A suitably cinematic sunset is casting its final rays over Lancaster as I finally set foot in The Pub (despite the best efforts of Friday night M6 traffic and Lancaster’s circuitous one-way system).  The only things that could have made it even more appropriate would have been a pair of swinging saloon doors, a spittoon by the bar, a table of disreputable poker players and a dodgy honky-tonk piano player, for an evening spent in the company of the Gypsy Pistoleros.

Describing themselves as “the Best Flamenco, Punk, Glam Band Ever” there can be no doubt after tonight’s performance that this is no idle boast.  It’s clear that had they chosen to do so, they could have been an excellent band in any one of those styles, but in choosing to pull them together makes for that rarest of things these days, something truly unique.  Photographer Darren hits the nail on the head remarking that there is absolutely no other band you could compare them to, whether it be in musical style, performance or aesthetic. Yes, you can pick out their individual influences, but they are expertly woven together to provide a sound all their own, one that is fascinating, exciting, surprising and quite simply irresistible.

And whilst the idea of blending such an array of seemingly disparate styles could potentially result in an unmitigated disaster (look no further than the untimely dissolution of the iconic Motorhead line-up, caused in no small part by Fast Eddie Clarke’s unhappiness at the band covering a country song with The Plasmatics) the Gypsy Pistoleros prove that this doesn’t have to be the case, and collectively prove to be one of the most visually and musically arresting bands I’ve had the pleasure to see in a long time.  

Tonight, we get all but one number from their forthcoming album due out in November, the title song ‘Duende a go go loco’ (Crazy Go Go Goblin apparently, according to Google Translate!), opening the show and setting the template for the set. The excellently staccato ‘Hotel de la Muerte’ follows, all punky riffing, yips and yelps, the spiritual sister hotel to that one in California, but one that takes us to an altogether darker and sleazier part of town.  It’s another great example of that strange alchemy of style, that voodoo cocktail that is Gypsy Pistoleros USP, one that seems hardwired into the dance genes in us all, as I defy anyone not to move when these guys perform.

Gypsy Pistoleros know that this is a rock n roll show, and never forget the show part.  Lead singer Lee is a true troubadour and storyteller in the classic rock n roll fashion.  His between song banter and interactions with the crowd is easy, natural and frequently hilarious. Whether it be berating the Tories as he introduces another newie ‘Revolution’ or thrusting the mic stand into the crowd with a flourish, his is a magnetic presence keeping the crowd hooked at all times.  

‘Soho Daze’ is all shimmering guitars, pumping bass lines and compelling gutter poet lyrics, with another eminently singalong chorus, before the band launch into their storming version of ‘Livin La Vida Loca.’  Ballsier and more powerful than Ricky Martin could have ever dreamed or dared to imagine, its speeds past in a blur of razor-sharp riffing courtesy of the uniformly excellent Shane Sparkz.  Never one to miss the opportunity for some audience participation, Lee stops the song mid-flow to ask crowd the weirdest place they’ve ever woken up, which provides some very, shall we say “interesting” responses!

Rhythm sections are quite often the unsung heroes of a band with all the attention often overly focussed on the vocalist and lead guitarist, so it would be remiss not to mention the consistently sublime work of Kerry White on bass and Craig Shape behind the kit.  Kerry bounces, pogoes and stomps around the postage-stamp sized stage with reckless abandon and an obvious joy and love of what she is doing, whilst laying down the coolest of grooves with expert precision.  Craig is a veritable powerhouse locking in with Kerry’s forceful bass lines in a display of rhythmic dexterity, deceptive in its elegance and impact.

If this tour is to highlight songs off the forthcoming album, then it achieves this emphatically, showing there is a huge amount to look forward to with this new release. Take ‘The Ballad of Tommy Shelby’ a dramatic homage to the Peaky Blinders protagonist, a softly spoken dramatic intro before launching into a punchy upbeat section, almost rock and roll in its melodies; ‘I’ll Remember You’ starting slower and moodier, rimshots aplenty then building and building and ‘Thrill Kill Killers’ dedicated to the mass murderers in the crowd, each one a soon to be discovered gem.  All the new material sits seamlessly in the set and look to be the obvious next step in the evolution of the band.

The temperature in the venue is reaching volcanic levels but the punky energy never flags, the set reaching a climax with the new single and ridiculously brilliant cover of ‘Come On Eileen’.  As Lee tells, it was born out of an adverse reaction to the band being described as a heavy metal Dexy’s Midnight Runners, it’s a song that shouldn’t work, but really, really does.  Claiming it back from being doomed to be forever a cliched wedding song, it just proves that there’s no song that can’t be made better by adding power chords, attitude and that rock n roll pixie dust that the Gypsy Pistoleros seem to have in inexhaustible supply. There’s just time for one final blast through ‘Wild, Beautiful, Damned’ to bring the night’s proceedings to a breathless conclusion.

In a world that’s often mundane and boring, tonight was a shot in the arm of rock n roll swagger, colour and fun, and I reckon the world would be a much more vibrant and interesting place if we were all just a little bit more Pistolero…

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Gypsy Pistoleros