London Calling! Clash hits live in Worthing!

London Calling: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

London Calling and No Matta – The Factory Live: Friday 17 June 2022

London Calling visit Worthing. Top Clash tribute outfit with the hits and more. Breathtaking punk performance. London Calling will delight you and give you an aural shot of one of history’s greatest bands. Support from local outfit No Matta.

LONDON CALLING – now get this!

The UK’s BEST ‘The Clash’ tribute come to play at the The Factory Live. They promised a hard hitting set of all the greatest hits and many more. London Calling are widely regarded as THE UK’s premier tribute to The Clash.

“There are a few tribute bands that simply can’t be ignored – London Calling are one of them!” (The Observer)

“An awe-inspiring mix of pure Clash power and musical magnificence!”

London Calling were initially formed for a one-off charity gig on the anniversary of Joe Strummer’s death. After playing the short (12 song) set they were asked to play the whole set again, with half the audience joining them on a tiny, rickety stage. After that they decided to take it a bit more seriously! After several line-up changes and a couple of years off, the line-up is now Reg Shaw aka Joe Strummer, Dave Devonald aka Mick Jones, Joe Guatieri aka Paul Simonon and James Wise aka Topper Headon/Terry Chimes. They are fired up and, after the pandemic lockdowns, are ready to unleash on audiences once again.

The impact of The Clash on popular music and culture is undeniable, and thanks to London Calling we can get to hear the sounds live. I never saw the originals live, but thanks to these guys I feel as if we were all pretty close.  I know these guys are a tribute outfit and are not the clash, but they are damn good and the sounds are as near as damn it. Clothes had also pretty much been integral to the Clash machine. The guys replicated some of the stage gear worn by the originals.

London Calling will delight you and give you an aural shot of one of history’s greatest bands.

The set was made up with some 26 tracks! Yep, 26 songs in 90 minutes. They would have to go some! Some big numbers in there. Thus begins their super-charged rock show.

London Calling: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Safe European Home/Tommy Gun/English Civil War got the set off to a blistering start. Three songs in and yes, London Calling have got it just right! Guitars played at massive speed, drums and bass working hard to provide that audio back up. The Factory Live had again nailed the sound tight.

The Clash were a group that loved to almost get on a one-to-one basis with their fans, London Calling matched that with ease as they engaged with us with the music and in-between chat and banter. The set blazed along, and then we hit one of my favourites Janie Jones from that first sublime album from ’77. They had the crowd bouncing to that one!

The hits kept coming: Should I Stay or Should I Go / Rock The Casbah / I Fought The Law / (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais and the belting Clash City Rockers. I would have loved to hear what these guys could have done with English Civil War or Armagideon Time, but no matter, there was plenty of the good stuff to go round. The power just oozed from Reg and Dave on riffs or lead breaks. Not a note wrong. The band switched it up and around from the ska / reggae infused Hammersmith and to the punk classics such as I Fought The Law and Tommy Gun, both with fired up guitar work and sumptuous drum and bass fills and, last but not lease, the voices from the crowd.

London Calling with super vocals from the band was up next with perfect guitar work on the intro and this went straight into another Clash rocker Londons Burning.

James caught my eye from behind the kit and shrugged his shoulders and peered to the side of the stage as smoke billowed out. The smoke machine had thankfully remained quiet throughout the set… until now. Chatting afterwards James had thought an amp had caught fire!

London Calling: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The songs played tonight is proof that every band member during the band’s heyday were all crucial to the enduring legacy of The Clash. The songs have remained fresh, on point and as exciting as they always have been and always will be. Other songs included: Clampdown / Wrong Em Boyo (from London Calling) /  Train In Vain and many more – you will have to go see them to get the full set!

The guys left the stage briefly and returned to a massive cheer for Rock The Casbah, which was perfectly put down. This specially put together set played for us tonight, Joe explained after the gig, is indeed an inspiring mix of pure Clash power, and was matched by London Callings pure professionalism from the opening salvo right up until…

White Riot:

Last song of the night was White Riot. This was put down with absolute authenticity and power. The crowd did get a little lively, Reg stopped the song and asked everyone just to cool it down a little, ” we are all friends tonight”, a count in and White Riot was dutifully delivered.

London Calling: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

They charged ahead into this one with the frenetic, raw vitality of a punk gig from back in the day. Perfect!

London Calling: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

I had my camera at the ready for the famous guitar smashing photo, Sadly no expensive guitars were smashed into the stage. Maybe next time? Loved the performance.

London Calling are on Facebook here.

London Calling are on the internet here.

No Matta

Local support tonight got called in at the last minute, they are No Matta.  This band are a new local four piece outfit formed in Brighton, all I think from BIMM.They had put in a successful gig a short while before getting the opening slot for tonight.

No Matta: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

I love hearing a new band, and these guys have been together for about 4 months and clearly love every second when they are together performing on a stage.

No Matta are: Charlotte on rhythm guitar and vocals, Alphie on lead guitar and vocals, Billy on bass and Jack on drums. They were an excellent choice for tonight providing a short but punchy little set of own material. They fired up some great songs including Castaway.

There was an interlude as Billie and Alfie swapped instruments and vocals. The three at the front all swapping vocal duties during the set, and doing it well. No Matta actually play rather well as a unit as they worked through their performance. Perhaps they’re not as wild and unpredictable onstage as other bands out there, but they are a new outfit and they have something,  but now their music really speaks for itself and that’s what we really want. I love seeing concert attendees when they wander in to check out and support the support bands as they play. No Matta helped to create a really great atmosphere. Well played.

They impressed the crowd at The Factory Live tonight. Well Played No Matta. Cant wait to see you guys play again. Soon I hope.

No Matta are on Facebook. Go give them a like, we at Scene Sussex have!

And Finally…

Thanks to London Calling

Thanks to No Matta

Thanks to The Factory Live – staff and security.

Thanks again to the Team at The Factory Live (now on twitter so you can keep up to date).

The Factory Live is based in Worthing. We have been there a few times now and has became a favourite venue of ours. Great staff and a top stage area with some of the best lighting and sound mix set ups around.

A huge shout to the super team at The Factory Live. This really is a little gem of a venue and tonight the sound mix was spot on. The lighting had been upgraded since my last visit and it was wonderful to see all the band members and just the right amount of smoke, none tonight! First class night guys and cheers to the brilliant security and bar staff.

The Factory Live is tucked away in Worthing. It’s a great venue. A great team running the place, the staff were approachable, friendly and helpful. The venue is pretty large and well ventilated with a nice large bar area and outside seating and tables. The venue, The Factory Live, is located at Unit 9A, Ivy Arch Road in Worthing.

The Factory Live are on the WWW here

Words and Pictures: Ian Bourn

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