Live Review :: Generation :: The Magnet, Liverpool - Sep 30 2017

Live

Generation

The Magnet, Liverpool

September 30 2017

Words/Pictures: Jane Davies

“There’s going to be a storm in Liverpool!” announces frontman Dean Carne as Liverpool pop punks Generation lay claim to the stage at The Magnet. The dry ice clears to reveal his latest sartorial creation; a baby-pink jumpsuit. Part of the appeal of Generation is wondering what outlandish outfit he is going to rock up in and later peel off. On this particular evening he faced stiff competition from brother James, resplendent in black suit and white tie, very New York, very 1920s gangster.

The audience shifts forward at his command and he dives head first into new song 'Cheapskate', strutting, pouncing, pouting, lunging and drop kicking his way across the stage. Generation is all about spectacle, energy and buckets of sweat. To the uninitiated, they are a hybrid of the New York Dolls, The Stooges, with a dash of the Clash thrown in for good measure. This is a band with a whole battery of rabble-rousing songs and Dean possesses the archetypal sneer of a punk vocal.

“Who loves this Generation?” is a rallying call to arms for the audience to enlarge the burgeoning mosh pit. As the set progresses, more people join in interestingly, as many girls as boys get stuck in and delight in charging at each other. Half way in, as customary, Dean disappears to strip off and returns with his jumpsuit pulled down, chest exposed and appeals to a member of the audience to secure the bottom half of his outfit. A woman immediately obliges and steps forward to deftly tie some knots into his jumpsuit to ensure no costume malfunctions later on.

Just when you think you have heard their last song 'I Like It' - and the crowd certainly did - Dean jumps down to mingle in the crowd with the revellers before vaulting back up onto stage. “Do you want to see a riot?” he screams. And amidst much shouting in the affirmative from the crowd, they launch into the Clash’s 'White Riot'. Everyone is then invited onstage in a controlled stage invasion. What is so refreshing to see is that there are no nervous security men making a dash for the front, the entire process is low key, there is no stampede and everyone that wants to party with the band on stage is free to express their inner rebel.

This evening, Generation have upped their game, their showmanship grows with every outing and the audience have witnessed an exhilarating performance and have been thoroughly entertained. The spirit of punk is alive and well in Liverpool. Be sure to catch on to the Generation coat-tails, when they pass by your town.