grinder recently (check out my review on Louder Than War), and it was great to get Keep Dancing blasting on the airwaves. Dark, dystopian, industrial-punk – one of the year’s strongest underground releases. Also in the spotlight: Scotch Funeral’s latest Ever & Ever (which I reviewed last week), and the new, sadly posthumous Eye Licker album And Now The End Is Here. 

Later on came a mix of international collaborations and local genius – from Mr Phormula’s bilingual Cymru i India, to the blistering satire of Joe & The Shitboys (Manspredator), and brutal heaviness from Mastiff and the pure comedy yet very clever Rabo De Toro sending up Russ Abbots' Atmosphere.

As always, most of what I play can be found on Bandcamp. So go on – buy the records, support the bands, and if they’re playing anywhere near you, get out and see them. That’s what keeps this whole scene alive.

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Playlist – Show 186

• Global Parasite Vs Rage Against The Machine – Head In The Shed Remix

• Mouthparts – Flag Shagger

• Anhrefn – Swings a Rowndabouts

• Crass – Rival Tribal Revel Rebel

• Yung Rare – This Machine Kills Fascists

• CoVid 21 – War Whores

• Gentleman Jesse – I Don’t Wanna Know (Where You Been Tonight)

• AKU – Phase Me Out

• Father Stone – The Entertainer

• Save Your Breath – Modern Slavery Institution

• Topper – Newid Er Mwyn Newid

• WAR//PLAGUE – Sacrifice

• Schkeuditzer Kreuz – Keep Dancing

• Mr Phormula – Cymru i India

• Joe & The Shitboys – Manspredator

• Eye Licker – Gag Reflex

• Scotch Funeral – Never See Me Again

• AM – Co tam słychać?

• Mastiff – A Story Behind Every Light

• Rabo De Toro – Atmosphere

Gig Review: Supergrass at The Olympia, Liverpool

30 Years of I Should Coco – A Night of Nostalgia

There are few venues in the UK that can match the charm and chaos of The Olympia in Liverpool. Built in 1905 and originally designed as an indoor circus and theatre, it’s seen everything from opera to punk rock echo off its ornate ceilings. These days, it's known for hosting sweaty, euphoric nights like this one — a full-throttle celebration of Supergrass's iconic 1995 debut, I Should Coco.

Getting there was its own adventure — Steve took us in his van, which he heroically (and definitely illegally) pushed to 90mph down the motorway. The night hadn’t even begun and the adrenaline was already flowing.

Kicking things off was Matt McManamon, best known for his work with The Dead 60s. Stripped back with just an acoustic guitar, Matt delivered a soulful, heartfelt set — a mellow, melodic starter before the uptempo sounds to come.

Next up were Sports Team, who brought their manic energy to the stage. The frontman (whose name escapes many but whose presence doesn’t) threw himself around like Michael Hutchence with a student loan, all wild-eyed charisma and half-buttoned shirts. The band were tight, loud, and clearly loving it — a good warm-up for the main event.

Then came Supergrass — and they delivered. From the moment Gaz Coombes strode on stage, grinning like the last 30 years hadn’t happened, the crowd was theirs. They ripped through 'I Should Coco' in full, from the blistering opener I'd Like to Know to the irresistible anthem Alright, which turned the Olympia into a bouncing, beer-soaked time machine back to 1995.

But this wasn’t just a museum piece. The band were on fire — tighter, louder, and somehow more playful than they were in their Britpop heyday. And after the full album run-through, they gave us a bonus set of greatest hits: Sun Hits The Sky, Pumping On Your Stereo, and a storming closer of Caught By The Fuzz that felt just as vital as it did three decades ago.

Moscow, Merseyrail and a Midnight March

 

It all started with a summer’s afternoon drive to Abergele to ditch the car, followed by hopping on a train to Liverpool with Declan and Rich. The journey, as ever, was a mix of quaint rural views and general chatter. The Merseyrail stretch as always was an epic endurance test: station after station after station... It felt like we stopped at every brick shed with a platform between Chester and Liverpool.

