Live Review : Ugly Kid Joe + The Virginmarys @ Gorilla, Manchester on March 25th 2024

Are you part of the Beavis & Butthead generation? Way back in 1992, the bumbling cartoon twosome took the world by storm. Wikipedia describes them as ”a pair of teenage slackers characterized by their apathy, lack of intelligence, lowbrow humour and love for hard rock and heavy metal”. At the same time, there were several bands around who played to the same schtick – schoolboy humour, teenage angst, love of a party and most of all a fresh, upbeat approach to rock music.

One of the premier exponents of this fun-filled, laid-back metal was of course Ugly Kid Joe. There have been a lot of changes over the years but after five albums and more decades than any of us want to contemplate school pals Whitfield Crane and Klaus Eichstadt are still bringing their brand of Californian sunshine to the slightly more dreary Mancunian winter.  

Before we get to them though, there are openers The Virginmarys to think about. I mean, who would have thought in these enlightened times that the birthplace of New Punk would be just up the road in Macclesfield? With just 2 band members (drums, guitar and vocals) their sound is stripped bare. It’s also loud and brash enough to fill the confines of this small room though, and if confidence were all it takes to become a superstar these guys would already be hovering up in the musical stratosphere. As it is, their angry, often discordant tones are something of an acquired taste. I’m looking around, and some people are getting it whilst others are bemused by it.

They are strident, and the energy they exude is palpable, but the songs have a tendency to run together a little as the variety of sound you can wring out of just two instruments is naturally limited. It’s (mostly) all good though, there are people pushing to the front to be more involved and get a better look, and even the chattering masses at the bar pause every now and again to nod in appreciation. If you are looking for intricate harmonies and complicated time-changes The Virginmarys are not the band for you. If, however, you prefer raw, energetic, indie-tinged modern punk then they are probably worth a listen. 

One of the things that is keeping Ugly Kid Joe relevant in current year must surely be what seems now to be the permanent addition of Yorkshire’s favourite Ade Edmonson lookalike. Our very own Chris Catalyst is now providing second guitar, bad Hawaiian shirts and good backing vocals, this helps to bring the whole show somehow a little closer to home. Because let’s face it, Manchester is a long way from the shores of sunny California, and Gorilla is a long way from the huge festivals and arenas that this band frequented in their heyday.

They don’t let that spoil the fun though, and openers ‘That Ain’t Livin’ and ‘VIP’ set the tone for what will be an evening of bouncy, booze-filled fun. Whit still sports a backwards baseball cap although the hair beneath it may be thinner and greyer, and his oppo Klaus still looks like the eternal American college student, and this youthful enthusiasm is reflected in the music. It’s frat-boy humour, bring a keg to the pool party rock. Old favourite songs like ‘Neighbor’ rub shoulders with new classics like ‘Kill The Pain’ from their most recent release “Rad Wings Of Destiny”, and there’s barely room to slide a fag paper into the difference between them.

The band are all over the stage and the crowd are all over the band. Arms are held aloft, choruses are shouted, and much jumping ensues. To paraphrase another American surf-party band, when did Ugly Kid Joe become classic rock? Because that’s what they are now. Whit’s voice is still clear and tuneful, the songs are well-crafted and well-performed and the whole show is engaging without being over elaborate. 

Don’t go thinking that this performance is slick though. Oh no. Whit banters with both crowd and band, Chris stalks Klaus about the stage to the point of frenzy and a couple of hilarious ad-lib moments happen that leave us all howling. Their cover of Harry Chapin’s ‘Cats In The Cradle’ is still a highlight of the set, becoming a crowd participation event that nobody can resist, and ‘Goddamn Devil’ is a slice of evil metal that is only brightened by Chris sticking two plectrum “horns” to his head to emphasise just how evil he is.

Tonight we also get a special treat at the end of the main set as Chris Catalyst takes the stage alone to rip through a couple of Oasis covers for us. When in Manchester…..! As the band comes back out Whit exhorts the crowd to scream louder and louder, so they can play more songs, which they duly do. They pour out a high-energy cover of Motorhead’s ‘Ace Of Spades’ that even gets a bit of a circle pit going. Now bear in mind here that most of this crowd are the same age as the band, and our knees aren’t what they used to be, so this is a pretty impressive phenomenon!

They finish of course with That Song, the anthem of disaffected Kevin The Teenagers all over the world and throughout time. ‘I Hate Everything About You’ is possibly the most perfect upbeat happy pop-rock song ever, and it’s ironic that it’s sung by a band that have outgrown their teens, outlived their contemporaries and actually have quite a lot about them to love.  

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Ugly Kid Joe, The Virginmarys