WORDS AND IMAGES BY KIERAN ANDREWS
The Chats arrive in Cardiff’s Tramshed tonight on the 7th stop of their “Get Fucked” tour.
The Chats are an Australian punk rock band that formed in 2016 in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. They describe their sound as “shed rock” consisting of
Eamon Sandwith – lead vocals, bass guitar,
Matt Boggis – drums, backing vocals and
Josh Hardy – guitar, backing vocals.
First up to warm the crowd up are Guantanamo Baywatch. An American band from Portland with a surf-style, kinda of like if Dick Dale was a punk, and you simply can’t help but have visions of the beach and the sea. This theme of instrumental music over lyrical continues throughout their set. The audience laps this up with surf-style, Hawaii Five-0 dancing impersonation surfing motions.
Being such a warm day many are in the beer garden enjoying the music flowing through in the sun, the kinda music you could lay down and chill out listening to. Please check this band out, they are really really good!
Band members
Jason Powell, guitar/vocals
Chevelle Wiseman – bass
Chris Scott – drummer
Next up to keep the party going are The Chisel. Bringing the London punk vibe into Cardiff.
The Chisel walk onto stage arms up and bursts into a hard-core fast paced song, “Unlawfully Execution“ Targeting London met police with lyrics such as “tell me the difference between who’s right and who’s wrong when a coper gets to blast a lad who did nothing wrong” With a high tempo drum beat bouncing through your body, The crowd’s arms are up jumping and pogoing along. A real old-school-sounding punk rock paying homage to bands like Crass, UK Subs and The Exploited. The singer Cal Graham hands the mic put to the crowd but you can still here’s Cal’s voice singing it’s that powerful.
The Chisel are promoting their album “Retaliation”, already out on sale now. It tells a story from London in the 80s up to the present day.
Band members
Cal – vocals
Charlie – guitar
Nick – drums
Luke – guitar
Tom – bass
And now the stage gets set ready for The Chats back dropped with the words “Get Fucked”, the album they are here in the UK touring. The album debuted at number 3 on the UK Independent Album charts. Also winning the Aria music award for best hard rock or heavy metal album.
The venue is sold out and the crowd sing awaiting The Chats
As they walk onto the stage the beer and water starts being thrown into the air, something they are known for. The screaming and shouting to welcome them onto the stage is deafening.
Soon as the songs begin it’s 0-100mph. Mosh pit. Crowd surfing. Fans submerged in the music and the atmosphere.
The set continues as its starts with hard-hitting guitar notes, solos that lead guitar Josh Hardy makes sing to you, with drums pounding through your stomach. So much the drummer Matt Boggis hits the snare drum so hard it falls out of position. And has to be fixed as playing.
They continue their set and show the crowd what their album is about. Sticking a finger up to life’s annoyances and throughout the set lead singer Eamon Sandwith sticks his middle finger up to the audience in line with the songs lyrics.
The songs are short and to the point, and the song that seems too fire everyone up even more, if that was possible is “Paid Late” which needs no explanation but is something we all can relate to, with the crowd cheering and throwing their beer into the air throughout the song.
Leading perfectly into “ticket inspector” yet again something the fans can relate to and make their feelings known. Ending their set with a thank you, and too many cheers and claps. Clearly everyone here has clearly enjoyed their night of some fine punk rock,
SET LIST TO FOLLOW
FOLLOW THE CHATS
FOLLOW THE CHISEL
FOLLOW GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
