Blurt at Cinema Nova, Brussels, 19th of september 2024

Hard-hitting punk featuring a highly original lead role for the alto saxophone—that's how British band Blurt, led by saxophonist and puppeteer Ted Milton, has been shaking up stages since 1979. Known for their stellar live reputation, Milton and his band once again proved their prowess in a packed Cinema Nova.

At 81, Milton even took on the role of a supporting act himself. Since the sixties, he has been publishing poetry and short stories closely tied to the world-renowned American Beat Generation, which resonated perfectly with the enthusiastic Brussels audience. However, the big applause erupted when guitarist Steve Eagles and drummer David Aylward joined him on stage, kicking off the concert at breakneck speed.

“Universal Love Song” launched at a brisk 80 kilometers per hour, immediately setting the tone for the evening: sharp drums, a guitar occasionally producing otherworldly sounds, and, of course, Milton on vocals, with his saxophone fanning out in all directions. This wasn’t exactly music for a quiet evening in a comfy chair, but live, it worked wonders. During the more accessible “Planet You,” the audience remained seated in the Cinema Nova's theater seats. However, when encouraged to dance during the explosive “Plunge,” three-quarters of the crowd leapt to their feet.

“Bells” featured a wide delay effect on the guitar, reminiscent of the iconic “How Soon Is Now” by The Smiths—a high compliment indeed. Coupled with super-tight drumming and Milton's usual theatrical performance, it became a rock-solid live track. Of course, Milton’s saxophone commanded much of the attention, especially in songs like “Giant Lizards on High” and “O! Look Who's Out on Parole.” The tracks raced by like speeding cars: an absolute cacophony that felt invigorating in a live setting.

Consider the ensemble: Milton, navigating each song with his ever-present sax; Eagles, extracting submarine-like sounds from his guitar, then delivering riffs that could have belonged to The Stooges; and Aylward, expertly keeping it all together with his incisive drumming.

The setting of Cinema Nova—a highly alternative cinema run by volunteers in the heart of Brussels—was nearly perfect: for the first time in ages, we felt the true vibrations of punk around us. Blurt upheld their formidable live reputation, delivering tracks like “I’ll Be There Now,” “UZI,” “Violin Sherbet,” and “What’s This Mission All About?” By then, the audience at the front was dancing in unison.

In the final sprint, Eagles and Aylward threw (fake) banknotes over Milton, but by that point, we had made up our minds. Blurt doesn’t create easily digestible music—that’s simply a fact. Yet a band so legendary, so unwaveringly true to its raw ideals, and capable of blowing the audience away at every concert more than deserves its place in this world. In other words: how authentic punk, even when occasionally spotlighting the saxophone, remains resolute..

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Filip Hermans