New Model Army

If you have never seen this band play you need to know about The Family of fans that follow them. These moshing maniacs, follow the band from gig to gig. I have seen the same faces, down the front in the mosh pit, every year.
I have been to a gig every year since 1989, my husband started following them in 1982, they started in 1980.
Their music is not easy to pigeon hole encompassing rock, reggae, folk and any sound they like at the time of writing one of their many albums.
The line up has changed over the year, except for Justin Sullivan, who is the only surviving band member from 1980. His partner, writer, tattoo artist and poet, Jules, has been responsible for the majority of the artwork that accompanies their T shirts, albums and accessories.
Although we are a family we still love new recruits to Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army - which is where the band gets their name. You are welcomed as long as you respect the pit unwritten rules:
1. Don't wear a handbag; spiky or zipped jacket.
2. Go to the pit to appreciate the music - aim to try to dance, not just shove people all over the place.
3. If someone goes down, stop, pick them up before continuing to mosh!
4. Don't...I repeat don't bring your plastic cup of beer down the front! If you have a water bottle, share it.
5. If someone is up on the shoulders of kind, strong friend or partner, keep away or help protect their space.
6. Treat all as equally able to be shoved about if they make the decision to visit this far forward!
7. Make sure you have listened to their music before going so you can:
a) sing along
b) know what song it is as the sound at the front, particularly at The Kentish Forum, is awful
8) Men and possibly women (if you are brave enough) be prepared to take off your tops and show your upper bodies! If not be prepared for chests, hairy backs, sweaty tattoos and long hair (of men and women) shoved into your face!
9) If you usually wear necklaces, earrings, nose studs/spikes/rings, finger rings - remove them for safety or wear them knowing they may be pulled out or knocked
10) Finally, be prepared to be shoved, pushed, pulled and thrown to the floor. I have had a black eye, a black toe and a mass of bruises all over my arms from being in the pit.

I don’t think there is anything I can say that will do New Model Army the kind justice they deserve but here goes. The post-punk/alternative band formed way back in 1980 by Justin Sullivan the singer and composer as well as bassist Stuart Morrow and drummer Phil Tompkins. Interestingly New Model Army derive their name from Oliver Cromwell’s English Revolutionary Army.

The wonderful charisma of Justin on stage and the warm and comforting northern accent he uses, he seems to build a rapport and a trust with the audience immediately, like we’re all in on something big, like on the verge of revolution. And his lyrics and views are as socially conscious as any, the band was refused entry in to the U.S. for apparently having no artistic merit, however their anti-U.S. imperialist views might have had something to do with it. But they sure stand up for what they believe, and songs like 51st State, which had everyone singing at the top of their lungs around has given the band a kind of cult status.

I could not wait to hear the song Vagabonds, yes it’s their most well known and arguably most popular but there’s a reason for that, it’s because its so unbelievably amazing, the violin makes me tingle every time in places I didn't know existed. I’d have loved to see them in their heyday but seeing them recently was still a awfully good decision.

John Peel once described The Fall as being "always different, always the same". I think you could say the same of New Model Army.

We know what we are going to get, but can never tell what we are going to get.

One voice in the crowd shouted "We love you. And we trust you."

And trust was rewarded. Personally, I wanted an angry gig, after this year. I wanted "Vengeance", and "The Hunt". But I was wrong.

What Justin and his team gave us was not the gig we wanted, but the gig it was right for us to have. A gig of hope and despair, a gig of sadness and longing, of kindness, of damage, of repair, of community. A gig of trust.

Clearly, some members of the audience found this difficult to accept, and left early. One refreshed gentleman expressed his outrage as he stormed out during the encore of "Beginning" from the new album.
It's a hard song to get to grips with, especially as an opening track on an album or as an encore. But actually, it may not have been what that man and I wanted, but it was what we needed.

"Hold on the beginning" - 2016 is not the end.
Trust the New Model Army to remind us of that.

Intense passion from the start and quickly into Smalltown England as the second song, NMA were on form tonight with Justin's piercing eyes staring into the crowd like daggers, the crowd were mesmerised on his every word. Fantastic performance with full energy, anger and purpose from the start till a brilliant version of Green and Grey at the end.

I enjoyed the whole experience, you couldn't have got a better setting for an NMA gig right in the heart of a medieval castle, the crowd were in very good spirits & the set list & sound of Justin & the boyz was unmissable plus being under the moon & stars throughout was unforgettable.... :)

Bloody awesome gig on the most auspicious night of the year. Almost made up for the gutwrenching outcome of the election. NMA were spot on. Brilliant sound, fantastic set and inspiring energy. Couldn't have asked for anything more, except a Labour government

Great as usual. Energy, great personalities. Great anthems. Still rock your balls off after all these years. Great performance after all these years. First seen them over thirty years ago, great memories

Brilliant as usual. Go every year for the last 29 years! The mosh pit was full of old friends. A wide range of their music was played with s few old ones thrown in.

I’ve been wanting to see New Model Army for 35 years and they were the best gig of 2019 for me 100%. Can’t wait for the next time.
Simply fantastic.