A review, THE RUTS reuniun/goodbye gig

I'm glad that I'm back on my usual computer because i don't care if the Internet cafe i used was five doors away from where 101 walterton road used to be (the 101ERS living/rehearsal place) because the staff were rude and the place had a funny smell to it, but enough of that and about the gig.
I don't know where to start with this one, oh, i know, i will start with the poor 23 year old (he kept telling us) and his crumbling mental state, its hard not to tell people to piss off when they are in personal trouble but i didn't go out to play councilor to anyone, but we managed to leave him and his "i smoke crack but i ain't a crackhead, my mums dead" repetition by saying that we had to enter the venue (which was not at the old rocket as i was told but in angel, the know nothing Pratt) anyway, we got in to find that the place was crammed like a squashed tin of sardines and i was just in time to watch the end of SPLODGENESSABOUNDS who were o.k
(i will never forget the gig in the rainbow where max splodge told the audience to beat up ginger people, and i was standing there in the middle with my spikey ginger coloured hair, the gig ended in utter complete violence without any more of the three bands left to play even coming on, and me hidden, squeezed into a tiny crevice, thanks 'max').
then in about five minutes the glorious U.K SUBS came on and played a short but great set, but i had to laugh at the guitarist and his 'rock'n'roll poses and guitar/gun slinging antics, but the songs were played by the band as if their lives depended on it and played (among others) 'party in Paris, tomorrows girl, c.i.d, warhead and a couple of others, the crowd sang along to every line and you could see that old Mr Harper enjoyed the crowd reaction, jumping about on stage and giving it his all, they were really great.
Then to my surprise THE DAMNED came on next, i swear that captain sensible has found the elixir of youth because he never seems to have aged since 'new rose', he really is the peter pan of punk! sadly the same cant be said of Dave vanium who looked like an exact copy of Ricky gervais but with out the fat, honestly he had the hairstyle, and the 'gervais' dress sense, but that didn't stop them from playing a roaring set that included, smash it up (Pt's 1+2 - it always sound better with pt 1). also neat neat neat, love song, new rose, eloise and again a couple more and like the subs everyone sang every word along with the band and it seemed over in five minutes but it was a blistering great set.
The next band to take the stage was the old RUTS touring partners and friends MISTY IN ROOTS who played a great reggae set that included songs that i don't know the names of but recognised (i had a tape of theirs that got worn out or lost years ago).
While i was in the toilet TOM ROBINSON, TV SMITH and some other bloke took the stage and sat in a line and played an acoustic set of T.R.B/ADVERTS songs (i cant say that i took much notice until i heard T.R.B's 'up against the wall' which i listened to, im not sure if i enjoyed it or not!
The compere for the night was non other than (ahem) 'Mr punk know it all' himself (no not john savage) but that mockney voiced john Robb, the one who wrote a fat book about the same punk period as everyone else! and who also appears on TV as a 'punk authority', (i enjoyed heckling him and watching the odd lump of flob fly his way -i wasn't alone in my thinking!)
I had missed TUDOR POLE and JOHN OTWAY who must have come on as soon as the doors opened, but they did hang about in the crowd to watch and seemingly enjoy the bands.
then it was time for THE RUTS in what seemed like no time at all, like we had only been in the venue for fifteen minutes, the audience were baying for THE RUTS to take the stage, and when they came on the screams almost brought the roof down on top of us! and it was interesting to see how HENRY ROLLINS performed on vocals ( he wouldn't be my first choice as singer, but then i still cant think who would of been right for it) but by golly did MR ROLLINS earn his place on stage that night as he and THE RUTS came on stage and started with 'staring at the rude boys' followed by 'they've got you in s.u.s', ROLLINS was fucking great, he was intense as he sang those songs like he had been doing them for years (or were his favourite ever songs!) then a lady took the stage and did vocal duties on 'jah war', in fact she did a very good job of it, and like every other song they had done, the applause shook the buildings foundations! then they played another that Ive forgotten the name of for the moment, and you could see that guitarist PAUL FOX who had come out of the hospice he was staying in to play the gig was in a bit of trouble, and the bassist came over to him to see if he could continue but 'FOXY' said that he could soldier on for one more, and so the band ripped into 'Babylons burning' with a vengeance, the stage got filled with some UK SUBS, DAMNED MEMBERS and some other band musicians, and ROLLINS even seemed taken aback at the intense way that the crowd were worshipping at the music of THE RUTS, and at one point he even just gave up singing and pointed the mike at the audience who were singing louder than him (and probably knew the words better than him, maybe) and than after that it was all that poor old MR PAUL FOX could take, having only ten percent of his lung capacity due to cancer, he did his best and gave the crowd some good guitar work and it was a fitting goodbye to the fans. and the fans shouted their appreciation of him and THE RUTS by shouting his name and clapping even after being told he couldn't come back on due to illness. it was the best gig i have been to in years, one of intensity and enthusiasm, one that proved that London crowds are not just jaded 'seen it alls' but showed how enthusiastic they could be when given the right music, it was also sad to know that PAUL FOX was playing what was in effect a living wake gig for himself.
But it was the gig that RUTS fans had waited over twenty five years for and despite its shortness it was worth every penny and minute of my time, it was one of those gigs that you never forget.
i will finish by saying that i wish PAUL FOX all the best and i want to thank him for making the effort that was (visibly) really hard for and on him and i hope the crowd reaction gave him some solace. thank you PAUL FOX.