Mclusky + Fantastic Super Foofs + Terrashima at Water Rats Theatre Tuesday 18th June 2002 Text by Sarah Thirtle

On a barmy night in Kings Cross, things were about to get barmier. Terrashima, all feedback and rumble, a singer as skinny as Iggy and as fierce as Lydon, proceed to attempt to destroy your eardrums at any given opportunity. Fast and exceedingly furious, they race full pelt through each song at break neck speed, kicking and scratching and spilling themselves all over the stage. Fire in their bellies and behind their eyes, Terrashima rip away at themselves, at the stage, at music itself. As powerful as this is, it tends to stem into incoherency. For Terrashima keeping time is obviously not the issue, but in all the turmoil ensuing, it's hard to tell what is.

Once the stage had been stuck back together again, the Fantastic Super Foofs were next to step up. They seem mild mannered in comparison to Terrashima. Their boyish looks, however, belied a punk rock sensibility. The Fantastic Super Foofs have just released their debut album, with a limited edition single Bilo Boss already out. Be this as it may, by the second song a sudden shudder came over me as the tune eerily veered towards Ugly Kid Joe territory. The Foofs excel at indie-power punk by numbers, not all the time, but in the most part. There are intriguing lyrical quirks, obscure song titles like Sharpen Pens With Me, one of the highlights of the set, and My God You Showed, but nonetheless there is nothing evident here that hasn't been done before, and very recently when thinking of a band like Feeder.

Mclusky on the other hand, have taken the guitar punk genre and injected it with enough vitriol, wit and intelligent observation to fill ten stadiums. Firm believers in the two and a half minute song, nothing here tonight hesitates or strays. Succinct and vehemently satirical, (the bands' inspiration comes from Bill Hicks, Eddie Izzard and Spike Milligan among others), the opening track Lightsabre Cockingsucking Blues is pure, unadulterated, marvelously ear bashing, head shaking, arms aloft, punk hedonism. Andy's (vocals) diatribe against an apathetic society and its inherent ideology of corporate fuelled competitiveness continues in the simple tones of My Love is Bigger Than Your Love. Mclusky talk about politics, without being political. They aim to fill songs with a story, without trying to tell one. They are the absolute opposite of the lowest common denominator peddlers, which they view as Bon Jovi and electronica (apart from The Prodigy). This fervor continued throughout the set with raucous gems like Fuckin' in the Barn and Alan is a Cowboy. With an album (Mclusky Do Dallas) out now on Too Pure, an extensive European tour under their belts, with more dates to come, Mclusky are ready to take on anyone. I for one will not stand in their way.