Hey Charlie, Gen and the Degenerates, Piss Kitti: Jacaranda Records Phase One, Liverpool

Hey Charlie

With Hey Charlie giving us a Saturday night of loud guitar noise, Getintothis’ Steven Doherty investigates the racket.

A trio of noiseniks on this chilly February evening. Chilly it may be outside, but it doesn’t take long for the venue to heat up.

Piss Kitti are unknown as yet to a number of the audience and turn out to be a revelation.

All punky and snotty, they are a welcome breath of fresh air. Lady of Filth and You Don’t Have To Be A Boy To Be A Boy fly like grenades, all high-pitched screams and squally messy guitars, each of the members contributing a strong noise to go alongside their strong look.

The assembled horde love them enough to share their drinks with them, and as the Karen-O vocal squeals of Hash close the set, then it’s obvious that the future is theirs for the taking. Still not sure about that name though.

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You wouldn’t know that this was Gen And The Degenerates first gig for a while.

They roar on stage with a steely collective look in the eye that this is their night. They fly into each song, playing as if their lives depended on it. A bluesy racket, all bluster and brashness.

Vocally there’s a feel of Evanescence in the dual vocal set-up, and Living Colour in the music. Another to lookout for.

Headliners Hey Charlie have been making waves for a while now with their grunge-Pop (very much with a capital P). The London-based trio, no strangers to these parts by already having blistering sets at Sound City and Liverpool Calling under their collective belts, are here tonight in support of latest single Bad Things.

They played Hyde Park with Green Day and it’s easy to see why, as they have a very similar vibe. It’s a somewhat sanitised, riff-based, screechy pop noise adored by the healthy Saturday night turnout.

New song Electric Dream rams home the pop side of their nature, it could almost be Terrorvision.

A mosh-pit forms for main set closer Cheer Up Princess, and encore Bad Things, and the band look to be enjoying it as much as the crowd.

They should be coming to a festival stage near you this summer.

All in all, a loud old night with some decent bands in the making. The sooner Phase One get inside toilets though, the better.

Images by Getintothis’ Warren Millar