Angelic Upstarts - Solidarity: Angelic Upstarts Live (Region 1 Import DVD)

Formed in 1977 in South Shields, England, the Angelic Upstarts were politically outspoken, and espoused a brash punk rock ethos fueled by the snarled lyrics of the lead singer, Mensi (Thomas Mensforth). The lyrics often centered on the deprivation Mensi experienced as a youth, voicing an anger and political awareness born from those experiences. Though misperceived as a skinhead band, the group spoke out against fascism and Margaret Thatcher, and espoused the cause of the working classes. Though the band's popularity died out with much of the genre in the mid 1980s, Mensi continued to play with different lineups over the years, broadening the scope of his music to include reggae and multi-instrumentation. Permanently reuniting in 1990's, the group has been touring ever since, and this concert from 1997 is just as wild and politically charged as ever. The band performs some of their canonical early material such as "Never 'Ad Nothin'" and "The Murder of Liddle Towers," as well as a selection of new work.