Finding Old reviews:- Diamond Head @ The Hog and Hosper, Pontypool, South Wales

Another  fantastic band I had perform at The Hog were NWOBHM legends Diamond Head. Being a Stourbridge girl and knowing Brian Tatler for years, I gave him a ring and asked him if they needed a warm up gig at the start of their Tour.
The answer came back as yes, we would love to. And I was so proud to see on the band T Shirts The Hog's name listed at the very top. Just Amazing! Here is a review from Uber Rock from that show.Diamond Head @ The Hog, Pontypool,South Wales

The origianl link can be read here :-

Do you know, even as I start to type the title of this review I can't help slipping back into a little bit of retrospection. Back in my early days of gig going I travelled the length and breadth of the country with like-minded mates, sleeping in some very dubious places when for whatever reason we couldn't make it home following the show. All the time the topic for discussion amongst us was to bemoan the fact that there was nowhere remotely close to where we lived putting on gigs.

Nowadays music lovers in our area, (that being Gwent, as was) currently have people out there putting on shows weekly all within walking distance for most of us. Sam at tonight's venue being just one of these (Come on!!! She's put on G.B.H, Ricky Warwick, Dan Reed, James and Scabies and now Diamond Head in the space of just over a year), whilst others just a short drive away at the EVI, and The Steelhouse are doing equally as much for live music in our area (I mean for Aberbeeg to be hosting it's second annual hard rock gathering with bands like Feeder, the Answer, St Jude, Reef would have been the stuff of dreams for a teenage Brooks).

These people need our support out there, not every gig can be a big one, but why not frequent some if not most of them? I already hear the answer, Money!!! But music is as much about the feeling of camaraderie and building up a scene and supporting the not so very well known. Take tonight for example entry to see Diamond Head cost the same as 3 pints in your local, so where were you? Tear yourself away from the X-Factor, The Voice and the likes that are all killing live music by breeding a generation of copy artists and ripping the heart out of local bands and shows, and become a part of something that could build into something great before it's all told late.

Please don't let me be writing in a few years time "I told you so."

Anyway enough of my rant, why I'm here on a Thursday night in Pontypool, is to catch one of my all time fave live bands, Diamond Head (and I still can't quite believe it) who are headlining a three band bill, for as I said earlier and entry fee of around the price of 3 pints in your local.  Now that is what I call outstanding value.

First up tonight from nearby Cwmbran are traditional metallers Counterhold, who do a good job for a band still pretty much finding their own sound, they play straight down the line metal, and are well worth catching on their own merits.

Next up the already Uber Rock approved Fell on Black Days, this bunch just keep getting better and better with each live showing, and with their debut album due for release any day soon, the tail end of 2012 promises to be something very special for this five piece from Ebbw Vale. Now if these guys can get a little bit of that aforementioned local scene going and garner some wider media interest then I can't think of any reason why these guys couldn't follow the Revoker route onwards and upwards to stage much farther a field than simply neighboring valleys. We just all need to believe.

Okay let's not beat around the bush any longer, I came here tonight to see a band that I first witnessed (and was immediately blown away by) back in the early 80's, that band pretty much help set the blueprint for every thrash band that has ever existed, they were also a band that led the punk D.I.Y ethos within the NWOBHM scene, and they were/are a band that deserved to be as huge if not more so than the pale imitations of them that went on to become household names - but that story is for another time. That band is of course the one and only Diamond Head, and whilst the band personnel may have changed since my live induction all those years ago, the driving force of guitarist Brian Tatler is still very much leading from the front, and here in 2012 in "new?" vocalist Nick Tart he has finally found his perfect foil for delivering all the classics of my youth, whilst also presenting some choice new tunes from their last two albums 'All Will Be Reveled' and 'What's In Your Head?' two CD's that should sit in every self-respecting British rock fans collections.

So on to the set, and as soon as the band kicked off with 'Play It Loud' Pontypool's very own answer to Beavis and Butthead, who had seemingly been installed as headknockers on the end of the bar for tonight immediately moved up a few gears in appreciation of the fine NWOBHM riffing on show. I kid you not these guys have come alive and are currently living in the Gwent valleys, I just hope Johnny H got the snap.

This blast from the past was closely followed by the first of the newish tracks and 'Nothing To Lose" (from What's Inside Your Head) fits in just nice up against the classic era stuff, but then it's straight back into my perm days with 'Dead Reckoning' before 'Give It Me (from All Will Be Revealed) suddenly reminds me I shine these days rather than comb.....Hmmmm.  The other newies aired tonight, (in a set designed to mix it up a bit ahead of a full set of European shows spread throughout much of July) were 'Prey For Me and 'Drinkin Again', but do you know what? Even in a set chock full of classics, they more than held their own.

And of the classics (in no particular order as they will probably change these before the end of the tour), came the likes of  'In The Heat Of The Night', 'To Heaven From Hell', 'Sucking My Love, 'The Prince', "It's Electric", a shortened version of 'Shoot Out The Lights", before the place went bananas with a closing run through of 'Am I Evil?' And we got all of that before the encore!!!  For which we got 'Lightning to the Nations' and a stunning full pelt version of 'Helpless'.

