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Ten Foot Pole / Venerea / Five Knuckle

live in London
2003
live show

Review by: Mr. T
See others by this writer

Touching Cloth - UK online zine (link)

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Published on January 28th 2003

It’s yet another night at the sweaty little Garage in London, but this a pretty damn good line up and I am really looking forward to seeing Ten Foot Pole again. We arrive just in time to see the first band up, No Comply. Now I’ve heard lots of things about this band and they seem to be getting quite popular very quickly, but this is the first time I have seen them. Always a worry for me when they come out carrying a trumpet and a trombone. I am not a fan of ska stuff at all, and I have to say that No Comply did nothing to impress me that they are anything but run of the mill ska core with a female singer. A faster Save Ferris or a ska Tsunami Bomb, take your pick. They are just like everything else that seems to come out right now. They have a lot of energy it has to be said, jumping around thrashing their instruments about. They’ve obviously seen Lightyear a few too many times and seem to be trying to emulating them at times. Also the lead singer…well she just can’t dance at all. She has a very good voice and lots of energy, but no rhythm. I mean I ain’t no Fred soddin Astaire but I could hands down beat her in a dance off! But if you like ya UK ska-core then yeah you will like this band. Sorry, but I just find it all too common!

I never used to like Five Knuckle, I have to be honest, their blend of hardcore just never kept my ears interested. But they have really grown on me. I’ve seen them loads of times now and even have all their CD’s now. And this is yet another amazing performance from them. They are of course playing the same songs every time I see them, but that’s ok cause I like them now. Always a great set, and a very tight performance, highly enjoyable.

Venerea are up next, from Sweden. Now I recall seeing this band a couple of years ago at the LA2 (Mean Fiddler), but I have no idea who they played with there, that has long since gone from my memory. I know I liked them and I bought a 4 track CD of theirs and that’s pretty decent. They are a very decent sounding punk rock band and I do really like them. The singer/bassist’s dress sense is non existent in a nasty white vest, nasty beige shorts, white trainers and black socks. He’d look more suited in the Aussie outback than in a punk band. But what do I know, that might be the latest styles in Sweden and he could easily be the pin up darling of many a pre-pubescent girl. But somehow I just can’t see it. Back to the band themselves, they are really worth checking out.

Now I gotta say that I love Ten Foot Pole, seem them a few times before and they’ve always been awesome in my opinion. Tonight is no exception. Opening with A.D.D. from the stunning album “Unleashed” this was always going to be a great show. They mixed the songs up well from over their albums. I expected to hear a load of the latest album “Bad Mother Trucker” and sure enough they did play them, luckily I loved the album. Tracks like “Nova Scotia” and “Armchair Quaterback” (my personal favourite off the new album). I just had a wail of a time watching Ten Foot Pole again. I really have to urge everyone to get all of Ten Foot Pole’s albums, cause they rock and live…well they seem to be even better!

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 3, 2003 at 3:42 PM (EST)
My Score:

To the guy who says you should change the band name for every "major" line-up change. By major, I'll assume you mean 2 or more people leaving...

So Descendents should've changed their name 4 times then right?

And to some other guy: Damn straight Kevin rocks!

Posted by sloppyblake on 2003-02-01 02:50:25
My Score:

salem sucks as a name. i think as friends rust should return as their name no matter what.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 1, 2003 at 2:41 AM (EST)
My Score:

""that bitch scott radinsky"???? lets see, dennis kicks him out of the band because scott is too busy with baseball, but then pulley puts out four albums in the time tfp puts out two, then tony quits tfp to be in pulley and all the other guys quit tfp afterwards, then they get dropped but pulley is still on epitaph......hmmmmm bad idea dennis"

who cares how many albums pulley put out, its all shit. And being on epitaph isn't all its cracked up to be, you fuckin poppy punk bastard

Posted by cawsin on 2003-01-31 13:03:11
My Score:

someone actually said ten foot pole should change their name? gimme a fuckin break. what for? who cares if there's one member left, or none for that matter.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 31, 2003 at 12:27 PM (EST)
My Score:

why get saves the day involved in this whole thing?

and for the record, they rock.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 30, 2003 at 2:43 PM (EST)
My Score:

Whoah. Calm down there skippy. All I'm saying is that TFP should consider changing the name.

