It's Monday night, and whilst most of you will have been at home complaining that there was nothing on the multimillion channels of shite you pay to sit and not watch, the more clued in amongst us were out and about watching something called 'live music'. You remember that don't you? That buzz you got from entering a new venue for the first time? Or checking out a new band? The thrill of what you might discover, or who you might bump into? I make no apologies if this introduction sounds more than a little patronising because it's meant to be, as I do sometimes wonder what a venue or band has to do to get paying punters through the door these days? Especially when the quality of the live bill was as strong as tonight's.

Anyway rant aside, Cardiff's Buffalo Bar is not a new venue to Uber Rock, but it is to me, and it's a glorious multi floor 'chilled out' bohemian affair selling quality beers and cocktails on its ground floor, whilst firmly bucking the trend for keeping things simple by putting on quality live music with something of "an edge" in its upstairs live area. As a result of this cultural juxtaposition you can sometimes witness the glorious sight of a young lady dressed in all her finery ordering cocktails for a quiet evening out with her friends, whilst stood alongside a six foot plus punk rocker with neck tattoos ordering his ale for the night, and that thought alone my friends raises more than a dry smile in the Uber camp. That's because tonight said rocker was Dix, lead guitarist with everyone's favourites bunch of punk rock reprobates 8.4% who just happened to be opening proceedings and when these boys are in town you know things are going to get messy. And we like messy, don't we?

Upstairs in the close confines of the stage area the PA was blasting out scene classic after scene classic, with 'Give Him A Great Big Kiss' fading out perfectly for the entry of the Percenters at 9PM sharp.  Looking and sounding like a band that will never quite be able to shake the 'Rock N Roll Habit', Pouls (vocals and bass), Dix (guitar) and the recently returned Sid (drums) are the ultimate party band, blending the best bits of speedball punk rock music with their own self deprecating brand of humour. The guys have some super strength classics in 'What Can I Do' and 'U.S. Punks' and now just need someone to give them the break they so justly deserve. 8.4% are the band everyone would like to be a member of if only their livers could stand the pace. 

Next up, and stepping in for No Choice were The D Teez, a band featuring Cardiff Oi! legend Roddy Moreno, singer/guitarist with the Oppressed.  However don't expect to see Roddy out stage front in this outfit because tonight he was stage left cutting out a rather Mani-esque silhouette whilst playing some mean bass guitar. Also don't expect to hear any of the streetpunk/Oi! anthems that made Roddy so famous in the first place as The D Teez are a skin-tight R&B influenced garage rock band mixing their own material with some classics just for the fun of it. Think of what the Bellrays covering 'Search And Destroy' and 'Blank Generation' might sound like and you have The D Teez. Does that sound cool to you or what?

With Monday night fast turning into Tuesday morning it was left to Berlin's finest the Radio Dead Ones to close out the night. Playing a take no prisoners 40 odd minute set culled from both the band's albums and their multitude of EPs and singles, it was nigh on impossible not to get involved with the animated antics of frontman Beverly Crime and guitarist Rik Oldman.  Punching, high kicking and simply falling off the stage to tracks like 'Sensual Seduction', 'Too Selective' and 'Angelina' from the band's brand new album 'AAA' you would think the guys were back in the packed Arena at Rebellion 2010 where I first caught them live and not simply playing to the hardcore who had lasted into the wee small hours.

Throwing in a killer version of 'Late Man' mid set along with the always-welcome medley selection, there wasn't a person present not shaking their creepers or raising a glass to the energy of The Dead Ones live delivery. Perhaps saving the best til last with my fave track from the new album, 'Emerging Market', the guys afforded themselves a further two song encore that I lost track of because by this time everyone (not just drummer TV Mork and bassist Andru Bourbon) was soaked in sweat.

Monday nights don't come much better than this, and for £5 entry fee you weren't about to hear me doing a Beavis and Butt-head trying to "change it change it". You should try this some time you might just enjoy it.