The Vive Le Rock magazine awards shows have been a staple of amazing all-star gigs, that originally started as the Vive Le Valentine Ball a good few years ago, as always they are hosted by Vive Le Rock’s editor in chief Eugene Butcher, who deserves massive thanks and praise for putting together amazing nights like this one.
Vive Le Rock Awards 2024
The evening began with a speech form our host Eugene Butcher to thank everyone involved in the night, as well as the staff of the Islington Academy. Before introducing our compere for the evening Beki Bondage who welcomed us all, before introducing the first act of the evening the house band the Vive Le Rockers.
The Vive Le Rockers line-up this year was Slim Cyder on Keyboards and Accordion, Paul-Ronney Angel on guitar and harmonica, Stuart Dace and Tom Hodges on Saxophone, Egil Stemkens on Bass and Nicky Forbes on drums. They opened with a nice and sleazy version of Pipeline that had a good Oddballs style feel to it.
Paul-Ronney then introduced the first special guest of the evening Lily from The Meffs who belted out Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation. Lily was replaced by Alan Clayton from The Dirty Strangers who had to wrestle Paul-Ronney Angel for his guitar before they played a stonking version of Gold Cortina with Paul-Ronney blowing some fine mouth harp.
The first tribute of the night, to those we have lost in the last year, was for Shane MacGowan as Gaff joined the fun on guitar as Paul-Ronney sang The Old Main Drag. Steve Lynch’s banjo really came to the fore on If I Should fall From Grace With God.
Casino Steel from The Yobs really got the first big sing along of the night for a great run through Brickfield Nights, that was followed by his duet with Paul-Ronney on their recent single Thank God This Bar Is Closing about the pairs unending session in the bars of Oslo. The first set concluded with Charlie Harper being given a Birthday cake before they rampaged through C.I.D. with the saxes adding to this still brilliantly angry song.
Beki then took over to help present the first awards of the evening as Neil X presented Chris Spedding with the Guitar legend award, Eugene Butcher presented Grade 2 with the new band award. Then Spike from The Quireboys presented Monty from The Damned with the Album Of the year award, Followed by Segs & Ruffy from The Ruts presenting the voice of a Generation award to Kirk Brandon, the final award in this section was presented by Saffron from Republica who gave the Icon award to Toyah.
Vive Le Rock Awards 2024
The second Vive Le Rockers set opened with Gizz Butt on lead guitar as Beki Bondage paid tribute to Geordie Walker with a rousing version of Killing Jokes Requiem. Then Chris Spedding played a rather nice Gretsch on a slow bluesy version of Silver Bullet, he was then joined by Tommie Rae-Brown and Millie Watson on backing vocals for a great version of his biggest solo hit Motorbikin’ even if several people near me were shouting for Remember You’re A Womble.
Saffron then sang Republica’s biggest hit Ready To Go it sounded really good with Paul-Ronney hamming it upon guitar. Toyah then came back out in her bright red dress with Gaff trying to out deadpan Robert Fripp on guitar, as they amped it up for I Wanna Be Free. Then Eugene Butcher and Gizz Butt rocked the hell out of Whole Lotta Rosie, followed by Beki Bondage doing her best Tina Turner tribute on Nutbush City Limits before this set closed with Jim Jones paying tribute to brothers Wayne Kramer and John Sinclair with a monster rip through Kick Out The Jams that was even more full on than the Nuggets version.
Then it was time for Kirk Brandon to demonstrate why he won the voice of a generation award with a set by Theatre Of Hate a band I’ve been avoiding seeing live for the last 40 years, they opened with Do You Believe In The Westworld the bands biggest hit, it sounded great with a taut sax solo, as the tight 4 piece got a good dark death rock rumble going, You Can’t Stop What’s Coming was a high spot in a very cool short set.
Eugene then introduced Beki once more to announce the Best live act as Ruts DC that was of course a perfect introduction to the bands live set that opened with a fiery version of Psychic Attack, in between song joking aside they got down to business on a super heavy Kill The Pain as ever they are still fighting Jah War. They then brought on special guest Zak Starkey to play guitar on Babylon’s Burning that has some real guitar theatrics as Leigh and Zak really went for it, In A Rut still scalds as Segs made sure to remember Paul Fox and the tribute show they played to him at the Islington Academy with Henry Rollins as they rampaged towards the end of their set reprising Babylons Burning.
How do you end a night like this, well with a 30-minute incandescent set by Sham 69 who came on stage with Jimmy Pursey asking What Have We Got? Well with Dave Treganna and Dave Parsons they had a super-hot band.
I Don’t Wanna was immense as Jimmy stood imperiously asking if we wanted a Borstal Breakout of course we did as the crowd screamed back every word of it. That’s Life has a rueful edge to it, as Dave Parsons rampaged through Angels With Dirty Faces before Jimmy tried to do the impossible on the bands huge anthem If The Kids Are United, if only we could all unite to defeat the evil around us.
They nailed their colours to the wall with a blast through Hersham Boys before one last great sing along on Hurry Up Harry as everyone agreed we’re going down the pub, it was a great closing song at the end of another incredible Vive Le Rock awards show, here’s hoping Eugene can be persuaded to do it all again next year.
Live review of The Vive Le Rock Awards Show 2024 at The Islington Academy, London on 12th April 2024 by Simon Phillips, photos by Louise Phillips.
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