REVIEWS Archives ⋆ Page 2 of 9 ⋆ THE SHONK

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CARDIACS

July 22, 2020 dukeofearl 3,808

For months, maybe years I kept thinking about writing this piece, to just talk about my love for Cardiacs. Tim might have said ‘there’s no rush’ but those words can carry a lot of foreshadowing. […]

CHEW

July 8, 2020 dukeofearl 5,389

Alas, a component of my life I have missed this year is the ability to walk into a gig ‘ear-blind’ – It’s an amazing way to install new music into one’s mind. Clearly the solution […]

JERSKIN FENDRICKS

July 2, 2020 dukeofearl 14,988

Since I saw him opening for Black Midi at Rough Trade in a Bristol a couple years ago I have been awestruck by Jerskin Fendrix. I remember watching the show bewildered and excited by what […]

From sunny and exciting Brighton, the town I talk about visiting but never do comes a three-piece who has peaked my aural appeal with their latest single Digital Depression. The band is MI-HI and within a […]

The Old England

June 30, 2020 dukeofearl 6,004

Tucked away in Montpelier amidst a venous of narrow roads that climb steep hills, hidden in plain sight aside a surgery carpark is the magical haven that is The Old England. Akin to the shop […]

SUB CULTURES

June 19, 2020 dukeofearl 4,627

On the 12th of this month history was made when up and coming quartet Sub Cultures released their second single Alone. Despite these tense and trying times, unchartered by many and quite possibly the most unsettling […]

HEAD NOISE!

June 6, 2020 dukeofearl 2,887

Aberdare, Mountain Ash, the welsh valleys, places known for trapping genres like metal, rock and punk, a timeless inescapable region where leather jackets, black T-shirts and down tuned guitars have roamed free and easy, occasionally […]

TWIN STRANGERS

May 13, 2020 dukeofearl 1,938

I was recently informed that much of my music collection conjures up the notion of a melancholy summer and perhaps the most melancholisest of the summers we can expect is the one in this, the […]

JAMES OLIVER

May 7, 2020 dukeofearl 1,531

Every now and again you come across a musician who not only leaves you in awe but also makes your blood boil due their incredible talent. James Oliver is one such person, it’s almost impossible […]

LACERTILIA

May 5, 2020 dukeofearl 7,689

It feels like forever since I had my face melted off by the intense-soup starter that was Lacertilia, leading up to my main course which was a joint of Weedeater with a side of Jim […]

BLACK WESKER – ECO PUNK, NO JUNK

February 27, 2024 13,089

Black Wesker comprise a fusion of punk, indie and jazz with improvisation and stylistic changes that subvert the expecations of audiences and regular viewers. The band has developed a reputation for playing their songs in [...]
POP DONE RIGHT BUT WITH A WINKY FACE – THE VANITY PROJECT

January 31, 2024 11,673

Once in a blue moon we stumble across an album that makes us sit up right, pay attention and think ‘fuck this is how it should be done’ – a flawless collection of hits that [...]
PERIPHERAL OBSERVATIONS OF A FRESHLY-SHAVEN CYNIC

January 30, 2023 10,155

One of the many things the scribe gets off on when attending a ‘cultural event’ is watching from the side lines the secondary features outside of the reason he payed a lot of money to [...]
EXPLORING NEW NEWPORT’S NEW MARKET

April 4, 2022 8,376

Following a soft opening, Newport Market officially re-opened on 19 March 2022. Boasting a full occupancy, new businesses, eateries as well as a total overhaul on the building costing between five and six million pounds. [...]
BAKING THE NIGHT AWAY

March 15, 2022 7,829

First published 21 May 2018: There’s a place hidden in plain sight, an innocuous venue seamlessly disguised as something as beige and bland as a doctor’s waiting room. A place where the uninhabited can sneak [...]
TTNG

February 18, 2022 1,396

Prior to this gig I knew nothing of TTNG, a dear friend of The Shonk asked if I’d like to come along and I said yes. I did however forget to put it into the [...]
CALVA LOUISE

January 20, 2022 2,109

Whether it’s age, COVID or a combination of the two, something that I have found difficult to muster over recent months is getting excited by gigs. During these long periods of isolation I’ve caught many [...]