Booze & Glory (w/ Avem, Murderer’s Row, Lurking Class)

London pub punks Booze & Glory headline Fuze Box in Albany, as part of their The Last Crusade 2023 tour. With special guests Avem (Canadian bird punk), Murderer’s Row (Troy street rock), and Lurking Class (Hudson Valley punk).

Punk rock never died. It just has the occasional nap. Fortunately, however, Booze & Glory have been keeping everyone wide awake for the last decade, flying the flag for authentic working class rock’n’roll and the power of a rabble-rousing tune.

Formed in London in 2009, Booze & Glory started life as a straight-ahead salute to the rowdy street punk and Oi! bands of the late ‘70s and ‘80s UK scene.

The band’s long-awaited fifth album “Hurricane” is due for release in October via the boys’ own Scarlet Teddy Records.

Two exhilarating new anthems, the fiery Live It Up and the personal and poignant Too Soon, have already been released into the wild via YouTube. Recorded in Sweden at Soundlab Studios, the new album was produced by Millencolin guitarist Mathias Farm and promises to be the biggest, boldest and most explosive Booze & Glory album to date. With the introduction of piano and organ to the band’s trademark sound, the new songs amount to a wholesale upgrade for British punk rock, with a strong message of positivity and hope oozing from every boisterous, melody-drenched pore. Now featuring founder and singer/guitarist Mark alongside lead guitarist Kahan, bassist Chema, drummer Frank, Booze & Glory have never sounded more potent.

In these divisive times, instantly memorable songs about believing in yourself, finding common ground between people and standing up to racism, nationalism and hate could hardly be more timely or welcome. Finally, football fans will also be delighted to hear that there is a song about frontman Mark’s beloved West Ham United on “Hurricane”: both a ferocious comeback from the UK’s sprightliest punk warriors and one of the finest collections of street-level songwriting you will hear in this or any other year. Bring in the booze… glory awaits!**

Booze & Glory made their name singing working class anthems about drinking, going to football, and the importance of being part of a community and this is their kind of community that had paid their hard earned money to come see the band who haven’t played Edinburgh in a long 4 years but the drought had come to an end as the band started the night off with London Skinhead Crew followed with another fan favourite, Leave The Kids Alone then came The Time Is Now & Days Months Years with Mark brilliantly leading the band and this well up for it crowd.

Chema on bass is a true force of nature and the man never stops dancing his way all over the stage, foot on the monitor thrusting his guitar out to the moshers in front and getting a great response by doing so, his acrobatics are matched by his phenomenal playing, never missing a beat or note, the same holds true for Frank, his partner in the rhythm section who has probably the loudest kick drum I’ve ever heard which just booms out in this small underground venue which has now been thoroughly claimed by Booze & Glory to the sheer delight of their fans who have now pretty much got the place packed out creating a fantastic highly charged atmosphere which Kahan penetrates with each and every solid riff he wrings out of his six string throughout the set.

B&G kept up the frantic pace throughout the hour’s set giving us Never Again, Ticking Bomb then a familiar doo, doo, do do doo riff came from a new source which is the recent addition of keyboards to the band and it was Van Halen’s JUMP that we were hearing which brought a huge smile to Mark’s face as the punters down the front kinda stopped for a few seconds as if they had been transported to a different gig altogether but were soon back on track as the band launched into Carry On, Violence & Fear then we got Simple, Live It Up and the anthemic 3 Points which was sung back with sheer gusto by everyone present.

The Band finished off with Blood From A Stone but there was no way they were getting off without an encore which was duly delivered by a three song medley and a big final finish with Only Fools which wrapped up an excellent evening of amazing high energy live music from all four bands which will live long in the memories of all who were there to witness it.

Booze & Glory:

Mark RSK Vox/Guitar

Kahan Lead Guitar

Chema Zurita Bass Guitar

Frank Pellegrino – Drums