The British are coming! The Steve Ignorant band embarks on a short American tour
Okay boys and girls, this is your chance to be part of something that you’ll never forget. The Steve Ignorant Band will be performing their interpretation of the songs of CRASS this May in the Colonies and Mexico starting May 4th & 5th in Mexico City, Mexico, at the PUNKYTUD Festival then May 8th in San Francisco, California, at the Great American Music Hall and concluding on May 9th in Pomona, California, at the Glass House
The Steve Ignorant band at Rebellion 2023. All Photos ©dickslaughter.com
I have been something of a CRASS devotee for most of my life. In 1979 (when I was 12), a friend loaned me his big brother’s copy of The Feeding of the 5000 and my life was changed in an afternoon. Back then, CRASS was a little less popular and somewhat different than whatever it is we call CRASS now. Back when there were no interwebs and TV only had five channels, CRASS wasn’t just a band – it was a source of information. They opened fans up to different ideas and ways of thinking, often contradictory to each other, leaving listeners room to decide for themselves. Even as some fans drift away from the music over the years, the ideals and values conveyed in the message remain with them forever. And everyone’s perception of what they think CRASS is, or should be, is different.
Fight War Not Wars.
What more needs to be said?
The reality is that there is so much more to say about CRASS, but I’ll save that for later. This article is about the Steve Ignorant Band. I just returned from the Rebellion Festivals in Blackpool UK and can say without any hesitation that the Steve Ignorant Band’s set of CRASS songs was the most moving and emotional set of the festival by far.
Carol Hodge’s interpretation of the female lead vocals is far beyond what you might expect. You may have heard or think she sounds similar to Eve Libertine, but her inflection and tone are her own. She adds different feelings and layers to these beloved classics with keyboards and samples. You can feel that she loves these songs as much as we do.
With help from Pete Wilson and Pete Rawlinson on backing vocals and lead and bass guitars, respectively, along with the prolific drumming of Jay Bagnall, this incarnation of the songs feels just as fresh and powerful as they were in the beginning. With the big man himself, Steve Ignorant, leading the band on vocals, this is not just a musical trip down memory lane. It feels much more like an out-of-body experience. That feeling of love, déjà vu, whatever you call it, is still magic. Do your damnedest to make sure you don’t miss the chance to see and feel it for yourself.
This magic feeling is magnified tenfold by the attendees. The feeling of camaraderie and love is almost overwhelming. I have made lifelong friends and would not trade the memories I have made at these shows for all the tea in China.
All photos ©dickslaughter.com
Don’t miss your chance to see the Steve Ignorant Band perform a CRASS set in Mexico and the USA
May 4th & 5th in Mexico City, Mexico, at the PUNKYTUD Festival
May 8th in San Francisco, California, at the Great American Music Hall
May 9th in Pomona, California, at the Glass House
June 8th in Pomona California, at the NO VALUES Festival
Or you can catch them back home in the UK.
or at this year’s Rebellion Festivals
steveignorant.com
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