GIG REVIEWS

The Bloodhound Gang
@ Leeds Metropolitan University
8.11.05
www.vanguard-online.co.uk


Better start this one with an honourable mention for Japanese support band Electric Eel Shock, with their comedy metal stylings and a naked drummer sporting a sock on his cock.
Merely a foreshadowing of what was to follow….

The Bloodhound Gang were a scream. A completely unserious pisstake of everything we cherish and all done in the worst possible taste. I loved it and so did the crowd (a curious blend from early-teens to thirty somethings). Songs took second place to THE SHOW. It’s not like two albums have left the band with a huge catalogue but it has left them with a repertoire of fart gags, barf jokes and general vileness. Plus, this is a band who cares more than to say ‘hello Leeds...’. They’d nattered to people and dug up local detail then punched it into the BHG supercomputer with the studied intent of flashing rude messages up on the wall behind DJ Quick:
“Is anyone else bored of Babyshambles?”
“This band sucks worse than The Kaiser Chiefs.”
“Actually it’s called soccer.”
“These guys are older than Jimmy Saville.”
“Praise Allah.”
“Hail Satan!”


And the abuse didn’t stop there….

Before long the balcony was accused of being like a Coldplay gig, Wakefield and Bradford were slagged off and, finally turning on their own, a chant of ‘you fat bastard’ was started specially for Lupus on guitar.


Over on the other side of the stage Jared did his muscular posing on bass, relishing the moments as he tore off his shirt, wiped his arse on it and flung it into the crowd.
”Got any photos?” says Lauren in the crowd, “I like him.” Jimmy Pop springs around the stage like a jack in the box, flinging polaroids in to the crowd and kicking off brawls. Songs are as juvenile and funny as ever – ‘ain’t my job to fuck you on your birthday’. It’s like Run DMC’s metal rap meeting They Must Be Giants during a showing of Dumb and Dumber. Then the songs get real tasteful – “lift your head up high and blow your brains out” tops the 9-11 references on the last album.


Jimmy Pop calls out ‘come on Leeds, spit on us’ and institutes a spitting contest where Jared flobs back on the crowd, inspiring a barrage of phlegm. Ah, took me back to the heady days of 1979….. And up on the wall flashes the message: “You can spit, but is you the shit?” Before long Jimmy and Jared are spitting into each other’s mouths…..

They do play songs as well! Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo’s innuendo goes down smooth. “Ham wallet”! But soon they are back at it, forcing booze down Jared with a funnel in a pantomime stylee. Next thing you know, Jared is projectile vomiting over Jimmy. Funny as hell. Jimmy rounds on a stroppy audience member – “you have a Mohawk in 2005 – suck my dick!” Lupus stays all but invisible side-stage, shaking his mop of riffing hair.


The encore, after a mock pack up by the road crew is Pretty When I’m Drunk – “It’s a ménage a trios – you and me and Heineken!” followed by Mammals with all it’s Hi NRG gay disco glory.
An hour and a half and it was a scream. The Bloodhound Gang did us the honour of putting on a show and letting us be in it.



Ross McGibbon