MUSIC IN MANCHESTER
	(Manchester Bands Section)
	The Strap Ons's Hop & Grape, 2/10/02

First on @ 8pm with a crowd that is only just beginning to trundle in. Well it's only to be expected when the Parkinson's aren't on till 9.30, but it's difficult to work out who is the main act tonight, especially when they all know each other so well.     And if London thinks it has the copyright on all things nu-punk, well they are merely catching up with things that have been happening *Oop `North"for the last couple of years.    A no frills intro from Jackie O, preferring to let their blues tingled, surf style amalgam of sound, to build gradually, increasing momentum until the crowd have reverentially stopped drinking during the songs, at first unsure of what to make of this distinctive style. Do they like it? It's not easy to categorise, to make lazy comparisons or to categorise, but by the time that "Che" has segued seamlessly into "Consuella's Ass" squalling guitar, sweaty bodies et all, they want more

With the Strap On's beer is not merely consumed, but thrown, spat & swum in. Pretty much a regular gig there then. With a swagger and arrogance fueled by Carling & vodka, Ed Strap On leads this merry bunch reprobates through a high energy good old fashioned thrash. Incoherent vocals -    Ed could have been reciting nursery rhymes for all we know - but the pace was unrelenting as befits a band heavily influenced by the Ramones

You've heard the hype & know all about the Parkinson's taking to the stage half -sometimes fully- naked. Well they're wrong. They spend all the time in amongst the audience, half naked of course.    Don't come to a Parkies gig unless you know the lyrics to one of their songs.    It doesn't matter which one, as they tend to be interchangeable except for a distinctive chorus that each song hang s upon, but you stand a good chance of having a mic shoved under your nose whilst one or more of said group goes for a quick climb amongst the speaker stack

"Bad Girls" & "Streets of London" are fine examples of their interpretation of the punk scene; an intensity running alongside the machine gun dispensed chords.    After having to put on this type of show since they first started. One could forgive them if they appeared tired by repetition, but to their credit they don't.   They genuinely want to put on a performance that you will talk about

Just remember to bring your waterproofs

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For a different review of some of these gigs see 

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