Queen Zee and The Sasstones make their homecoming an alternative closing party, with high-octane action from Salt The Snail, Forever in Debt and Dead Houses. 

Destructive tendencies awake on the penultimate on Liverpool Music Week 2017 when the beloved local punks Queen Zee and The Sasstones create their own alternative closing party. 

Joining the beloved Sasstones are the united forces from local label Society of Losers with Salt The Snail, Forever in Debt and Dead Houses causing a ruckus all in the name of fun. 

Once openers Dead Houses begin, the room is near empty, once they finish it’s a well-balanced house. The band’s energy is infectious, their raw animalistic style is entirely within frontman Joesph Wainwright. His ability to simply attract a crowd is simply astonishing, meanwhile the band slays.

Hilariously, I earlier in the night described their style as “a pissed-off Jim Morrison fronting an equally pissed-off Bauhaus“, lots of individuality between songs, energetic and just all-around brilliant. Defintly one to keep your eyes and ears on. 

Shortly after, Forever in Debt bring their noise to the table. They’re a band whose influences shine through (we’re looking at you, that song that opens similarly to Smashing Pumpkins’ “Zero“).

…but that’s not a bad thing, not at all. Especially when you back it up pure crippling neo-grunge noise. “Boyfriend” is the stand-out, with a comedically forced clap-along and it’s difference to all the band’s other tunes. 

Salt The Snail enter next, with their own James Brown-style intro with the band cranking out noise to the literal screaming of running frontman Krystian Hudson. 

We’ve said it before, they’re the funnest band on any bill. Seriously don’t book them, they’ll just make everything else look pretty shit in comparison to their madness. 

Their songs are written on paper plates (for audience participation), their songs are short bouncing witty-punk songs that are like from the early eighties L.A punk scene. Throwing out mince pies and causing mosh-pits With songs like “LaserQuest“, “Ideas Man“, “Mate” and others. 

They’re insane, and fun. Launching glitter like it’s the closing party, there’s nobody like them and if there is, I doubt they’re just as good. 

Queen Zee and The Sasstones make their entrance next, one of the most important Liverpool bands ever. That sounds a bit much, but it’s not. Their out-put is stunningly relevant and their attitude is pissed off. 

Fresh from touring with Marmozets, this is honestly the best we’ve seen Queen Zee and The Sasstones. Polished yet unpredictable. Tonight proved why they deserve the hype unforgiving hype they’re subjected to over the last few months. 

This was a rare show with the perfect bands, the perfect crowd and venue, no hassle just good vibes and wonderful noise. If there were a MVP show of Liverpool Music Week 2017 it’s either CHIC or this. 

Words by Jack Cinnamond, photography by Jess Sharpe.