And let’s not even begin on the Merseyrail guards, who seem to fancy themselves as some sort of rail-bound Gestapo — checking tickets with an officious flair and glaring at anyone who dared sit with their feet on a seat. No toilets on the train either, of course — just in case the trip wasn’t uncomfortable enough.

But we made it. Our destination: The Quarry, a DIY venue tucked into the alternative seams of Liverpool’s underground. We were there for Moscow Death Brigade — the balaclava-wearing, antifascist, techno-punk-rap outfit from Russia. Live, they’re pure intensity: no breaks, no filler, just pounding beats, spitting rhymes, and circle-pit nonsense.

Asfixia Social kicked off with brutal energy, a hybrid blistering punk riffs, swaggering rap verses, ska interludes, metal‑tinged breakdowns, and Brazilian percussion. Yeah they're from São Paulo, Brazil and on their 'Planet Is Alive' tour.

Then came Old Radio, a band that only seem to come out on special occasions, and tonight was just that. Good to see/hear their ska'd punk sound and energy.

But alas, we were slaves to the timetable — the last train out of Lime Street loomed, so we had to leg it. We hit Rhyl at 1:45am and there were no taxis. Seriously. This is Rhyl in peak summer — where were the drunken holidaymakers spilling chips and fighting at the taxi rank? Where were the cabs?

Nowhere.

So, we said goodbye to Rich and then Declan and I did the only thing a men can do when faced with five miles of empty road and no options: we walked. Mild weather, thankfully. And there was some late-night drama in Towyn to keep things interesting — a group of travellers in a full-on brawl with themselves and the police. A roadside festival of fists, blue lights and confusion.

Eventually, Towyn became Belgrano and Belgrano became Pensarn and Abergele loomed into view like a sleepy promised land. Declan peeled off home and I got back behind the wheel for the final stretch — a quiet, questioning one-hour drive to the caravan, spent wondering:

Why the hell didn’t I just drive a bit further and get the train from Rhyl?

Live Review: Crows at Sound, Liverpool

 Saturday nights in Liverpool rarely disappoint — and this one was no exception.

On November 23rd, 2019, I caught Crows at Sound on Duke Street, and what followed was a thunderous, unforgettable night of post-punk energy and atmosphere.

Supporting them were Lumer, and afterwards, we stayed somewhere completely unexpected — a spiritual night at what’s believed to be a former monk's retreat. Here’s how it all went down.

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🔊 The Gig: Crows at Sound

From the moment Crows hit the stage, the atmosphere in Sound shifted. Dark, intense, visceral and completely magnetic, the band commanded attention with every note. Their set was tight, fierce, and immersive — guitars buzzing with urgency while the rhythm section pulsed beneath. Debut album 'Silver Tongues' emerged earlier this year and is played at us in all it's hypnotic glory.

There’s a certain power in how Crows balance the raw with the refined. It’s noisy but never sloppy, atmospheric but never distant. You’re right there with them in every beat.
In short: they were ace — in a genuinely cool, no-nonsense way.

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🎶 The Support: Lumer

Lumer opened the night with a set that leaned more toward the melodic and post-punk. While not as explosive as Crows, they offered some interesting moments — keyboards (occasionally), unrelenting bass, and a black rebel energy that helped warm up the crowd. They didn’t quite steal the spotlight, but they added something different, particularly enjoyed White Tsar (new single, I think)

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🏨 The Stay: Childwall Abbey

After the gig, we spent the night at Childwall Abbey, a hidden gem in its own leafy suburban right. Rumoured to have been a monk’s retreat, it now offers accommodation — and it was just the right kind of peaceful after the chaos of the show. Old stone walls, quiet halls, and an air of calm that wrapped up the night perfectly.

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⭐ Final Thoughts

Enjoyed the whole thing, nearly split my pint across their merch table! Love the basement venue that is Sound and the crazy beer and food they have upstairs.

If you ever get the chance to see Crows live — especially in a venue like Sound — don’t hesitate.