For the record I don't consider G 'n R to be G 'n R anymore. I think Saves the day sucks ass and should quit music. I think the vandals are way past their prime, and screeching weasel broke up a few years back.

Theres a difference between struggling through adversity and desperately clinging to a name. Dennis is doing the latter. It ISN'T the same band anymore. They may sound similar to ten foot pole, but so do 300 other bands.

For the record, I think after one major lineup change, a band should change the name. Ten foot pole has changed every member.

Posted by Fuzzy on 2003-01-30 00:33:49
My Score:

Mr. Skully, are you the Skully from the NH band 5 Bucks! If so, you rock my socks.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 9:25 PM (EST)
My Score:

ten foot pole's drummer, kevin, kicks ass.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 4:39 PM (EST)
My Score:

The Vandals, Screeching Weasel, only one original member...

I agree, TFP kicks ass no matter what.

You try to keep a band together for over 10 years and see how easy it is to keep all the same guys.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 10:03 AM (EST)
My Score:

you kids are fucking riduculous!!! You think just because a band has only one member that they shouldn't be called what TFP. I have much respect for bands like this, because that one member has enough guts and drive to push on through adversity and changing band members. MAYBE if you lazy bums were in a band instead on on your computer you would see how much hard work it is to go through what these guys do. You make me sick! Go listen to your saves the day, guns n roses, and queers records. Oh wait those bands only have one original member too. Better stick to the MTV bullshit, you are better off.
I realize this is only an OPINION, just like everyone elses random Opinions posted here. Keep that in mind next time you want to bash someone on the internet. You are wasting your time!!!!

Mr. Skully

Posted by sloppyblake on 2003-01-29 08:54:06
My Score:

i could of swore that this band has no original members other.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 3:00 AM (EST)
My Score:

"that bitch scott radinsky"???? lets see, dennis kicks him out of the band because scott is too busy with baseball, but then pulley puts out four albums in the time tfp puts out two, then tony quits tfp to be in pulley and all the other guys quit tfp afterwards, then they get dropped but pulley is still on epitaph......hmmmmm bad idea dennis

Posted by WussEmoRock on 2003-01-28 20:40:22
My Score:

fuckin shit. I forgot about that. the way he said it, it made me forget about the switch in instruments. My fault though.

*****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 8:16 PM (EST)
My Score:

Wuss-

The second singer is Dennis, who used to only play guitar for the band. After they kicked Scott out, he moved from just guitar to guitar and lead vocals. Please rethink trying to mock someone without knowing what you're talking about.

Posted by WussEmoRock on 2003-01-28 19:50:35
My Score:

to the guy 3 below...it is impossible to only have one orginal member left when you are saying that original member was the second singer. how is the 2nd singer in the band the original member? haha, please rethink that.

*****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 5:26 PM (EST)
My Score:

Ten foot pole is the only "pop punk" I listen to, I dont mind dennis' vocals. In fact, i prefer them to that bitch scott radinsky's

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 4:42 PM (EST)
My Score:

There was a band called Five Knuckle Chuckle woul was around the scene around 6 years ago. They were really influential in Canada..

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 4:26 PM (EST)
My Score:

Can they really call themselves Ten Foot Pole anymore? From what I understand, they only have one original member left (The singer) and he's only the singer because they kicked the other, better singer out.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 3:42 PM (EST)
My Score:

five knuckle are incredible, and while this reviewer may not enjoy them too much, i urge everyone to grab an mp3, then buy a cd. I think they are extremely original, others disagree, but there we go.

Posted by Melvyl on 2003-01-28 14:56:24
My Score:

Venerea is awful, and not even them are playing in their home country more than 5 times per year.