Punk rock fans of all ages (but mainly middle-aged) were treated to not one but two iconic bands heavily associated with the genre at a packed Cambridge Junction J1 on Friday, 31 May, as Anti-Nowhere League and Sham 69 ran through some of their greatest hits.
This was not one lesser-known act supporting another and playing a much shorter set, however, this was two punk titans each performing for over an hour apiece and generating the sort of frenetic, plastic cup-throwing and mosh-heavy response that one was quite happy to observe from the sidelines!
Led by singer Nick "Animal" Culmer, the only original member left in the line-up, Anti-Nowhere League rolled back the years with their anthemic sing-alongs which included their hard-hitting signature tune, I Hate People, as well as tracks like Pig Iron, and F **ed Up and Wasted*\.
By the time the euphoric So What came around, I found myself watching the manic pogoing going on in front of the stage more than the band itself!
Animal praised the crowd for coming out and supporting live music - despite the fact that he is “old and past it” (his words, not mine) - spoke fondly of UK Subs singer Charlie Harper, who recently turned 80, ahead of singing I Wanna Be Like Charlie Harper, and also, perhaps unsurprisingly, railed against the corporate music industry and politicians.
I wasn’t too familiar with Anti-Nowhere League prior to the gig but was impressed both with their performance and also by how many high-quality songs they have in their repertoire.
Sham 69 - featuring three members from their ‘classic’ 1977-78 line-up, singer Jimmy Pursey, guitarist Dave Parsons and bass player Dave Tregunna - kicked off their set with What Have We Got?, a suitably exhilarating opener.
The skinny, bedraggled singer, who at 69 still has a rebellious air about him, was a strong focal point as he sang/growled/sneered his way through a slew of lively numbers, which included I Don’t Wanna, Rip Off, Tell Us the Truth, and George Davis Is Innocent \- another song that the audience enthusiastically joined in on.
“Cambridge, what have you and Oxford ever done for our country?” asked Pursey, who certainly didn’t overdo it when it came to addressing the audience, before launching into OMG (No Flag). He also outlined his apparent hatred of flags prior to singing the song.
My favourites included the frenzied Borstal Breakout, the equally vigorous If the Kids are United, the rip-roaring Hersham Boys and, of course, the band’s best-known tune, Hurry Up Harry, with its catchy and instantly familiar “We’re going down the pub” refrain. Needless to say, it almost took the roof off!
[Read more: *[*50 years of The Stranglers marked with celebratory tour*](https://premium.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/whats-on/50-years-of-the-stranglers-marked-with-celebratory-tour-9357281/), New Model Army on their way to Cambridge]*
Although it’s not my favourite musical genre, I very much admire the sheer energy and passion that made punk the worldwide phenomenon that it became - and there was undoubtedly plenty of that on show here tonight.
I wouldn’t like to have been one of the people who had to clean up afterwards, though!
