Live music this month in Milton Keynes

Grade 2 start the Christmas countdown at The Craufurd Arms, bringing the raw power of old school punk to the new generation.
Signed to Hellcat Records (the label set up by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong) is a nice place to be, and their second release on said label (but third album overall) is the eponymous 15-track delivery ‘melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity and frustrations of Gen-Z youth.’

“Like everyone else, 2020 left us properly f*cked off,” says frontman Sid Ryan. “Yet we were able to channel every ounce of that despair into every second of this record.”

The Isle of Wight natives will be seeing you on December 5.

The Woodentops (Dec 10) have celebrated their four decade anniversary this year, and yet, 2024 has been particularly fruitful: ‘…the most loaded with fresh releases, remixes, film, collaborations and general newness in any year since our beginning in 1984. Radio plays, video streams and digital audio action have been really satisfying, so we are rounding off with a week of UK dates to top it off,’ the band said.
And in preparation, they’ve been cherry picking from their back catalogue, while also lining up a nice selection of the new recordings to share.

Broken Castles will be back on the stage before Santa shows his face, too: “In what has now become an annual Christmas tradition, we are limbering up to play The Craufurd with our rock and roll brothers in crime, Space Pistol,” explained drummer, Graham, “We also plan to debut some brand new material for this show, ready to end the year with a sufficiently raucous bang!”

Join the musical pairing on Friday, December 13, unlucky for some, but not for you.
David Gedge Acoustic Duo (Dec 14) is a chance to see the founding member of The Wedding Present play some of the tracks from the band’s extensive catalogue in an intimate setting.

David will be on acoustic guitar, with WP guitarist Rachel Wood on electric. Together they will deliver a different approach to the songs fans love.

Christmas comes early for this music fan, with the return of veteran doom slingers Eyehategod (Dec 16).
“Some people think Eyehategod is completely negative 24 hours a day,” said frontman Mike IX Williams, “And we definitely give off those negative vibes when we play. But really, this band was always meant to be fun for us and it still is fun. Back in the ‘90s, when I didn’t know if I was going to make it another day due to excessive chemical and alcohol abuse, I enjoyed life on the edge and living day by day…however this is better. I’m actually loving being alive.

“I hate to use the word positive, but I kind of think what we do is about clawing through the misery of life and making it to the next day,” he says. “And there are definitely exciting, positive moments along the way. Me and Jimmy always said when it stops being fun that’s when we’re done.”

Thankfully, the fun continues…
If you are easily offended, you’ll want to sit this next one out. Those with a sense of humour who see things for what they are will probably have already bought their tickets for Kunt and the Gang’s Craufurd Arms return (Dec 21), anyway.

Famous for their sweary protest song about Boris Johnson (remember now?) which hit the Top 5 in the UK Christmas chart in 2020, they followed that a year later with a second Boris tune which also did the business.

They’ve since delivered more establishment unfriendly singles which have all gone Top 20, and they’ve done so with no radio airplay, no PR company spinning things and with no marketing budget. Imagine that.

The band’s Basildon-born ‘songwriter, frontman and puppeteer in synthpop comedy act’ pulled together a band to record the sweary debut album, Punk In Your Face, and more recently, they’ve pieced together the soundtrack to the controversial film, Shannon Matthews: The Musical… The Movie.

If you’ve seen them live, you’ll know what a smile inducing bunch they are. The Kunts’ live show cheerfully rattles through their own ridiculously sweary protest songs alongside some of their best known dark comedy hits, turning the bleakest of subjects into a raucous sing-along that you’ll almost certainly find yourself guiltily humming the next day.’

Hum them at work, by all means, but maybe don’t get lyrical at your desk.
Last up for 2024, Motorheadache (Dec 29) play tribute to the much-missed Lemmy and his legendary band, with particular emphasis on the Fast Eddie Clarke era, but not exclusively, so in addition to Bomber, Overkill and Ace of Spades, you’ll get bangers like Victory or Die and Killed By Death.

The perfect way to escape the family after a Crimbo cooped up, wouldn’t you say?

To get mitts on tickets for shows, visit thecraufurdarms.com

Headcharge readies the new breed

The Headcharge promotion is also back at The Craufurd Arms (Dec 28).

The new band showcase is “another opportunity for young creatives and artists to connect through each other’s art, and for you to network with your favourite bands and people, in a safe space for everyone,” says organiser Alfie Glass.
Here’s who is on, and a little teaser for each.

Priest Strangler: Straight up, old school savage black metal in the vein of bands like Venom and early Celtic Frost
Blue Wall: Emotive and expansive driven rock with hints of Radiohead
Daybreak: Commercial indie rock with gritty, raw tones and a melodic touch
Vandervalls: Super new indie soft rock players from Northampton
Within Reach: Uncompromising melodic screamo metallers – and Headcharge regulars might recognise lead guitarist Bailey Dopson from his other band, Scarper
Bones Ate Arfa: Brighton-based fuzzy Royal Blood-esque riffs and straight up rock bangers

“Aside from that full programme of music, we will be working towards our next Zine, so if you’ve any feedback you would like to give us, or anything you want to say to the camera for that matter, please don’t be shy,” Alfie urged, “We are doing this for you guys!”

Tickets for the big bash are £6 in advance, and doors open at 6pm.

Also bringing the Craufurd noise this month: Foo Fighters GB – December 7 Hey Pixies – December 14 Nerdvana – December 21