WAM Warrington Music presents Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs
with special guests, Lost in Echoes, and War Stripes, at FC2, Warrington
Friday 25th March 2022

On a sunny March evening in Warrington in the heart of the town centre, we’re back at FC2 tonight for what can only be described as one hell of a lineup. Three epic bands, but Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs are in town tonight, so it promises to be one riotous, manic night of wild abandon and an abundance of original punk music. Anyone who knows this band will know (and you can trust me on this one) with these guys expect the unexpected, but do expect to be entertained, to be mind blown, and to be left feeling like you just witnessed something very special! A great gig is guaranteed, and with Lost in Echoes and War Stripes on the billing, it promises to be a heavy night filled with grunge and rock too! I honestly cannot wait for this.

FC2 is a great little venue for live music. The sound quality is excellent and it’s a great space. Tonight’s is a special event: as well as this ‘must see’ lineup of live music, it’s the monthly Asylum Club night too – a monthly mixture of emo and metal/goth. Tonight Funeral for a Friend will be guest DJ-ing. I’ve been to a fair few gigs at this fairly new venue and it’s the perfect setting, there’s a great vibe and it adjoins Friars Court pub next door, which is the home of indie/alt music in Warrington.

Arriving early so I could catch up with the bands before the gig, we were pleasantly surprised to find quite a buzz already. Friars Court is quite busy… clearly, all band followers, which is great to see. I’ve said it before, but Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs really do bring something extra to the party. This circus train of musical mayhem is one you shouldn’t and wouldn’t want to miss!

War Stripes_Credit_ Andy J Perrin

First support – War Stripes

Aaron Evans (lead vocals/guitar),Billy Day (backing vocals/ guitar).Craig Millington (Bass),Josh Baxter (Drums)

Kicking off proceedings tonight, and in epic style, I might add, is War Stripes. I’m new to this 4 piece, grunge/doom/dark dance/rock band; this is my first encounter so I’m keen to see what they bring. Not a disappointment! Diving straight in, guitars blazing, we can see this is to be one hell of a set, it already is! Super energetic performance from the off, bouncing around, covering every inch of the stage. Frontman, Aaron Evans, is bursting with on-stage charisma, often with one foot up on the barrier whilst playing guitar or swinging the mic stand on stage. It’s a full throttle belting performance, it’s mesmeric! High energy and high vibes, roaring guitar. It’s heavy, it’s loud – driving drum beats, thumping bass lines, and a vocal that makes its mark. As a crowd we’re honestly loving it, great interaction from the band who are visibly pleased to see their sound being devoured so hungrily. Guitarist Billy Day is literally throwing himself about on stage. This feels like some huge, festival style performance. The vocals are smooth, throaty, and even, but shouty, edgy, and angry, which really suit the sound and add to the feels. This is a great opening set, it’s wild, it’s banging, and everyone is bouncing. This is one lively, cymbal crashing, loud, guitars screaming, drums pounding, crazed dancing performance. It’s inspired brilliance, we LOVE it.

Finishing up with ‘Emily’ the ante is upped, more fuel is poured into the performance fire and it goes off big time. The band are bouncing around, mid song, when suddenly Billy Day springs up and leaps over the barrier, still playing guitar, landing in the audience – he then proceeds to run around in circles, guitar still across him, then backspins on the floor legs in the air before launching his guitar then jumping around arm in arm with crowd members! The rest of the band are now going for it in the photo pit. Its random, it’s wild, this was not expected, but my God it’s totally amazing! One surreal ending to a musically tight, amazingly performed set. Real crowd pleasing here. I seriously recommend catching these guys live, it’s a powerful, heart stopping, adrenaline fuelled, highly entertaining band! Absolutely smashed it guys, loved every minute, thank you.

Setlist:
Gas Prices. Glad Rags. Easy Target. Never fight a man with a perm (Idles Cover), Boris’ House Party. Secret love, Trailer Park, Tragedies, Emily

Lost in Echoes_Credit_ Andy J Perrin

2nd support – Lost in Echoes

Lee Egerton – guitar/lead vocals, Alex Hesketh – bass/backing vocals, Mike Jones – drums, Liam Tamber – guitar

This 4 piece, alt rock band play all over the North West and are highly original. Another with a strong sound and real identity… you know when Lost in Echoes have arrived, straight from the get go it’s a no holds barred energy coming right for us. With what can only be described as a thundering bass line (and one hell of a bassist in Alex Hesketh) the entire feel of this set is hard hitting. We’re taking note and we sure are gonna remember this! You can feel it in your entire body, the musical vibrations driving through us. Utterly pounding beats that Mike (Jones) is smashing out of his drum kit, rip roaring guitar riffs, and a real grunge sounding vocal which ties in nicely with the entire concept. The sound as a whole feels quite heavy and metal influenced, but we definitely have an undercurrent of grunge or shoegaze. It’s certainly roused the mosh pit again; people are pogoing, holding onto the barrier moshing, and headbanging. This is pure gig gold!

