If you were one of the unlucky souls who missed the Touch And Go 25th Anniversary Showcase this fall, this weekend you'll have the chance to at least catch one of the top five bands of the that weekend in a drastically intimate setting. The Empty Bottle will host Holland's finest, the Ex this Saturday, and if you haven't had the pleasure of seeing these revolutionaries in action, it's something you really shouldn't miss. Dutch punk has such an incredible pedigree when compared to most of the other European strains, that it's not hard to believe that of the entire Killed By Epitaph bootleg compilation's roster (released in the late 90s reissue flood of obscurities), the Ex would be the most likely one you'd still get to see in the 21st century, without venturing deep into the reunion circuit. Formed in 1979 using a hit-and-run graffiti 'publicity campaign' and releasing their debut record the following year, these disgruntled anarchious squatters played their fledgling shows in the DIY spirit like no other, and their politically-aware benefit concerts they performed over the years only added to their overall philanthropic mystique. Utilizing their knack for short, sharp, Wire-like bursts of protest established the band as something more than just the typical bored teenagers and put them in a league of activist-minded groups that transcended the mundane drill of simply being in a band for the music. Their consciousness and dedication to helping out the causes they got behind helped them gain a new acceptance as the 80s trudged along and as the releases continued to grow, they branched out even further and toured in areas most other punk bands tended to avoid, like Greece, North Africa, and the Eastern European states. Although their later work claims influences as divergent as folk, jazz and noise, what appeared onstage at the festival a few months back was nothing short of firebranded raw punk, which is probably what feels best to take out on a large audience. Japanese opener, comorevi-ButtEr fLy should be interesting as well, with her surreal melodic swirls of noise, it's no doubt the place will be under her spell instantly.
Check out a video of The Ex live in Italy...
