The Mutts, last ever gig, at The Glouster, Brighton, 30 September 2006

The Brighton Gloucester was the host venue for what would be The Mutt's final gig. The Brighton Live festival seemed an appropriate occasion and by the look of the large crowd it appeared to be the must see gig of the night. The club is quite a dimly lit venue and seems to be looking better for its refit.

The crowd gathered around the small stage set at the back of the venue and the band took their positions. The Mutts sound a bit like The New York Dolls with a dash of the modern sound of The Zutons. This sound is great and works really well in a live venue. There is no doubt this band will be badly missed and I just hope that they don't give up on music altogether, as there is some real talent in this band. They all exude emotion when they play, from the frantic energy of the drummer Jake to the musical gifts of the guitarist Bryan Shore. Chris Murtagh's vocals drawl over a wide tapestry of frenetic hard rock beats with Ramone like swagger.

Never before have I seen a band play to such an appreciative crowd because virtually everyone there knew this was going to be the last time they would see this particular line up. The band didn't disappoint with a set of their hits and a very raucous performance. 'Dead Spit' and 'Dog on Dog' are all well known to The Mutts loving residents of Brighton and there were people in the crowd who were singing along to every word. This gig was The Mutts parting shot to a town that loved them and where else could they have played it than their hometown. The music crashed and walloped in the confines of this venue like a carousel of thunderous energy willing the audience to move in time with the rhythm. The energetic prowess of the font man Chris never fails to be impressive, this band give their all and tonight you could have forgiven them for being melancholy. The Mutts don't know the meaning of the word melancholy, they played as if they were headlining Glastonbury, they played for themselves and they played for the crowd. This band always work so hard when onstage I think they will be looking forward to a bit of a break. Though for how long can a band that seem to enjoy themselves so much onstage bear to be out of the limelight?
When I went on their bar crawl last September I heard a rumour that they were splitting, I didn't believe it then and I kind of don't want to believe it now. The Mutts put on yet another fantastic show; it really would be a loss to the music industry if it were their last.

Words: Neil McLennan
Photos: Justin Evans
More The Mutts photos at The Glouster, Brighton, 30 September 2006

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