The DIY Princes of modern squatter Punk, Wonk Unit hit the capital for the first of two nights at Camden’s finest sweat box, the Rocker friendly Black Heart. The band’s latest release ‘Terror’ is possibly their best to date and an early contender for my album of the year. It’s a dark journey highlighting the realities of drug addiction and it’s aftershock effect on those closest to the user with a few rays of positive sunshine cutting through the nicotine curtains. Alex ‘Wonk’ Johnson leaves his post on the merch stand and leads the Unit through a mix of mainly new track and some old faves.
Opener ‘Day Job Wanker’ is street(s) poetry set against a thumping backbone of South London sounds. Next up is the questioning ‘Flummoxed More Than Jealous’ before the cold turkey anthem ‘Ride It Out’ deals with itching duvet day withdrawal. The Reggae tinged ‘Thankyou’ gives way to a couple of old favourites to get the front few rows moshing and bizarrely in a room no more than eight feet high, crowd surfing. ‘Plasterer’ and a flowing ‘Go Easy’ are deeply inhaled and blown back by the appreciative crowd. The Rocking ‘As The Rest Of The World Sleeps’ should convince Punks and alternatives new ‘n’ old to give the latest WU album a listen. A Madness tinged Wedding day ditty ‘My New Safe Place’ is closer to Skinner than Lydon and shows Alex Johnson’s natural knack for transferring life-changing moments and everyday events into heartfelt songs of fast, slow and even darkly romantic time capsules. The tour continues throughout 2018, go get some Wonk.