Where to start……….?
While I was in the Top End of the Territory, a friend scored me a ticket to see Bad Manners at the Rosemount in Perth, which is a fantastic little venue.
A ska band was performing as the support act (their name escapes me), featuring two female dancers flanking the stage. The lead singer mentioned that their last song would carry a political and serious tone. However, they ended up dancing about with smiles, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a pantomime than anything serious…but that’s how it goes.
I seldom watch support acts, and this one reaffirmed my determination to keep that trend going; they weren’t awful, though.
There was quite a wait for Bad Manners to take the stage. The DJ played some excellent ska tracks, and the crowd cheered for a considerable time. Yet, I hadn’t come to hear someone spin ska classics – no matter how iconic they might be.
When Bad Manners finally appeared at 10pm, the band played for a brief five minutes before Buster Bloodvessel made his entrance into the ‘arena.’
What struck me as odd was that the crowd was warmly chanting ‘You Fat Bastard, You Fat Bastard’ – Buster is a rather respectable size these days; was it supposed to be ironic? However, whatever the intention, it went over my head.
The band performed a couple of songs, during which Buster vanished while they played an instrumental piece. He returned to sing ‘Loraine,’ adding a humorous adlib: ‘Loraine, she treated me like a cunt,’ which did elicit a chuckle. They followed up with ‘Walking in the Sunshine.’ Once more, Buster disappeared as the band indulged in another instrumental.
Upon his return, Buster shared that he had never had a family or parents but did have a grandchild. He seemed emotional while expressing this. To commemorate the moment, the band launched into ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’ (The Four Seasons).
Not only were they tardy, but they were also performing major hits, and now this…it felt like the final straw for my friend and me, prompting our decision to leave after that.
There has only been one other concert I walked out of, and that was Ozzy Osbourne’s show in the late ’80s or early ’90s. It was just the worst…absolutely dreadful…I still avoid discussing it as I might need counseling again. I felt a similar sentiment while watching Bad Manners.
Buster Bloodvessel appeared to be a frail old man…perhaps he’s unwell…he certainly didn’t look healthy.
I had anticipated a Bad Manners concert to be enjoyable, bringing joy to everyone – it turned out completely the opposite.
Bad Manners were not bad…they were dreadful.
I genuinely hope Buster is not suffering from any illness; nonetheless, a bad gig is just that – a bad gig.
To me, they have transformed from Bad Manners to simply Bad.
by Wallace McTavish
