GBH/Slaughterhouse/The Mainliners @ Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY 11/7/25

It had been a few years since I last saw Charged GBH and 39 years since the first time on the Punks vs Skins tour with Agnostic Front opening in 1986 at the Paradise in Boston. The last time was also in the Gramercy Theater. I'm going to say 2017 but they also played Gramercy 2014, 2015 and 2023. They were still selling the same "Give Me Fire" band t-shirt I bought from them at the Living Room in Providence around 1987. I was up in the seats the last time and was bored so this time I made it a point to hang up front. It was much better that way. Jocko, the original guitarist, can't get a visa now due to some prior criminal charge. Colin Abrahall is the only original member on stage, however bass player Ross Lomas has been with the band since 1980, so that is close enough. Scott Preece has been drumming with GBH since 1994. 47 years on GBH are a pretty finely honed machine at this point playing hits like "Maniac" and the 1-2 punch of "City Baby Attacked By Rats" followed by "City Babies Revenge." Instead of the Stooges they mixed it up for their closing cover and did Motorhead's "Bomber."

The openers were some LA punk bands. Slaughterhouse had a new singer, but since I never saw the old one she fit right in yelling and screaming and covering "My War." The band said they were from Hermosa Beach just like Black Flag. The other band, The Mainliners were a young band from Hollywood. The last time I saw GBH I had decided they were a pop band and Colin Abrahall had evolved into the Billy Idol or British Hardcore. These openers didn't really have the kind of edge that I viewed GBH having back in the 80's, but maybe time has smoothed that over. What once seemed cutting edge and somewhat extreme in comparison to the musical landscape no longer does. Now this band represents something else: perseverance from elder statesmen by default.

FOR FURTHER REVIEW:

GBH-City Baby's Revenge (1984)