The 1865, Southampton
Ferocious Dog over the years have had a great relationship with the city of Southampton and after the local premier league football team the “Saints” get beaten 3-2 by Leicester FC with the winning goal coming in the 98 minute, the band have a job to raise the spirits of the locals with some upbeat musical entertainment. Ken Bonsall and his band arrive in Southampton on Part two of the band’s 6th album “Kleptocracy” tour. After a Summer spent outdoors performing at a string of major UK festivals, the band are back on the road performing in front of the devoted fans named “Hell Hounds”, some who have travelled a huge distance to be here.
Before the headliners take to the stage we are blessed with a great support act tonight from Gevelsberg in Germany with a distinct Irish flavour – The O’Reilly’s and the Paddy Hats. The band are musicians with a penchant for historic story telling with the use of Irish Folk/Punk influences from the likes of “Flogging Molly” and “The Pogues”. The five-piece are a highly polished outfit with a clinically tight delivery. Frontman Paddy reminds me of Ricky Warwick with his stance and passionately aggressive delivery.
The band provide plenty of harmonic gang vocals as well as some sublime instrumentation with the use of fiddle, banjo and mandolin along with the usual rudiments of Rock music. The band have been around since 2011 and have been plying their trade across a host of major festivals in Europe. They certainly know how to whip up a crowd and lets face it, who cannot resist a good olde Irish stomp. We are treated to a host of energetic rabble-rousing songs including “Green Blood”, “Bareknuckle Fighting” and the band’s raucous closer “Barrels of Whiskey”, which thoroughly warms up the lively audience ready for the main attraction.
As with the last tour, the infectious intro music of “Haul Away Joe” straight into “Pentrich Rising” is just one of the best ways to open the band’s set. The band sets their high momentum out from the start, frontman Ken is as usual smiling like a Cheshire cat. Clearly loving being back on the road again, he also seems to have ditched his can of cider for a healthier option of water.
The musicians that he has surrounded himself with are a talented bunch and their integration into the band has been seamless and it has hugely benefitted the band’s sound. There is the multi-instrumentalist Sam Wood who can play virtually anything with strings, along with the tin whistle (even after a heavy night before on the spirits); Nick Wragg on bass along with drummer Luke Grainger provide a rock solid rhythm section. Kyle Peters plays electric guitar and provides some fine vocals too. The final key member of the band Jamie Burney brings some fantastic melodies with his violin.
Every Ferocious Dog gig is a special occasion and the atmosphere in the 1865 club is one of celebration, the fans know virtually every word to every song and as you look around it’s almost like they are in a church worshipping and Rev. Red Ken is holding service. The band’s hymns provide some historical and political education; as Ken says “we are not a political band, we just sing political songs”. The lyrics certainly come from the heart and some tough subjects are covered including nuclear fallout, cancer that has effected children in “Khatyn” and the perils of PTSD in “Broken Solider”. This is a subject close to Ken’s heart as he lost his son Lee from suicide after a friend he was serving with in Afghanistan was shot dead.
“Paddy on the Railway” is dedicated to the legend that is The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan and his former band mate in The Popes Leeson O’Keeffe who also passed away earlier this year from cancer. One of the highlights of the evening is “Hell Hounds”, a song that is always dedicated to the bands fans past and present. Ken pits the fans against other nights on the tour and a raucous mosh pit ensues and the band seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the great reaction from the excited audience.
The last song “Slow Motion Suicide” is always a highlight and I can never get bored of hearing that song live and the way that the band passionately deliver it. Jamie steps towards the front of the stage to deliver a momentous solo with his dark brown eyes gleaming with joy at the crowd’s reaction. The band take their bows and as is now customary the celebrated frontman stays on stage and takes the plaudits with a dance to the Toy Dolls “Nellie The Elephant”; he is joined by various members of his own and the support band, much to the delight of the audience who have once again enjoyed a great night.
Set Lists
Ferocious Dog
Intro:
Haul Away Joe
Pentrich Rising
Iron Mike Malloy
Matty Groves
Spin
Black Gold
Khatyn
Merthyr Rising
Broken Soldier
Kleptocracy
The Punk Police
The Protest Singer
Pocket of Madness
Darker Side of Town
Unconditional
Cry of the Celt
Sus Laws
Parting Glass
Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
Paddy on the Railway
Hell Hounds
Mairi’s Wedding II
Slow Motion Suicide
Outro: Nellie The Elephant
The O’Reillys and the Paddyhats
Wake the Rebels
Dogs on the Leash
Irish Way
Green Blood
Yesterday’s Rebel
Bareknuckle Fighting
Raise Your Glasses High
Coming Home For St. Patrick’s Day
Bar Room Lady
Big Bad Billy
Barrels of Whiskey
Videos
Links
https://ferocious-dog.co.uk
https://www.paddyhats.com
Article by David Chinery (Chinners)
Photography by Jon Musselwhite
