2018 has been a great year for Black Wax. A conscious decision was made early on to concentrate on quality over quantity – working on the shows we wanted to do instead of trying to scramble something together week after week for the sake of it. We think we achieved that! Here’s a quick look back at what we got up to in 2018…
Friday 2nd February – Eddie & The Hot Rods
The legendary Essex pub rock band kicked off their 2018 Beginning Of The End tour here with us at the Club Foot pop up venue. Although early in the year this show provided one of the highlights of our year as, after a few years of trying, we brought Cyanide Pills to Harlow. Los Pepes opened the show and DJ Hey Paula! was spinning records.
Friday 9th March – Brandy Row
Rescheduled from a snowy day in 2017. Brandy Row played a live set in front of an audience at Phoenix Live as part of a one-off Black Wax radio show revival.
Thursday 29th March – Instrument Of Change Screening
Black Wax was responsible for the organisation and promotion of a screening of ‘Instrument of Change – Street Piano’ at pop up venue Club Foot, which was followed by live performances from Chas Hodges and Henri Herbert, both of whom feature in the film.
Friday 1st June – The Bonnevilles
On tour in support of their album Dirty Photographs, we were very pleased to bring Northern Ireland’s finest punk rock blues exports back to Harlow to blow the roof off of Phoenix Live. Support was from the brilliant Murray Torkildsen who debuted his guitar made from a piece of The Square’s bar top!
Saturday 14th July – The Len Price 3
Black Wax favourites The Len Price 3 hit the stage at Phoenix Live for what could possibly be the gig of the year! They put in over time and played pretty much every song they’ve ever released. Support was from London’s hottest new power pop trio More Kicks.
Friday 27th July – Newtown Neurotics
Local legends played a special intimate show at Pheonix Live as a warm up for the summer’s Rebellion Festival. The bill was complimented with other acts playing Rebellion Festival – the live debut of UnPunk’t, the new project from Dodgy frontman Nigel Clark, and punk poetry duo Cherry & Peesh. DJ Eddie O’Toole of The Filaments played punk rock 45s between and after the live music.
Friday 26th October – The Len Price 3
We took Black Wax down the pub to put on The Len Price 3 at The Herald. A special show to warm up for the Shiiiiine On Festival.
Saturday 1st December – Muck & The Mires
Boston USA’s premier garage rock n roll combo visited the UK for 2 special shows, one of which was with us at Phoenix Live. The put on a great show and won a lot of new fans. Opening the show was the ‘one gig only’ band (now with gigs 5, 6, 7 & 8 booked) The Speedways.
Black Wax also provided the soundtrack for the opening of a new vintage charity shop in Harlow Town Centre, as well as spinning records at their first in house fashion show.
We have big plans for 2019 and already have shows booked and on sale with Chords UK, Small Fakers and Eddie & The Hot Rods so make sure you keep an eye on our event listings – we don’t want you to miss out!
Thanks to everyone for the support we’ve received throughout 2018 – here’s to 2019! Happy New Year.