Some of the songs have a spoken dialogue, to a backdrop of that thunderous bass and rolling drums. Alex’s backing vocals have a real edge to them, a real roar or growl which really gives to the metal feel and works well with Lee (Egerton)’s more smooth, angst ridden style of singing. It all gels together superbly. This is one fast paced, hard hitting set and it’s ripped the roof off in here tonight. The feels are out of this world, an amazing energy of people having the time of their lives. These guys are very personable as a band… genuine and with lots of crowd interaction, real showmanship, and great on-stage personas. For brilliant, original material, something a little different, a mash up of genres, and mind blowing live performance, you really can’t go wrong with Lost in Echoes! I look forward to seeing you again. You upped the ante and brought a real show. Tonight is proving to be one earth shattering lineup spectacular!

Set List:
Countdown, Obviously not Obvious, Syn, Black Hole, We’ll Be Calling You.

Chicken Man and The Bad Eggs_Credit_ Andy J Perrin

Headliner – Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs

Ryan Morris – lead vocals, Luke Hankinson – lead guitar, Tasha Clough – rhythm guitar, Liam Shrives – bass, Nathan McLeish – drums

So for tonight’s headliner… a force to be reckoned with: the musical cyclone, the punk explosion, the runaway, crazy train that can only be Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs! 5 piece, indie/punk, St Helens based band, Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs describe themselves as “bringing controlled chaos” – this as a matter of fact is an epic understatement. The performance, charisma, and pure showmanship this band brings is like nothing else. It honestly leaves you happily in a state of complete shock and bewilderment. I’m honestly made up to be seeing them live again. Live performance IS their specialty and they excel at it. It’s done to the extreme. Unfortunately tonight we’re a band member down as Luke (Hankinson) can’t be here as he’s been struck down with Covid. It was decided, however, that the show must go on and the band would play as a 4 piece tonight.

They arrive on stage like a musical grenade, and the crowd go wild. People are now up on each other’s shoulders, the crowd have surged forward and are right up to the barriers…the ‘controlled chaos’ has begun. Fast paced, up tempo, instantly recognisably punk beats, the anarchic sound of those edgy bass lines courtesy of Liam, jagged guitars from Tash, Ryan’s vocals which are made for this genre. As a front man Ryan really must be seen to be believed, he’s like a mixture of the Tasmanian devil/ a wild circus ringmaster. Not still for a second, he’s running around the stage, bouncing off monitors, dancing wildly, ripping his jacket and shirt off, one leg up on the barrier, belting out those vocals. It’s typically wild, wired, punk rock sound, it’s crazed but it’s perfectly executed and well rehearsed. We have that unhinged, raw energy feel of early punk, but with fine tuning and a refinement. We get the best of both worlds here… that unbridled, primal excitement of punk back in the day, but with today’s modern tilt and an indie sound to it. Ryan’s voice is perfect for this genre, it’s shouty, it’s dry, comedic, angry at times, cynical at others as it narrates these witty anecdotes put to music.

Chicken Man and The Bad Eggs_Credit_ Andy J Perrin

Performance wise, tonight, he’s outdone himself, he’s singing into the crowd and a pint was tipped over the head of his very willing friend! Crowd members are singing down the mic with him, then just to push it over the edge, he’s up on the barrier, standing there, arms waving, singing away into the swirling abyss that is the crowd beneath him. The venue has become a swirling whirlpool of raucous, musical, high vibe feels. But wait for it… yep, he’s back up on the barrier again, this time one hand pushed up against the ceiling, dancing wildly, mic in other hand, shirt off, all the while singing, on the very top of the barrier, whilst former Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs drummer, Liam, bounces up and down in time with him. What a performance? What a night? I honestly struggle to describe the passion these guys put into a set and all they do. The band members on stage are never still, bouncing, dancing around, guitars swinging, feet stamping. The drum kit is getting some abuse from new band member, Nathan, who’s hammering out the beats. All that can be said is that the crazy Chicken Man train is full steam ahead. It’s yet another mind blowing, belief defying, totally intoxicating extravaganza from the Chicken Men – and woman – (Tash, you’re ace!!)

Each time I see this band I think “wow, can’t get better than that”, then the next time they bring even more! The experience you get with this band on stage just can’t be put into words. Go see for yourselves. It’s addictive. Brilliant and full set, excellent, witty, original, go-getting songs with a commercial radio sound. Bags of energy, charisma and nonstop entertainment, and bloody brilliant and lovely people too, honestly. Get yourselves down to a Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs gig. Be prepared to be amazed and left somewhat bewildered and breathless but wanting to see more! Smashed it Chicken Man style!

All in all, tonight has been one epic event of live music. WAM/WarringtonMusic is always a good lineup, but tonight was really memorable: brilliant support, stellar headline, great venue and topped off with an epic Asylum Club night with the huge and legendary Funeral for a Friend dj-ing.

Thanks to Lee Harman for organising an event that will take some beating and thanks to Andrew Davies from Postern Gate pub security for making sure our frontman, Ryan, was safe on the barrier – you’re a legend for helping out at such short notice.

A massive welcome to CMATBE drummer, Nathan McLeish – excellent work tonight, and a fond farewell to former CMATBE drummer, Liam Hodson – great to see you.

Best wishes and a huge get well soon to Luke Hankinson, the legendary CMATBE lead guitarist.

And big thanks to our unforgettable bands tonight – War Stripes, Lost in Echoes, and the one and only Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs.

Set List: Take over,  Sleazeball, Peter Piper,  On the Run, Can of Courage,  Ode,  Cheshire Cat, Indian Pale Fale,  Incredible, Fool’s Game, SOS.

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