Psicle: Radio Waves Goodbye

Saturday, September 09, 2023

Radio Waves Goodbye

On the recommendation by Ramsay and Jo as they were camping with one of the people from the first band on tonight and that it's free and it's a while since I was last at the Windmill and the headliners are great and how many reasons do I need? I press gang Eva into coming along promising it will be better than the last band I dragged her along to (Blurt, I loved them but an acquired taste probably best initially sampled four decades ago). So the End of the Road Roof Doggers are on as I arrive but luckily I catch most of their set. Billed by the Windmill web site as "post pun electronics" I was intrigued but think they missed a "k" there. I was expecting an easy listening dose of 80s type electronic post punk poppiness but what we got from the two synth players of Radio Waves Goodbye was a heavy dose of electronic techno. And a bit of 80s electronics. The crowd was very impressive for a Monday and this being the first band and before 9 pm but maybe the Cost of Living Crisis (as the Sunak's premiership will be known) has enticed folk out for a free gig. So a great set with big tunes and certainly a punk vibe on the energy and vocals sets us up nicely for the night. Eva arrives as the band end and goes outside whilst I get drinks. Out back Eva's chatting to three very friendly blokes who are all in their early 20s and we have a right old natter as I tell the native New Yorker what the Big Apple was like back in the late 80s when I visited. Obviously before he was a twinkle in the proverbial. It's their first time here and one said he thought they'd walked into a crack house when they got inside. God knows what he thought of the toilet then. Next up are Hate Moss who have a dodgy name and not as clever as the openers. But the music is great. Again a heavy electronic techno vibe with a synth playing singer and a drummer to drive the beat with that live and direct feel. Some gentler bits but generally another banging set of hard dance vibes. Some damn fine vocals too. There's a bit of hard ass dancing going on too. One of which turns out to be the partner and fellow camper of the guy in the first band and I chat to them whilst waiting for Eva who I've lost. After chatting bands, this venue, bassing and fiddly knob devices, this being their 2nd gig plus how great Ramsay and Jo are I find Eva again. Back outside to chat to our new found friends and a possible NYC Halloween party for her. Then we're back inside for the headliners who I've seen a couple of times before and they don't disappoint tonight. They have some new tunes I think and a new member and the 5 (I think) members of Queens Head deliver a fantastic set of post pun(k) punky (if that's not contradictory) and far from puny south London sleaze laden baggy tunes with a surreptitious nod to the support bands techno genre. So quite a diverse set but that's their beauty plus the two front men who are intensely entertaining. One of them has a look that says you wouldn't want to have him staring at you in a dodgy south London pub, that that's exactly what he's doing to the audience. Of course being the Windmill a fair few know the band and they sing happy birthday to one of their mates preserving their cool by saying "we don't usually do this". So a great end to the evening and all three bands have royally entertained us. Nice to hear a bit of techno dance at the Windmill and it wasn't too hot inside despite us being in a late summer heat wave. Outside we say goodbye to our young friends (OK, Eva is their age too!) and hello to Son of Roof Dog who is on the ground rather than up on the roof. Then Eva and I wander through the pub's estate before parting for me to freewheel on Debbie's trusty steed back home. Free entry New Music Monday's (OK, so QH are not exactly new) are a great idea.