Punk Off! The Sounds of Punk & New Wave ★★★★ Dominion Theatre | March 9, 2025


Former Coronation Street resident, Kevin Kennedy shows us a different neighbourhood in this retrospective concert which is a guided tour down the memory lane of Punk and New Wave. For diehard fans the commentary is probably unnecessary, but for the uninitiated, it is a useful signpost to the rebellion and aspirations of a generation that came to adulthood in the mid-1970s. This is music that arose from the street and from the working class disaffection that marked Britain at this particular political period. It is raw, confrontational and full of noise and energy. Kennedy invokes the spirits of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood in his nostalgic odyssey and is accompanied on that sentimental journey by a frenzied headbanger band and a terrific, adrenaline-charged group of singers and dancers. They brilliantly bring back to life the hits of the period, covering tracks from the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Blondie, The Damned, Ramones, Buzzcocks, The Undertones, The Police, The Jam, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Pretenders, Joy Division, and The Stranglers. These iconic groups all manage to get a nod, and after a curious inclusion of "My Way," the show more fittingly ends with a Sex Pistols rendition of "God Save the Queen." For many the Punk Off! journey will be a pilgrimage. For others it might be an exploration of new territory. But, whichever group one falls into, it is a high-energy, emotionally engaging entertainment.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Stephen Niblett

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 268-269 Tottenham Ct Rd, London W1T 7AQ, UK

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