Supersuckers / The Warner E Hodges Band - Bannerman’s Edinburgh 8th October 2023

Sunday in Bannerman’s was a busy one. Tonight was a double header, featuring The Warner E Hodges Band and the Supersuckers.

Tonight, I was joined by my rock music encyclopaedia, Big Al. He’s one of those guys who owns a catcher’s mitt to ensure that when the postie puts the Kerrang through the door it is caught, opened and devoured with all the speed of a thrash metal guitar solo.

So tonight, we were there in plenty of time to see the first band at 8:00. To be honest, I didn’t know either band well and so came with little by way of expectation. Al assured me I would love it “can’t beat a bit of country punk” he said.

Just after 8:00 Warner E Hodges and his band took to the stage. First thing to remember is that Warner brings some great experience to the stage. He continues to be the 6 stringers in Jason and the Scorchers and has played guitar on former Georgia Satellites front man, Dan Baird’s album.

Wearing a cowboy hat and sporting his southern drawl, he started us on a journey that was to last around 90 minutes. From the off, it was heavy hitting cowboy punk. I really enjoyed it and Big Al remarked “that’s music to make you smile”.

Bannerman’s has a low stage so when Warner started spinning his guitar around his neck and body, Bruce Springsteen style, I feared the worst. All survived and this gave the busy room, most of whom clearly sharing my fear, something else to cheer.

We heard some stories of the road and just some stories to make us laugh across a 17 song set that opened with “That Rock and Roll” and included the Jason and the Scorchers number “White Lies”, and the most country punk version of John Denver’s “Country Roads” I’ve heard. The bulk of the set was made up of Warner’s originals. I enjoyed it all immensely, particularly “I Love You Baby” and “Preachin’ to the Choir”. As the set went on we noticed that Marty “Metal” Chandler, from the Supersuckers standing beside us, just enjoying the show.

Warren brought his contribution to the evening to a close with “Back in Town” and “Right Back Where I Started”. The crowd loved it. I like Bannerman’s but it's rare to see a band play for more than an hour there, to have seen the opening band give it their all for 90 minutes was fantastic and left us looking forward to the Supersuckers.

Before heading for a quick mid gig beer we had a quick chat with Metal Chandler. Big Al let him know he’d first seen Supersuckers supporting Thin Lizzy in the Hammersmith Odeon. Metal let us know he vaguely remembered the gig then began a tale that involved Lemmy…you can work out the rest!

We were back in the room in time to see the second cowboy hat of the night take the stage. Eddie Spaghetti looked and sounded on top form. We hear the phrase, ‘rock and roll survivor’ a little too often I think, however, that is certainly a phrase that applies to Eddie Spaghetti. Having been diagnosed with Stage 3 throat cancer in 2015, he must have wondered if he’d still be rocking 8 years later. And here he is, cancers arse well and truly kicked – big glass raised to him for that.

This three piece blasted into “All of the Time” and “Ain’t Gonna Stop (Until I Stop It)” with all the sound, passion and determination that you could want. I was struck by how tight a bunch of musicians they were. Metals guitar was screaming out the riffs whilst Eddie’s kept a solid and, at times, complex, bass line underneath it all whist drummer Chango von Streiche kept the most solid of rhythms across the hour and a half the Supersuckers were on stage. Yup, that’s right another 90 minutes of music – fantastic stuff.

My favourite of the night was next up, 2003’s “Rock and Roll Records Ain’t Selling this Year”.

The music carried on hard, loud and very country punk, it had a kind of The Ramones in cowboy hats feel to it and was something I really enjoyed.

“Get the Hell” “Cool Manchu” and “ Rocket 69” power us on. As the night was moving towards the end, it was disappointing to see the audience thin out to the extent it did. Perhaps, like me, most of the crowd we not expecting 3 hours of music. I guess bus times, domestic curfews and work on Monday all had to be answered to.

The evening ends with “Born with a Tail” and it was a great way to bring a fantastic night to a close.

I left to get my bus around 11:30. I stuck “Born with a Tail” on my player and sat smiling to myself on the bus. This is probably not the best strategy on a late bus home on a Sunday night. However, a random guy I’d never met before, tapped me on the shoulder as he got to the exit door. I looked up, “great gig, eh”? was all he said as he offered a fist to bump as the exit door opened. Yeah, it certainly was and just that wee interaction remined me how good music is at bringing people together particularly when the glue is supplied by a true survivor. Big Al was right, I really enjoyed the night.