Sometimes the choice of support says as much about a band as the main attraction himself.
Not that Dan Sartain has brought his own hand-picked pals from Alabama, or had any 4AD labelmates bundled onto his tourbus. Instead, kicking off proceedings are a couple of local acts, whose appearance on the bill have the early attendees stroking chins and wondering just how they’ll fit in.
Openers The Reverse Cowgirls are an interesting mix, on record a psychobilly-tinged foursome making visceral, swampy rock’n’roll. A mix of youthful types and those closer to ‘veteran’ status (i.e. they may have seen The Cramps live), they show that age is no barrier to thrashing out a short, sharp set of exuberant three-minute tunes. Mainly touting new material, it’s clear that with Dan in stripped-down mode tonight they are the ideal warm-up, and the headliner even comes out stage front to enjoy a shuffle around to their pounding rhythms.
The Jackhammers are, like the act who went before them, steeped in an era which seems to suit Dan Sartain nicely. A minimum of chords with police siren guitar, the three-piece keep things simple but effective. Again a mix of more ‘experienced’ performers, this means they provide authentic punk rock sounds and antics, complete with spit and snot, and a version of ‘Rock’n’Roll’ (‘Part 2’, your honour) to heap on the tabloid outrage.
It seems that Dan Sartain has been around forever, though it was ‘Dudesblood’ that eventually grabbed the ears of some, this listener included. So whether the jet black quiff really required the use of hairdye that Sartain confesses is marking the pillowcases and towels of the UK’s hotels and venues is unclear. Certainly musically he’s chameleon-like, with latest release ‘Century Plaza’ a bedsit electro release drawing more from the likes of Depeche Mode than the primal rhythms challened by tonight’s supports. But with his touring ‘band’ consisting of just one drummer, we’re clearly in for a more garage rock set, though the two most recent releases are largely untouched.
Armed with a battered semi-acoustic, he jokes that we’re in for a much “wimpier” set owing to being “blown away” by what’s gone before. However, there’s no holding back, the singer even missing two tunes from his setlist such is the ferocity of the set, largely drawn from his considerable back catalogue.
Theres a version of ‘Walk Among The Cobras’ to finish, though rather than in its current electro form, aping the original 2005 version. Like the rest of tonight’s set, and rounded off by a frantic ‘Fuck Friday’, the very astute and articulate Mr Sartain shows that he can play fast’n’dumb too.