08/04/2026
With the second Yootha Presents gig coming up this summer (have you got your ticket yet? Link in comments!) let's have a look back at the wild night last Autumn when we hosted the first one! Courtesy of Marv Gadgie in Suspect Device zine ...
Now then gadgie,
I had a conversation a few months ago at a gig with Estelle that went along the lines of something like this …
“I wanna put a gig on in Boston Marv.”
“What? Punk bands and that?”
“Yes! Like we used to do at the IQ. I have a couple of bands who are interested and want to play Boston.”
“Oh yeah, who?
“Diaz Brothers and Onlooker!”
“Heavens above! That’s sounds fabulous. Let’s do it!”
… and so, dear reader, we did. The gig itself was nothing short of sensational and a fitting conclusion to a story that started all the way back in May of 1988. May 28th 1988 to be precise. Estelle, in Boston, was listening to John Peel on the wireless when he played a new band called Mega City Four’s debut single and suggested that they loved getting letters from folk and then proceeded to give out their address live on air. It was a different time back in the 80s. Choosing to take them up on this, Estelle fired off a letter to the band and jokingly asked when they were playing Boston. Wiz, the singer, to her surprise, but also delight, replied “Give us a date and we’ll be there!” Crikey, better book a gig then. Roping in her brother Del, who was the charismatic frontman of local Grammar School ruffians Vehicle Derek, it was sorted and although something of a risky caper for a bunch of young, and relatively inexperienced, rascals in a town like Boston, the ensuing show was a sell out and a huge success at a certain town centre public house called The Indian Queen. You may have heard of it …
Thus, something began that would become known as the IQHC scene in Boston. Something that would acquire an infamous reputation throughout the Punk World over the next twenty odd years. Something that would see Boston firmly stamped on the Punk map and bat way, way above its average for many years. Estelle and most of those “first wave” people eventually all moved away, as is the way with small provincial towns, but a few remained and when I arrived in Lincolnshire, in the mid-1990s, I discovered the festering scene was still there with the likes of Urko, Poindexter, Faceache, Tribute and other furious Fenland firebrands all keeping the Fens ablaze at the IQ. Of course, I became involved. It wasn’t long before I had started knocking up my pamphlet of pandemonium that is Gadgie zine followed by promoting gigs as The Ape City Collective along with the Urko lads, The White Cider Warrior and other assorted loons. The rest is history … a very blurry, wild, frenzied, insane, jumping off speaker stacks, lifting guitarists up, drinking in the park, late nights, bands staying over, lifelong friendships made, Punk Bloody Rock history that has genuinely changed mine and other people’s lives for the better. After peaks and troughs and at least two further “waves” of folk coming through the ranks at the IQ, it sadly all came to an end in 2009 when legendary Landlord and Landlady Derek and Teresa retired and the with that, IQHC was no more. The pub became a very different place and we were without a venue for our antics as it was clear the new publicans weren’t really up for a bunch of feral Fenpunks going bonkers in their tavern like the last lot did … it’s now a wine bar/night club like place. Hmph. There were attempts to reignite a DIY Punk scene though. We did try. Punk 4 The Homeless had a go in a church hall(!) as did Boston Live Alternative Music Scene (BLAMS) with bands such as Natterers and Geoffrey Oi!Cott not to mention local lunatics South Holland Indecency Team (S.H.I.T.) and Truth Equal Treason at various watering holes around town with inconsistent levels of success. As you can imagine, I was involved, of course I was, in various capacities along the way, but a proper DIY Punk scene like the IQ days eluded us. Well, that is until now. Early days yet, but it looks like we may be on to something again, finally, in Boston. Not Boston.
Estelle, who has recently moved back to the Shire after years gallivanting about down south, was serious so, as she did back in 1988, she set about roping in people. Myself and Lee, the charismatic, suave drummer of local Hardcore ruffians Gristle, were on board and it was sorted, although something of a risky caper for a bunch of older, relatively more experienced folk in a town like Boston, we figured we’d give it a go. Yootha Presents was thus born out of a desire for Hardcore Punk Rock gigs in Boston, the DIY scene and a love of 70s sitcoms that haven’t aged well. Between us, the gig was flyer-ed, poster-ed, advertised, social media-ed and talked about all over the place as the excitement levels rose and the online tickets kept selling at a pleasingly steady rate. It was happening! Eventually, the 1st November came round and we all headed off to this venue - The Ridlington - which used to be a posh connoisseur of wine type outlet in the days when such a business venture would be sustainable in Boston. My missus did actually procure me a birthday bottle of Buckfast there one year so yeah, when I say connoisseur … but anyway, it’s now a venue for hire and abso-ruddy-lutely perfect for a raucous Punk Rock gig. Small rectangular room, 150 or so capacity and we are all set up. Jam from Truth Equals Treason arrived to set up his PA gear and sort the sound, the Gristle lot got to work on the drums and speakers and what not, while myself and Glen sat drinking cans and checking the footy scores getting ourselves all excited and what have you. Estelle turned up with the door machine pay by card box thing and before we knew it the gig was up and running. Straight from the off, there was a huge feeling of positivity in the air as nigh on 100 folk had come through the door from as far away as Southampton, London, Goole, Sheffield, Nottingham, Lincoln and of course a whole horde of IQHC veterans showed up too. Opening the evening were Gristle, who have been causing a proper hullabaloo in the East Midlands of late, but before that, I had to go on an emergency mission!
