Folk Devils + Inca Babies + Turning Black Like Lizards

Folk Devils – Formed by Co. Durham native Ian Lowery (formerly of The Wall and Ski Patrol) this ace band released several acclaimed singles including “Hank Turns Blue” and “Beautiful Monster” and recorded several sessions for BBC Radio’s John Peel Show. Musically their heady brew of swampy rock on a bed of bastardized blues created a vehicle for Lowery’s increasingly misanthropic worldview. A well-honed gutter poet since the early days of punk, Ian developed an idiosyncratic style, fusing a natural gift for sly wordplay and a well turned snarky phrase with his often vitriolic and poignant lyrics channeled through an explosive onstage persona. Folk Devils opened for the likes of The Fall, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Gun Club and Spacemen 3, and also toured extensively throughout Europe. Singer Ian Lowery sadly passed away in 2001. The band reformed in 2016 with new singer Dave Hodgson (once of Parting Shots)to celebrate the release of the retrospective CD/2xLP “Beautiful Monsters” featuring remastered audio of all the band’s studio and demo recordings. Big faves of Bugbear back in the day, finger poised on the pause button as Peely played the underground hits. Fantastic to host their appearance tonight. Inca Babies – Inca Babies were formed in Manchester’s infamous Hulme district in 1982 and their music was a raunchy Death Ray twang from a punk-trash, Americana perspective. Radio 1 DJ John Peel and his producer John Walters heard the Inca’s first single The Interior and offered them a session. It was to be the first of four they did for Radio 1 between 1984-87. With two number one slots in the Indie single chart and a top 5 album, Rumble, the Incas were flying high. Like all good things they came to an end as fashions changed and members came and went, but the band reformed in 2007 with Gold Blade drummer Rob Haynes, a new album followed but all this was sadly marred by the death of bassist Bill Marten. The band was put on hold while they came to terms with this loss, but it was eventually decided to keep Bill’s legacy alive by continuing and finishing off the album they had started writing. The most recent album The Stereo Plan was released in September 2014. Still going strong, and great to have them in the DC tonite. Perfect partners for The Folk Devils. As are…Turning Black Like Lizards – New Brum band with some classy and indeed classic Brit indie noire reference points. A bit of Bunnymen, some Jesus and Mary Chain and Joy Division/New Order for sure. A very fine performance and assured at that, with beefy drums, clinically cool guitars, probing bass and a calm yet powerful vocal. All very cool indeed.