A strange one this, Sham were never a band I would have wanted to watch in their heyday, so I never did. I always thought of them as a bit of a joke band even though I did buy their first ever single “I don’t wanna.” After this though they went downhill with immortal lyrics such as “laced up boots and corduroys,” and the continual fights at their gigs. Any way I thought I would give them a go and support Evoke. After a couple of pints in the Fleece I realised that there would not be many punters there. When the Buzzcocks played last year the pub was packed, not this time though.

I was quite surprised when we got into the club how many people had turned up. Talking to Nick Garner the promoter the following night he said there were 150 souls there. Sham played all the singles, some I didn’t know and put on a good show. A lot of people didn’t turn up because they thought they would be seeing a band with no original members. As the band were introduced the guitarist was the original one, the drummer had been with them for 27 years, the other guitarist had played with the Angelic Upstarts so there was some pedigree there. There was also mention of not having Kiddie fiddlers in the band.

Evoke is putting on From the Jam at the end of this month and the Sex Pistols Experience at the end of April, I don’t think there will be many original Pistols in that one or Paul Weller will turn up for the Jam but I am sure that more people will turn up. Sham went into a version of “White Riot” which was quite apt as the only time I ever saw Jimmy Pursey was at the Rock against Racism gig at Victoria Park with Maurice in 78 when Jimmy sang that song with the Clash. Summing up, I am glad I went, the band were very raw and aggressive. There was the odd skinhead in the audience and a couple of weird looking specimens dancing. The beer in Evoke was a bit of a letdown no ale just lager on draught, with rock bands for the more mature audience perhaps a better selection would be in order. A good night out though and can’t wait for Bruce Foxton and the Jam,

Duncan, March 2013