Millie Manders And The Shut Up
The New Adelphi Club in Hull is one of my favourite venues for punk-type gigs; a tiny room, dimly lit, with black painted walls adorned with gig posters and stickers from bands that have appeared there. It wouldn’t take a lot of imagination to see it as a set in any film about punk bands.
This visit to the venue was brought about by the chance to see one of my favourite ska acts, Millie Manders And The Shut Up (MMATSU to their friends), playing a fairly local gig to me. Although not widely known, they’ve a sound that’s loaded with 2-Tone energy and are fronted by one of the most energetic and animated performers I’ve seen in a long time. Before they came on, obviously there were a couple of support acts to enjoy.
Openers were local band Spilt Milk, who weren’t massively my cup of Dahjeeling. Loud and shouty punk rock at its most raw, they only really shone when they dropped into a dark Joy Division type number that was a world away from their other material. Hopefully this young band will follow that path, as on first
impressions that is where their talents lie.
Nervous Twitch from Leeds followed. I’d not seen them before, but they’re definitely on my list of acts to see again. Punk with a Psychobilly edge – they actually went full on rocking a couple of times – and with a singer that carried a voice reminiscent of Poly Styrene in full flow. Worth looking out for, particularly if rocking punk is your thing.
It was MMATSU that were the main draw, though. An unusual start to the set saw Millie perched on the front of the low stage, launching into the low-key vocal intro to Right To Life with no warning, before the song kicks in and she’s off, bouncing around the stage and dragging the crowd into skanking life. It’s hard to explain the sheer power that she brings to a set, and with a tight and lively band behind her then it’s guaranteed to be a great night. With a vocal range that’s got to be heard to be believed, playing ukeleke and sax as required, she has a stage persona that can switch from demented on ‘Teddy’, through to angry on ‘Lollipops’, she’s one of the most engaging entertainers on the ska scene at the moment. ‘Baccus’ saw the introduction of Harry Burnby, the singer from Hull Skapunk band Counting Coins, who joined the band on stage to encourage the crowd to take a mouthful of their favourite tipple every time the word ‘drink’ was mentioned in the song. Not that they needed much
It’s hard to explain the sheer power that she brings to a set, and with a tight and lively band behind her then it’s guaranteed to be a great night!
encouragement, as bottles and glasses were healthily drained by the end of it, and Harry rejoined the crowd to spend the rest of the set skanking away like mad, as did the crowd, which had strangely warmed up nicely by that point!
Millie always takes the time to give a shout out to the Specialized charitable organisation, pointing out that the only time the band does cover versions is when it’s to raise a few bob for this worthy cause. This was no exception, the band launching into a blisteringly fast punkedup version of The Jam’s ‘Pretty Green’, that they recorded a few years back.
As is always the way, gigs end too soon, and this was no exception. Encores were inevitably called for and given, the final of which was another Specialized track, their bouncy take on Millie Small’s skinhead reggae classic ‘My Boy Lollipop’, and the night drew to an all-too-early close. With sweat dripping off the ceiling, walls and myself, and with the band’s closing song joining the tinnitus ringing in my ears (really must stop standing so close to the speakers!), it was time to head outside after a quick stop by the merch stall, to say hi to the band and pick up something to help with their fuel bills. For full on ska action, I honestly can’t recommend MMATSU highly enough.