4,000-strong gig crowd kicks racism into touch
"THIS machine kills fascists," shouts opening band Lemon Teargas' frontman Dougie, holding up his guitar.
His repetition of Woody Guthrie’s famous phrase set the tone for more than six hours of music – the biggest ever indoor Love Music Hate Racism gig.
Big names including Kaiser Chiefs and Reverend and the Makers took to the stage on Saturday night, in front of a 4,000-strong crowd at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham.
Every act did their bit to make sure the night – and the anti-BNP message – live long in the memory of those attending.
Sheffield bands Lemon Teargas and Lords of Flatbush kicked-off a lively opening hour, warming up the crowd so well, they could easily have been higher up the bill.
Much-hyped Manchester four-piece The Courteeners delivered a solid set, ending with an impressive cover of James’ Tomorrow.
As they finished their set, the room was well and truly packed.
UK Flow are a mix of TV actors and sportsmen who have recorded the official Government anthem to fight knife crime.
Manchester rapper Fallacy then stepped in at short notice to fill for no-shows Roll Deep. He was confident on stage, and kept the crowd’s attention well.
Another interlude featured an R&B singer who lost points by calling the crowd ‘Sheffield’, and a performance poet friend of outspoken Reverend frontman Jon McClure.
Anticipation bubbled all night, and at gone 10pm, the biggest names were still to come.
The Sheffield music scene mainstays Reverend and the Makers’ frontman was dismayed by the election results in his neighbouring Rotherham back in May, and quickly set the mechanisms moving to make this night happen.
Kicking off with three of the band’s best, McClure relished his time on stage. The State of Things, Bandits and Heavyweight Champion of the World propelled the band through a first-rate set.
He Said He Loved Me never really worked as a single, but live, the voice and keyboards of Laura Manuel shine alongside The Reverend.
Kaiser Chiefs took to the stage to the biggest cheer of the evening, and delivered a storming performance which proves why they are among the most highly-regarded live bands in the world.
Just hours before, singer Ricky Wilson admitted being nervous about addressing a press conference in front of a few dozen people, about the Leeds group’s reasons for playing the gig.
But in front of thousands, he is at home as his animated best. Within seconds of taking the stage for Everything Is Average Nowadays, Wilson rushed into the fans to get things really going.
Just two studio albums in, the Kaisers have a live canon of half a dozen songs which will probably feature in every set they ever play. The extended chant at the end of The Angry Mob, the slower tempo The Modern Way, b-side favourite Take My Temperature and number one single Ruby, all scored highly.
And an encore performance of Oh My God sent the crowd out into the rainy Rotherham night with Woody Guthrie’s anti-fascist sentiment well and truly alive.
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Weather for Dinnington
Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
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