Bomb Factory, The Virgin Suicides and Dopejam
The Portland Arms, 5/08/03

A Review by Pat King

Threepiece Dopejam played very loudly to a small crowd of around 15 people. They did grungey punk that intially sounded pretty good, but after the first few songs the impact had wained due to the lack of choruses and stand out hooks rendering the rest of their set only just above average. Comments about killing Christians, however jokingly, were pretty goddamn stupid. Quite cool beans then (but a long way from tremendous).


My expectation level for The Virgin Suicides was sky high before this gig, as i had never experienced their full on live performance before. Due to the guitars being many notches too low, opener 'Elizabeth Royal' sounded limp, and was greeted with derogatory comments from the band themselves. But don't let that decieve you my friends, for whence the duracell bunny frontman, is energised, he keeps on going. Hence 'Catwalk Cancer' and 'Just As Dead Now' performing superheroic feats to save the sound troubled set.I got the feeling that it wasn't V.S's day, that it was unrehearsed and maybe that some of their energy and polemic was wasted on a crowd of so few. Oh well, better luck next time The Virgin Suicides.


Bomb factory are a strange sight to behold: men in blood flecked shirt and ties, and using only bass, drums and vocals they are certainly different. Once you have got over the shock of their appearance you can enjoy the rhyming witty delights shouted over a disjointed drum and bass combo, and come to the conclusion they are actually very good. Their messages are precisely and simply conveyed, and with tracks in the mould of 'Burn Cambridge Burn'- aimed at Cambridge's mindless student community- i am forced to concede that they are, just because of the force of their existence, the best rock'n' roll band ever. (well if the darkness can get that honour from every fucking paper then, at the very least, Bomb Factory deserve ten such accolades)