The Gories
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER –
The Hipshakes are like those kids you see hanging around the hallway in High School at the beginning of a John Hughes movie. They don’t figure in the main plot, but they’re far more interesting. They ain’t nerds and they aren’t jocks, they are the music obsessive vinyl collectors who can’t find anyone local who plays the music they dig, so they form their own group. The Hipshakes have been around a while now, and while there might be an air of nonchalance, they know what they’re doing and they make a bloody fine garage/messthetics-esque racket.
My Confession Is the most recent release (to my knowledge) and it’s a shiny pop blast in under two minutes, Dan sings and towards the end he’s broken two strings. They are a great warm up to the main event, The Gories.
The Gories are playing their first shows over here since the Gories/ Oblivians co- headlining shows in 2009, a garage rock spaff-fest. The Gories are oft credited with spearheading what became the 90’s garage rock/punk explosion and latterly massively influential on later bands forming around the Detroit/Michigan area including The White Stripes.
The Gories influences are more overtly rooted in blues and the trio concocted a soulful, primal boogie stew over three albums and brace of singles.
Mick Collins, Dan Kroha and Peg O’Neill kick off with Hey, Hey We’re The Gories (how could they not?) and That’s The View From Here. I think they’re genuinely surprised at the warmth of the reception from the Ruby Lounge tonight, better than London? I bet.
Shades on throughout, Mick Collins is the coolest man in rock n roll, but it’s not the shades (he’s myopic) it the genuine enthusiasm and verve in his playing. By the time Ghostrider screeches into the gas station, Collins is sweat soaked and hunched over, wringing the life out of the guitar around his neck.
Another cover, the super rare 45 by The Keggs, To Find Out , is raw as a motorcycle skin burn, which Kroha observes has never been so enthusiastically received.
They leave, sweat soaked, aside from cool-as-ice Peg O’Neill, returning to ignite Nitroglyerine, “a song about start crossed lovers” explains Collins. Every band Mick Collins has been in, The Dirtbombs, Blacktop, Speedball Baby etc are all great, and it started right here. Fire in the hole!
The Gories Third Man Records| Facebook
Hello Robbo here, DJ at T.R.A.S.H Your Life at the Dog and Partridge in Bolton, and occasionally at Retro Bar in Manchester. Garage, punk, 60s, kitsch, library tunes, all the good stuff.. Labels: InTheRed, Goner, Swami, Sympathy, Estrus, AMREP, Domino, Touch & Go, Dischord, Rough Trade. Shops: Beatin Rhythmn, Vinyl Exchange, Fopp, Charity, Vintage.
