Artrocker magazine has been staging all-ages afternoon shows at the Roundhouse recently, and despite a) the all-ages aspect, and b) that the afternoon seems a weird time to be going to a gig, I simply couldn’t let another Die! Die! Die! gig pass by without seeing them again.

I first saw these New Zealanders at the start of May, when they played the Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross as part of the Rocklands mini festival, when they blew me away with their energy-laden, rhythmic, melodic, scuzzy (post)punk rock.

When I arrive at the Roundhouse, Plastic Passion are halfway through their set. They command the mixed-ages crowd’s attention with their angular goth-tinged punk rock, and remind me of those well-experienced kids on the block and recent support band to The Horrors, Neils Children. More unusually, this skinny, black-clad trio sport a variety of haircuts, from the more expected shaggy black ‘do, to a huge white afro, to the drummer’s long locks which flail around like Dave Grohl’s Nirvana-era tresses. Minutes after the end of their set, the free PP CDs on offer have been snapped up by the kids.

Die! Die! Die! begin setting up their equipment, looking very anonymous. I don’t get the impression many here know of or recognize the band, but perhaps some of the crowd has come down to the Roundhouse after the Vibe Bar disaster earlier in the week (the folks in charge of that venue/gig mismanaged band timings so much that DDD did not get to play at all!). 

After introducing themselves and asking the crowd to move forward, they launch into ‘155’, with its pounding drums, gorgeous guitar line melody, rhythmic bass and infectious “bad company!” chorus, screamed out by high-pitched singer and guitarist Andrew Wilson like his life depends on it.  I’m immediately beaming and in love with this band all over again. The rest of the crowd is clearly taken with this opener too, as people dance tentatively and smile, probably thankful they bothered to come and see this amazing band previously unknown to them.

Andrew explains that he inadvertently lost his guitar pedals in Wales (!), then abandons his guitar altogether as they play a couple of awesome new songs with just pounding bass and drums. He runs forward, singing and screaming out vocals to a thrilled audience. The guitar melody of ‘Ashtray! Ashtray!’ is simply amazing. This is one of their traits – melodies so simple, yet totally gorgeous and captivating. Bassist Lachlan Anderson, already a tall guy, climbs aboard an amp and presses his face towards the lighting rig, all the while delivering hot as hell basslines. Wow, their passion is electrifying. I so need to hear those new songs again!

Rampaging through more of the excellent tracks from current releases – the self-titled Steve Albini-produced album, and the ‘Locust Weeks’ EP - they end on perfect set-closer, ‘Out of the Blue’, screaming “no regrets!” and “out of the blue, into the black!!” on repeat until I am ready to cry with musical joy.  I know I’m a sucker for my music, but this band really are something special.

At the end, I tell Andrew how fantastic the set was, sweat pouring from his fair head, a job well and truly done. I’m sure D!D!D! have been on the receiving end of such compliments all over Europe recently, but rarely is it so well deserved.

After Die! Die! Die! the prospect of watching headliners Help She Can’t Swim, a band I am actually rather fond of, pales into insignificance. So, not yet 5.30pm, as the twee and cutesy HSCS fans gather, I head home, drunken, sun-drenched, and full of happy memories and stories to make my buddies super-jealous.

(5/5)