A flustered Estelle rushed through with her phone saying “Marv! Clare is lost and she’s driving about on John Adams Way! Go find her!” Not one to see a damsel in distress, I jumped in to action and carrying on the conversation on Estelle’s mobile, stood on a street corner waving at cars. Ooh I say. John Adams Way is a dual carriage way that runs through Boston and is pretty much the only way to get in to and out of town. Should you miss the turn off for The Ridlington which, admittedly, is easy to do for the uninitiated, you have a right rigmarole to go through. You need to then drive all the way to the other end, go round the roundabout (with black silhouette models of sheep and a shepherd on that last week someone painted a St George cross on, honestly, I kid you not) then back up the other side to another roundabout, before heading back the other way again, over the bridge and then turning left on to the tiny street that leads to the gig. So, there I was, stood waving at cars before one pulls up and invites me in! I’d found her and not only that, Clare had STE celebrities Rich and Geraldine in transit! Well, isn’t this just marvellous? People are coming from all over the place for this gig. Speaking of which it was all about to start …
Gristle, with the lights down low, cut an imposing set of figures, flat capped frontman Jez prowling about in amongst the crowd, that was pretty healthy already, waving his chain about and shouting at people. Unsubtle, uncompromising and not a tune in sight, except for maybe a bit of Quo every now and then, it was a spectacular way to kick things off. Proper nasty Negative Approach style Hardcore with a nod to Poison Idea’s negative approach too. Savagery. If we thought they were savage, well, the next lot, were utter barbarians. Unified Action from the wilds of the Teesside coast, were incredible. Further Negative Approach influences but this time putting the 80s thuggery through a cement mixer with a pile of Power Violence, thus creating vicious velocities for all to enjoy and enjoy it, the people of Boston (and everywhere else) did. Pit antics were out in force now and although the more “veteran” nature of us Punks these days means we aren’t gonna have the untamed mayhem of the IQ days, dodgy backs and creaky knees and all that, but there were outbreaks of Sports Day in the pit (Do the Triple Jump! Throw the Discus!) and the old favourite IQ move “The Bum Blast” enacted by two particularly excited idiots ... ahem ... Unified Action were formed when fearsome front fellow Lins met axe man Dan on Marske beach while walking his dog. One wearing an Urban Waste shirt, the other in a Gauze top, it’s not what you expect to encounter on a beach in a far corner of the north east really is it? It appears Dan – who was in Champions League level Power Violence titans Extortion back home in Australia - had moved to the area and yes, he’d like to be in a brutal hardcore band made from the remnants of Tied Down. He’ll get to play Boston if he does! Of course, he bloody would. Lawks, the songs were insanely fast and followed the short, sharp, shock approach that suggests Infest are as prevalent on the turntable as Negative Approach. The preambles explaining the putting the World to rights lyrics were longer than the numbers themselves in some cases. Just how we like it. Mullets and moustaches Post Punk from HOUSE PROUD next who hail from the banks of the Tyne. They had actually made an effort to get a bit Halloween-y ‘n all which was nice. A murdered nun by the look of it, a knight in armour or something and a wrestler that Skelly got very excited about and told the HOUSE PROUD guitarist all about the time when he (this masked and scary looking wrestling star) actually visited Boston at the Gliderdrome over the road for some reason … these kids and their wrestling eh? Musically they were great with plenty of dark and twisting sounds that brought to mind Sievehead, those Steel City legends of a few years back and, of course, Joy Division. They have an EP out now that I’d strongly recommend you get hold of. The charming fellow that is Darren of Serial Bowl passed me a tape copy later on as a cheeky pre-release, sneak peek and it’s had some erm, “spools” on the Gadgie Towers cassette deck this last week. DIAZ BROTHERS up next and by now, The Ridlington was heaving and Boston was abuzz in anticipation for the Sunderland scallywags set. I am running out of superlatives for this band to be honest. They are just so, so bloody good. It’s ridiculous. Lazy comparisons to HDQ and Leatherface (or if you are MRR, Hot Water Music) are redundant as the powerhouse sound of DIAZ BROTHERS is very much the sound of the fu***ng DIAZ BROTHERS and no other bu**er. Hardcore Punk Rock with a massive tune, a huge wallop and a little bit of Mod in there too … “This is my World” sounded awesome as did all the hits you usually get with the DIAZ BROTHERS from across their two stunning LPs. Truly one of, if not the, best bands in the UK today and flaming Nora, we only had ‘em playing on our doorstep in Boston. You’d think that would be enough wouldn’t you by now? No! We still had the no nonsense Garage Punk of the best thing to come out of Teesside since Gary Pallister and Tony Mowbray to top the bill: ONLOOKER! These lads are something very, very special and I’ve been following their fortunes for a while now. The incendiary headlining set at Chapelfest a couple of years ago was a highlight of the year and as for their mid afternoon set at MPF last year, they were the best band of the whole weekend for me. They were fantastic, of course. Tightly wound, intense Garage-y Rock with a bristling Hardcore Punk sensibility that is utterly intoxicating. Inventive and original and a “kick your bloody head in” ambience … ONLOOKER were class and a fine way to top the evening off.
Such was the success of this very first Yootha Presents gig that there is talk of more meetings in that nice coffee shop down Dolphin Lane in order to plan further such evenings of the finest Punk Rock in the land. Watch this space. Wow. Boston Not Boston. It’s back on, isn’t it?