Although tonight's show was not empty by any stretch of the imagination, it would be such a shame that through a lack of our own support for local live venues, we made gigs like this a thing of the past.  So get off your arses, wherever you live, and get involved with your local live scene, you might just discover a band that you will end up following for the rest of your life, just like me and these guys from Stourbridge all those years previous.

Oh and as a footnote this review I'd say this was probably my sixth or seventh time of seeing Diamond Head live, and I would say it was probably the best I've ever seen them.

https://youtu.be/FwwZgHUJykY

https://youtu.be/KIH1UyagCPA

https://youtu.be/20s8__IUSkw

Finial Review of the Hog and Hosper by Johnny H of Ubder Rock

 SO THIS IS THE LAST REVIEW FROM UBER ROCK ON THE GBH GIG. IT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE. I AM SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE HERE AND THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE.

GBH - Pontypool, Hog And Hosper - 3rd May 2013 Print E-mail Written by Johnny H Thursday, 16 May 2013 03:00 “And now the end is near….” GuntysThe first of two nights of Punkfest 2013 here at the Hog And Hosper, this is the most fitting swansong for a venue I’ve grown to love over the last few years. That’s partly because I’ve never actually seen GBH before other than in the cavernous surroundings of the Olympia in Blackpool where it was like an unaired punk rock edition of Name That Tune trying to pinpoint the songs being cranked out thanks to that venue’s infamous aircraft hanger sound, and of course it’s also because this is the last but one gig before we wave bye bye to the Hog. So as I lift a can of Stella in celebration of The Guntys taking to the stage/raised floor area, nothing other than truly happy memories of encounters with the likes of Ricky Warwick, LA Guns, Dirt Box Disco, Diamond Head and Scabies & James fill my horse head. So what better way to send the venue off into the sunset in true style than with two nights of punk rock debauchery? Thankfully this is something that Abertillery trio The Guntys specialise in, and their brief set, leaning ever more towards the politically charged end of things, is filled with disenchanted anthems such as ‘When The Brick Stops Swinging’ and ‘Height of Stupidity’, Both dedicated to Tory prime ministers old and new had the already filling dance floor screaming along. It is their set climax where they are joined onstage by This System Kills frontman Pig for a run through of Anti Pasti’s ‘No Maggie Thatcher And No Government’ that almost brings the roof down though. Fuck ‘Ding Dong’ this is the true anti-Thatcher song delivered by people who really do mean every word of it. Vendettas 2 Hailing from the Rhondda just a few Valleys away, The Vendettas are too young to remember John Major never mind Horrible Hilda, so their furious take on punk rock is more about the music rather than the politics. Think what Phil Campbell’s grandchildren might sound like playing Zeke covers, and you won’t be a million miles away. ‘Heartbreaker’ whilst being introduced as a slowie dedicated to the couples in the house is the exact opposite, ripping the skin from your face with its intensity. Likewise ‘Dirty Secret’ and ‘Killing Machine’ (dedicated to the band’s beloved Cardiff City) seek and destroy all comers sending the crowd into an early climax of beer soaked sweat drenched fun. Fellow Uber scribe Darrel Sutton had warned me not to miss these purveyors of filthy dirty ’Bad Taste’ rock ‘n’ roll, and he was once again bang on the button. So to paraphrase old Squidward McPoopshute, make sure you too check out The Vendettas because they are “fucking choice!” BlatoideaThese types of multiple band line ups always tend to throw up one surprise package and tonight that honour falls to Blatoidea, who deliver a set of stinging Sicilian streetpunk by way of London town. Looking almost exactly like the eighties version of tonight’s headliners the quartet even had someone near me complaining that after paying £10 he would have expected one original member to be in GBH, and the comparisons don’t stop there either, as tracks from their ‘Infected’ album like ‘Alive’ speed past in two minute blasts of punk rock fury ala the Midland maniacs in their prime. Singer/guitarist Manu might conduct his stage banter in a second language but at times he actually reminds me of a ‘Total 13’ era Nicke Borg, which is a comparison that I don’t normally give away lightly. Okay they might have overstayed their welcome a bit playing a set of songs that no one other than the few clued in people stage front really knew but the impression they left had punks flooding to the merch stand to pick up CDs and T-shirts, myself included. Whilst I’m on the subject of T-shirts I really do have to mention that when I pay £10 for a shirt I don’t expect to get it home to find it is an iron on transfer. But that’s exactly what the GBH ‘Perfume And Piss’ shirt I picked up tonight was, and what was otherwise as perfect a headline set as I’ll see this year this really left sour taste in my mouth I can tell you. GBH ColAnyway back to the gig and kicking off with ‘Unique’ from the aforementioned Hellcat released return to form; Colin, Jock, Ross and Scott were certainly on a mission tonight, that being to mix the old with the new and send the Hog off with a gig that will be remembered for many years to come by those of us lucky to be in attendance. Of the old we got all of the ‘Leather Bristles Studs And Ache’ EP in its entirety and almost in its expanded Captain Oi CD version sequence too albeit for a ferocious run through of ‘No Survivors’, Big Women’, ‘Sick Boy’, ‘Give Me Fire’ and ‘Hellhole’ before ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’, and ‘City Babies Revenge’ were called back to close the set with Stooges fave ‘I Feel Alright’. The other newbie of the main set ‘Kids Get Down‘ gets dedicated to Blatoidea, with Colin not missing the band’s striking resemble to his band’s younger selves, whilst the recently deceased Jeff Hanneman also picked up an earlier song dedication. It’s this link to thrash metal that actually got me into GBH in the mid eighties, when for nights on end me and my mates would sit and watch the VHS of ‘Live At Stoke-On-Trent 1983’ on constant loop, marvelling at just how intense four guys could be on a stage. Losing none of that intensity here tonight the set closing blast of ‘Maniac’ is a schoolboy ending for yours truly, finally sending everyone out into the street well past the witching hour. If tonight really was the final curtain for the Hog And Hosper as a live venue then Sam and her crew have left most of us at URHQ with many happy memories of what can be done with a relatively small venue and a lot of ambition, however it also paints the harsh picture of reality of what punter apathy and the current economic climate can mean when you are trying to run a business. Unfortunately I couldn’t make the second night of this two day send off (which was headlined by Vice Squad) but this was the perfect way for me to say goodbye to a venue that really did do it their way. To visit the GBH store on Amazon - The Punk Singles 1981-84

