Ferocious Dog hit Newcastle upon Tyne on the eve of Guy Fawkes night on their Never Too Late for Hope tour. The band must have got the memo and arrived duly armed with a vast array of musical fireworks, which they let loose upon a large, enthusiastic Boiler Shop audience.
As soon as the Nottinghamshire six-piece hit the stage, it was clear it was going to be a night of ferocious energy – figuratively and literally. The band opened with the slow building ‘Port Isaac’ before tearing into ‘Haul Away Joe’. The audience sparked into life. Energy flowed. The tone was set for what was to come.
‘Pentrich Rising’, ‘Victims’ and ‘Broken Soldier’ followed in quick succession. These are the opening five tracks from their well-received 2021 album The Hope. The pace continued unabated. When the band played the opening notes of ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya’, the crowd erupted into a fit of spontaneous leaping, bouncing and arm waving. The place was truly rocking. No stimulants are required here.
We were given a breather when Dan Booth stepped forward to take over vocal duties to sing the beautifully poignant ‘A & B’. Talk about being put through the emotional wringer. Normal service was resumed immediately, with Ken Bonsall jumping back on the mic for ‘Sea Shepherd’.
Ferocious Dog does not shy away from politics and injustice in their music. ‘Sea Shepherd’ is a fine example of this. Sea Shepherd is an organisation which aims to protect marine wildlife worldwide. The organisation had a stall at the venue, along with a van taking food collections for Newcastle West End Foodbank. The band arrange these collections at all their shows. Well played, lads. Or I should say, well played, me ducks.
It was great to see such a mix of people at this gig. The “Hell Hounds” (as fans of the band are known) are an eclectic mix, all dancing and singing together. Everyone seemed to share two passions: one was the love of the band. And judging by the roar that erupted when Bonsall shouted, “F**k the Tories”, there were not many fans of the Conservative Party in the room. Another shared passion.
The show careered along at breakneck speed into the four-song encore. The second song was the stunning, anthemic song ‘The Hope’. A song that slowly builds to a crescendo and tugs at the heartstrings. Performed live, it was an emotional experience as the crowd hung on every word sung and note played. The finale of ‘Slow Motion Suicide’ brought the house down. A strong song to end with – reminiscent of Stiff Little Fingers and Green Day put in a blender, then served with an Oysterband side salad.
As the lights went up and the music came back on, ‘Nellie the Elephant’ by Toy Dolls began to waft out of the speakers. Bonsall stayed on stage to conduct a sing-a-long/dance-a-long with the audience. It made sure everyone left with a massive smile on their chops.
There are a lot of challenges for people right now. Life is tough. But if bands like Ferocious Dog, with their passion, anger and energy, still roam the earth, it will never be too late for hope.
Set List
Port Isaac
Haul Away Joe
Pentrich Rising
Victims
Broken Soldier
Black Gold
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya
Poor Angry and Young
A&B
Sea Shepherd
Exiled Life (The Chase)
Khatyn
Unconditional
Slayed The Traveller
Punk Police
Born Under Punches
Spin
Crime and Punishment
Encore
Parting Glass
The Hope
Gallows Justice
Slow Motion Suicide
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