Who are… Urban Commandos?

Live music lovers in the North East will be no strangers to The Urban Commandos, and yet few people could succinctly describe them to their friends.

“Unique blend of avant garde meets punk” is getting there, but it misses out the band’s funk, pop and even flamenco influenced original songs in amongst that punk.

Combined with the occasional covers you don’t hear anywhere else (Sensational Alex Harvey anyone?) you get a setlist that’s definitely unique. And that is only the half of it.

It is telling that singer John Allen’s earliest influence was the father of music psychodrama himself, one Alice Cooper. When John’s larger than life character takes to the stage (and the furniture, and pool table) that influence is abundantly clear and audiences are immediately engrossed.

Urban Commandos, like Alice Cooper and David Bowie (another clear hero of John’s), are principly story tellers. Local heart is at the forefront of their songwriting too. Whether it’s “Living with an Angel” or “I Wanna Dance (like Tony Manero)”, there is a tale in every number. And sometimes, in the case of “Jimmy the Bank Robber”, that number is our own number 56 bus.

The band isn’t just John of course, as he would be the first to tell us. The band are also very accomplished musicians in their own right, and we’re always guaranteed a great performance from them all.