Some Product
The crowd here clearly remembers AntiProduct from last year as there are a good few waiting at the front for their arrival. A wailing air raid siren and plumes of smoke herald the band's arrival on stage to a healthy reaction.
In a change to last year's make up the singer goes for day glo yellow this year, whilst the rest of the band sport a collection of skin tight rubber, huge boots and a variety of interesting hair cuts! Straight from the start it's all very entertaining as during the first couple of tracks they pull off more Ramones style stances than er ... the Ramones! The music is melodic punk with a quirky and often quite hard edge to it backed with decent but not outstanding vocals. The quirky side of proceedings is highlighted by the crowd pleasing 'Bunjee Jumping People Die', which features a roadie walking across the stage with the name of the track on a huge board whilst the singer climbs down into the crowd. Unlike last year he makes sure he can get back up this time but it's all good PR and very entertaining.
Unfortunately for AntiProduct the highlights of their set come with the cover versions. They do an excellent version of 'Good Vibrations' with some impressive double bass drumming and good vocal harmonies. The whole performance is highly visual and entertaining, when the singer gets an apple thrown at him he responds with the retort "I wasn't even hungry but thanks anyway". As if there wasn't enough to look at already, towards the end of the set the exceedingly tall female guitarist wraps a cloth around the head of her guitar, dips it in a bucket of petrol, sets fire to it and then blows more petrol at it creating great fireballs that for a moment threaten to blow back in her face! Thankfully it doesn't and everybody is laughing as they kick into another good cover, this time The Ramones 'Blitzkrieg Bop'.
AntiProduct don't have the greatest songs in the world but they are decent and when coupled with truly excellent showmanship the overall effect is great.