Marble Factory 3rd and 4th March co-headliner
Gentleman’s Dub Club and The Skints, two of the UK’s most notoriously hard-touring bands, finished their co-headline tour at Marble Factory, Motion with two sell out crowds.
While a lot of people will have caught at least one of the bands on their numerous and often hectic tour schedules across the worldwide gig and festival scene, the two bands have never previously played together before this tour. You wouldn’t be able to tell, and it almost seems a shame as the two bands align perfectly when playing one before the other, with similar influences within the reggae, ska, punk and dub scenes.
Both have built their reputations as energetic live performers through extensive touring across the UK, Europe and further afield, and their experience as touring artists really shows; they know how to put on a gig. The combination of The Skints and Gentleman’s Dub Club, as put by Joshua Waters Rudge (vocals, guitar) from The Skints on the last night at Marble Factory, may be one that we see more often.
With Gentleman’s Dub Club opening the Friday, 3rd March at Marble Factory, and then switching roles with The Skints opening the last night of the tour on Saturday 4th, not a beat was missed and both have the capability of headlining their own show, but as a duo they are a pretty unbeatable attraction for any ska, dub or reggae fan.
The wonderful Welsh-Jamaican Aleighcia Scott set the stage for the two bands, powering through a soulful set including her new track “Do You” which anyone would do well to add to their playlist.
The Skints, formed of Marcia Richards (vocals, keyboards, alto saxophone, melodica, flute, guitar), Joshua Waters Rudge (vocals, guitar), Jamie Kyriakides (vocals, drums, guitar), and Jonathan Doyle (bass guitar), smashed through a set full of classics such as “This Town”, “Rat-at-at” and “Rise Up”, often seeing the crowd erupt into ska “skanking” circles; the equivalent of a mosh pit.
9-piece Gentleman’s Dub Club originate from Leeds, formed of the electric Jonathan Scratchley on vocals, Toby Davies on bass, Luke Allwood on keyboard, Matt Roberts on Trumpet, Kieren Gallagher on alto sax, Nick Tyson on guitar, Niall Lavelle on percussion, Tommy Evans on drums and Doug Hunt as engineer.
The gentlemen’s set consisted of extended tracks such as their remake of the classic “Superstylin” by Groove Armada, and “Music Is The Girl I Love”, mixed with moments of pure energy, ending their set with the effervescent “High Grade” which could probably be heard from their originating city of Leeds.
Overall, the two bands match perfectly, and the combination clearly excites their audiences with a very well sold event, including the last two which were fully sold out in Bristol. Expect to see this combination far more often that we have been missing out on.
Finn Hardie
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Chief, the one that bugs the team for team for their reviews and images. Creator and founder of The Bristol Gig Guide. Can usually be found swamped in admin or getting cramp kneeling at the front of a gig.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Videography work, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Republica, circa 1996.
First gig shot: Hands Off Gretel, at The Louisiana!
Dream gig: Huge metalhead and my ultimate dream gig would be shooting my heroes Slipknot at a huge stadium gig, or as festival headliners. And to experience shooting a headline tour outside the UK
