Review Feeding 5000 Sheperds Bush 24 Nov

Here is a review by John Marshall of the Steve Ignorant (not Crass) performance of Crass' first album "Feeding the 5000" at the Sheperd's Bush Empire 24 November 2007

For full review see http://weddingpresent.livejournal.com/96317.html

I've seen Steve ignorant before. He became a member of conflict in the 80s and they did Crass songs for a lot of the set. they were noisier rawer versions of those songs but it was great to get my Crass fix as I'd never seen Crass. This was 20 years ago though and I really wanted to hear Steve do these songs again. I also saw him as part of a band called Schwartzeneggar who were very very good. Steve was nervous about tonight as so many were saying this was wrong and he wanted to prove to people how well it could be done. The band came on to film backdrops of the Crass logo. I felt all tingly inside. They began with DO They Owe Us A Living. You could tell Steve was neverous inside but sang this wonderfully and the band were spot on. it was more like Crass than when conflict did it. Not as hard or thrashy like the music of conflict and the crowd were less aggressive. Steve got more into his stride for End Result singing in his distinctive style with much power and aggression. My god this was good. His backing band consisited of an ex Schwartzeneggar member, the guy who used to be in English Dogs and Prodigy also a guy from Die Toten Hosen and one other. Also a female vocalist to do those parts. They didn't perform Asylum though as steve said it was Eve Libertine's song and should only be done by her. So the set continued. They've got a bomb was true to form but with extra power. this one really got the crowd going. Punk Is Dead got the biggest chant of the night probably confusing security! Reject Of Society and General Bacardi both excellent then Banned form the roxy was always sang as "Banned from The Uk" with Conflict so it was good to hear Steve singing the original words to this. thank god those saying this should never happen didn't get their own way to deprive me of tonight. G's song being the shortest crass song was fast and furious and also brilliant! so then side 2! Fight War Not Wars got the second biggest chant of the night. absolutely excellent as the screeching radio sound and guitars led into Women which the female vocalist Steve got tonight to do it sang. She sounded like she could've been in Crass it was that good. So then the intriguing part of the night, how would steve cope with the songs which Pete Wright sang on the record? Bloody well was the answer if not better than the original versions. give me a live lp of this gig now! Sucks was especially good from this trilogy of songs. Angels was next which some were complaining that it'd sound dated. The title coming from the tv series "Angels" from the 70s and also saying that coronation street is on twice a week! the lyrics wern't changed to suit today which was a good thing so it gave it that Life On Mars kinda nostalgia! The part where steve mentions Kojak he pointed to his head which is now bald! I laughed so much! What A Shame followed this wonderfully and then one of my highlights of the night "So What?" no, not the anti nowhere league one! Steve did this so well his voice probably suited to this anti religion song more than any other. So this was the end of the Feeding of the 5000, ok there was one more track called "Well..do they?" which was a reprise of Do they owe us a living but it didn't appear! instead Steve stood back as the female vocalist came on and sang Shaved Women. this was done so well with all the aggression intact. Big A Little A had a little girl brought onstage to sing the bit at the start with the childs voice! my god she was so good especially infront of all those fat sweaty punks so brave!! steve looked very impressed as he watched her. The song itself was brilliant. One of the best Crass songs proving they were musically creative more so than most punk bands. The fast bit of this song really got the place going wild. Bloody Revolutions was next complete with brass section. A huge surprise to hear this live one of the most musically challenging Crass songs with a lot of changes through out. a Schwartzeneggar song was then done and maybe another to follow. I really should play their albums more! both were excellent proving crass wasn't the only great achievement of Steve's career. So then to end the main set was Rival Tribal Rebel Revel where steve did all the laddish "come on then, I'll have you all bits" very funny to watch he looks like aright lad now with his bald head! Giz from English Dogs did the "tribal Wars are raging..." parts. So the band went off and steve cameon alone. He said about this gig being controversial and people saying it was wrong. He said that people from all over the world had come to see it and for him it was well worth it and seeing the reaction he had done the right thing and it meant a lot to him after 30 years that these songs still meant something. Who could argue with that? well I'm sure some stuck up git could but hopefully for most there this was perfect. He told us the last song is for us and did Do They Owe us a living again, probably because of how it ends Feeidng! this was even better than the first time! such an amazing gig, more again tonight!!!