On a sultry Sunday night, the Hope & Ruin became the fulcrum for no-nonsense rock n’ roll/garage sounds courtesy of and Thee Hypnotics. The reforming of Thee Hypnotics was driven (in part) by the release of the vinyl box set (out in June) but having seen them live it feels also like gunslingers who have unfinished business to attend to, gaining belated retribution on the UK music industry where their sound become unfashionable when Britpop became the be all and end all in the mid-1990s and staking (again) their claim to be a great live act.
Rex Speedway and the Denim Avengers were the support band tonight and made a groovesome garage themed racket. Additional bonus points for the appearance of triple denim and lucha libre masks too. The venue started to fill up and the temperature rose as Thee Hypnotics took to the stage.
Thee Hypnotics sound is the best of the MC5 meeting The Rolling Stones plus your favourite garage band too. When these influences are mixed together you get a heady brew on record but live, it’s positively intoxicating. Without the benefit of being, it felt like either seeing Thee Hypnotics in their first pomp late 80s/early 90s or their influences from the 60s.
We get all the songs that a fan would want: Soul Trader, Heavy Liquid, Come Down Heavy, All Night Long, Revolution Stone to name a few.
Jim Jones at the end of Nine Times implored us to “Fuck the Fascists!! Fuck the Racists!! Fuck the Establishment!! Fuck the Tories!! Fuck Capitalism!!” Revolution hung heavy in the air tonight. Whether personal or societal. After tonight’s gig, you felt like you wanted to be in a band. More accurately, Thee Hypnotics!
Whilst nostalgia can be a rabbit-hole we enter which may lead us to diminishing returns and disappointment, Thee Hypnotics tonight have proven themselves to be THE compiling live rock act, so see them whilst you can (and get the box set too).
Plugged In Brighton 