Tucked away under Oxford Street, the 100 Club feels like a terribly kept secret, the venue you’d miss if you strode past too quickly that holds a place in the hearts of so many. It’s the perfect location for two bands who share that enigmatic status: if you know, you really really know. The Zipheads, poised to release a new album in the next few minutes, have spent the last decade exploding through stages across the rock’n’roll scene and beyond with their ferociously energetic shows, and the Hillbilly Moon Explosion? You’re either a devoted fan of the international, genre-defying group, one of the many with lyrics to their biggest hit tattooed on their bodies, or you’re a fan in waiting, ready to find the song from their expansive back catalogue that speaks to you.
The Zipheads have an irrepressible energy that makes the stage lights seem just a little brighter than usual whenever they play, so it’s no wonder that they make for a bold opening to the evening. Whether it’s Welcome To The Real World, with it’s powerful buildups and cartoon-bright solos, or bounding rhythm and quick fire vocals on Dinosaur Rock, there’s always this jet fueled quality about the Zipheads which is barely contained, like a rock’n’roll reactor held together with tape. MI:5 projects a veneer of classiness over their set, a change of pace from the primitive drumbeats and moody excellence of Call Of The Wild, and their all-too-brief appearance closes on the country swing of Don’t Pretend, frontman Ray Waters flashing a brilliant grin as he strolls offstage.
The Zipheads @ The 100 Club, London - 2025.28.02
Of course, we’re here for ‘one of the best rock n roll bands in the entire fuckin’ world’, as Ray Waters terms the Hillbilly Moon Explosion. While he might be a little biased, there’s no denying that there’s a truly iconic feel to any Hillbilly Moon Explosion show. The echoing drama and rough garage edges of Sometimes Late At Night melt into the gritty club walls as Emanuela Hutter’s rolling notes drip from each line she sings. As the unmistakable timeless groove of I Live In My Head gives way to Buy Beg Or Steal, her deceptively light wail floats above a power rhythm that uses rough, choppy surf rolls as punctuation. “This is a very old song, and it’s the story of my life,” shares bassist Oliver Baroni before Long Way Down, rich in nostalgia and hope, regret and slapping, the past and present swirling together with a clink of life in a whiskey glass. The loneliness in ‘sad love song’ Queen Of Hearts is mitigated with comforting harmonies, over desolate plucking and waves upon waves of open guitar from Duncan James, each note of the solo sending out ripples.
It’s not all tales of tragedy and heartbreak. Sure, we’ve got ‘a dance song… a party song about feeling awful’ in the form of Knocked Down but it comes with an even denser groove live and provokes genuine waves of dancing across the packed basement that last long into the perfect rock n roll transition into You Miss Something You Never Had. Moments of sheer loveliness peek through the set too: just take Reno. “This Italian Swiss lady somehow came up with a proper Bakersfield country and western song,” Baroni swings his arm towards Hutter, who smiles shyly, looking down under her lashes. It’s honky tonk beat breathes distilled sunshine and a longing for a time that glows in memory. They never lose the garage, Ramones-styled heart of their sound, and on a number like Live The Life it bursts forth to conjure up fuzz that could send you floating away.
Hillbilly Moon Explosion @ The 100 Club, London - 2025.28.02
Then, there’s ‘That Song’. “This song is not our song any more, it belongs to everyone,” explains Baroni before the warm glow of recognition on the instantly recognisable intro evaporates into the club. My Love For Evermore fills your chest with the joy of recognition like meeting an old friend, and we relish new flourishes on the melody with blossoming satisfaction as we sing joyfully into the night. “I tell you, whenever that happens, that’s always the coolest thing ever,” Baroni smiles as before launching into Blondie’s Call Me, a song that could have been written for them, such is that stamp they have put on it. Stomping fan favourite Down On Your Knees is a resolute finish to another glorious evening, but closing out with an encore of Baby I Love You in true Ramones style is a homecoming moment, a dash of victory poured in at the last moment.
One night in London feels like too little, but the road calls the Hillbilly Moon Explosion and the Zipheads onwards to finish up their UK tour, and the memories of this gritty, classy little club show, showcasing two of the finest rock n roll bands on the scene today won’t leave us Knocked Down for long.
Catch the Zipheads’ album launch show at the Underworld, Camden on 13th June 2025.
The Hillbilly Moon Explosion’s latest album. Back In Time, is out now on Cleopatra Records.
Review of The Hillbilly Moon Explosion and The Zipheads live at 100 Club, London on 28th March 2025. Review by Kate Allvey. Photography by Pauline Di Silvestro.
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