Three years ago dedicated London-based promoters of Le Beat Bespoke festival the New Untouchables secured the first UK live debut of punk legends The Sonics. Now, with this special one-off gig they are proud to present the first-ever appearance on British soil of The Standells.
Best known for their hit ‘Dirty Water’, The Standells released a string of snotty, aggressive garage singles in the mid to late 1960s which are now rightly regarded as proto-punk classics. ‘Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White’, ‘Why Pick On Me’, ‘Riot On Sunset Strip’ – the songs of The Standells have been covered by everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and U2 to Spacemen 3, Minor Threat and a million ’77 punk bands as well as many of subsequent scene bands.
Despite forming in LA in 1962, The Standells will always be associated with Boston, the city where writer and producer Ed Cobb was mugged one night by the Charles river, inspiring ‘Dirty Water’. The song has long been the victory anthem of Boston’s Red Sox baseball team, and in 2004 the band reformed to play for the first time in over 30 years inside the Sox’s Fenway Park stadium.
Now they’re finally reaching the UK and Europe. “When we first started out we loved the sound of The Beatles and The Stones,” remembers keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, “so to be finally getting to play in England where those bands came from is really exciting.”
“We actually recorded Dirty Water in a converted garage. Maybe it’s the rebellious in-your-face lyrics of our songs, or the snarly way in which we performed them but I know that a lot of groups like the Ramones and Guns N’Roses have been inspired by us.”
Proof is in the support acts – the youthful garage energy of suburban teenage beatfreaks – and Standells fans - Thee Vicars and the deranged R&B of King Salami and The Cumberland 3. Plus London’s best garage and beat DJs will be playing vintage vinyl for your dancing pleasure through untll 3am.
Tickets are on sale now.
The Standells
Sat 19 June
@ 229 The Venue, 229 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PN
Doors open 7pm (first band on 7.30pm)
Support acts King Salami and The Cumberland 3 and Thee Vicars + after show party with DJ’s Dr Robert & Nick Brown (Intoxica), Ben Olins (The Cellar), PJ (Dirty Water) & Pat Long (Cosmic Slop) spinning R&B, Garage, Beat & Psych 45’s through till 3am. PAT LONG