http://www.uberrock.co.uk/gig-reviews/9-may-gigs/8091-gbh-pontypool-hog-and-hosper-3rd-may-2013.html

First day of a new start

So that was it. A party of all parties to close the pub and we drank it dry. I am now recovering, I have the shakes so please excuse me. Today I will be chilling out. I will need to clean the Pub as there are empty cans and glasses everywhere and there is someone coming to have a look at the place tomorrow. The pub will be going up for auction next month so we are staying here until 25th May and then moving into our new place which is in the middle of nowhere. Its not far from our friends and its close to where Wayne's Mom is. The new place has 3 bedrooms so the kids have a room as well when they come over to visit. We will need to invest in a new car as well so we can all, kids and fur kids, go out on day trips. Thats what Im looking forward to mainly, going out for trips and not having to worry about rushing back if there is a problem at the pub. I have spoken to a few Landladies that have come out of the Trade recently and thay say that they do miss the Social part of it but not the worry. We have checked out the local Pubs and they are within wlaking distance. The Hunters Moon is the nearest, The Skirrid is a 10 minute drive away and The Walnut Tree about 15 mins drive. Very important to check out the local!! The house has its on acre of land and we can put a little fence up so the woo's can have a run around. Offas Dkye also starts at the bottom of the garden and the views are spectacular. Our neighours are Sheep to the left and horses to the right. I would like to get into writing abit more as well if possible and earn some money that way. I need to take it easy. I still havent really recovered from my Op as you can never switch off when you run your own business. I was short on cash when I had to pay HMRC and they said I should have made provisions. Sorry HMRC I didnt know I was going to get seriously ill. I do apologise for getting off my arse and starting a Business. Oh well, time to rest, but first I am going hopping with my Mom. Waynes gone to see the kids in Bristol so I am having a relaxing day withmy folks. Catch you later http://intotheble.gtmachine.track.clicksure.com -->

Johnny Trashed - Johnny Cash Tribute

You only had to see the 'Dukes of Hazzard' flag  and rams head on the mic stand and that wonderful double bass ready to be spanked and plucked to know that Johnny Trashed were in the building. Johnny Trashed are an amazing punked up tribute to the one and only legend that is Johnny Cash.

There intro couldn't be  mistaken and very tongue in cheek,the lads swaggered on to the stage to the sounds of The Waltons. 

Now these guys are professional make no mistake, but they have the ability to do everything tongue in cheek to give the max to their entertainment level. The banter on stage with a couple of heckling and 'yeee ha's' from the audience add to the gig.

The audience tapping their feet on the first number only to be dancing and pogoing by the second number, was enough to really get the party started. Smiling faces confirmed that the night was a good night. The band will be booked for July next year so keep your eyes peeled.

LA Guns/Damn Dice/The Prophets Of Addiction - Pontypool, The Hog & Hosper - 8th October 2011

On Oct 8th 2011 we had the privilege of having LA Guns grace our stage. Although we are a small place, we book the occasional Rock Star to play our 'Living Room' giving our customers an up close and personal experience. Alot of the bands have played Arena's playing to thousands, so for them to come to The Hog is a real scoop.. Johnny Hayward from Uber Rock came to see LA Guns and wrote a wonderful review on his idols as well as giving The Hog the thumbs up.
Click the link to have a read.


LA Guns/Damn Dice/The Prophets Of Addiction - Pontypool, The Hog & Hosper - 8th October 2011