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| Shot By Both Sides / Ulster Rock Photography 1977-2004 + $hame Academy Old museum Arts Centre, Belfast 21st October 2004 Before arriving at the venue I had no intention of reviewing this event, it had a Free admission open door policy with no age restriction. So I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary but the craic was so good that I had to get the story down on paper, wellscreen!! This was a low key press launch for the Shot By Both Sides photographic exhibition. Which basically gives wall space and exposure for Joe Public of various classic images from the great local bands from the punk era to the present day crop of NI popsters and Iggy Pop!!!!! Well London has had the recent Vivienne Westwood retrospective and the Sex Pistols, plus Joe Strummer exhibitions are currently running. So why can't we have a small exhibition of our own? Ex NME scribe Stuart Ballie was the organiser/curator of the whole sheebang, and DJ for the evening. He played a mix of punk and related classics from the likes of the Dolls/Thunders and beyond, straight from the Harp bar jukebox. The crowd was the sort of mix that you would expect at this sort of thing, arty, media, wine drinking, cheese eating types, students and a few punk die hards/Dinosaurs from the time that people like me won't allow you to forget. (For some shots from the exhibition go here ) $hame Academy were playing tonight in a room no bigger than a large bungalow living room, with a high ceiling that came complete with cream walls, wooden floor and skylight. The guitars, drums and amps were all placed in one corner of the room and the DJ decks in another. This was probably one of the most intimate gigs any of the members have ever played. I certainly don't remember Rudi, the Outcasts or even Stalag 17 playing live in a room so compact. With nothing to prove, as this was not the normal $A gig/audience situation, the band just had a good time swigging beer, having a laugh and playing punk rock classics. But against all the odds it turned out to be a class night for everyone. The place was boiling hot, as parts of the crowd set cross legged, hippy like on the floor facing the band. It was like some sort of surreal acoustic folk performance instead of a punk rock show and was a strange sight. But the guys took it in their stride and remained unfazed and enjoying it more and more as their short set progressed. During '7 Deadly Sins' a middle aged 50-60 year old Andy Warhol lookalike, took to a space on the floor and started disco dancing and cartwheeling (Sniggering - P.D.C.) while the band and everyone else just cracked up with laughter, it was so funny! The guy received a round of applause from everyone in the room for his efforts. I took the opportunity to bring my 10 year old son Steven along, as he may never get the chance again to see the band live. And he thoroughly enjoyed himself and the attention he received as the youngest spikey top in the place. This was definitely one of $hame Academy's best live shows to date, and after the below par performance at the recent Hooley gig, this was a return to top form. The exhibition will be open as part of the Queens festival until the 6/11/04 Joe Donnelly Belfast 22/10/04. |
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