Worcester Music Festival
Live: The Human Error – 14 September 2024
The King’s Head, Sidbury
The carnival atmosphere at the end of the gig was compounded by hundreds of mobile phone “torches” held aloft in the dark. In the spot-light, the lead singer’s tear-streaked face was a picture of well-rehearsed tragedy as he sang the final verse fourteen times. The romantic ballad was sung with such gusto by the crowd even the servers climbed on to the bar and joined in. As the guitars and drums fell silent, dry ice drifted across the stage creating a finale of near biblical…never mind the bollocks!
In reality, our three favourite street urchins – The Human Error – took to the makeshift stage and offered-up their four-chord punk to a room of largely, dubious older men. The three imps then proceeded to prove what can be achieved with practice, passion and a sense of injustice.
Following his guitar lesson Joe Ree had clearly remembered the salient advice of his tutor: “Play as if you are trying to make a fire.” The Human Error play at one speed- life affirming – the velocity is not for the angina-hearted. Regardless, the onlookers were enthralled…
The pause button was pressed solely for the songs to be introduced. The worldly “The Way the World goes Round” was rattled-canned across the room like aural graffiti. “Damage Limitation” stretched the amps to near breaking point. Of course, “Capital Radio” needed no introduction to anyone in the room. You really would need to do your research to understand what influenced the current Labour front-bench. However, the Human Error are card-carrying members of PUNK.
You can’t question the bands credentials. During one rare pause Joe Brown amused his brothers by eliding into a Uk Subs bass line – War Dance. More than one or two in the growing crowd were impressed.
The middle-aged fan-boys and girls sat at the table behind the band – I said it was a makeshift stage – were more than impressed with the Error. Theatrical fist-pumps followed exaggerated head-banging and all accompanied by inebriated air-drumming. One intro was delayed as the baby-faced-drum-skin-assassin Adam Welsh entertained a bald 50 plus fan-man who wanted to shake his hand – Welsh wasn’t fazed. Realising the drummer had not joined in with his guitar intro Ree turned and rather than react tetchily, simply enquired: “Are we celebrities now?”
Their humour, their self-belief and their sheer audacity, I am sure, will ensure the Human Error earn their 15 minutes of celebrity status in the spot light, as Warhol decreed. For now these young rascals will have to be content with fifty-something drunks singing… “We love you Adam, we do, we love you Adam, we do.” Never mind this bollocks they are the Human Error.
By: Swilgate Scuttler
For my Mum who would have enjoyed it, even if “it was a bit loud”.