A third
return to the 'don for a relatively frequent visitor; the esteemed Mr. Miles
Hunt, frontperson and main inspiration for enduring indie rock legends The
Wonder Stuff! This time flying solo to promote current acoustic career-spanning
retrospective album "The Custodian" (so named following a
conversation Milo had with Tom Robinson, wherein Robinson remarked that the
true "owners" of Miles' songs were his audience, due to the life
experiences those songs had soundtracked for them, and that he, Miles, was the
Custodian of those songs on his audience's behalf), this one sold out in pretty
short order, so I was glad I acted quickly, sorting tix for myself and Rachel.
Quite appropriate really, given the theme of this tour, as The Wonder Stuff had
been Rachel's first gig, back in April 1994; a gig I was actually at (gig 265
for me!), years before we even met!
Left
after Grandma arrived to babysit, parking up behind the Roaring Donkey as my
usual car park was full, and hitting the Vic for an early drink. Very quiet
early doors for a sell-out gig! Ran into old Level 3 pal Robynne and hubby Paul
for a chat before wandering down to the venue, for a surprise; rows of seats!
In the Vic!! Weird; no wonder this sold out in short order! Had time to take
second row seats and briefly contemplate this anomaly, before being joined by
tour support Matt Watson. An affable gent from Norwich, he played an acoustic set ranging from lively
Turner-esque gallops, through slower, rootsier and folkier material, to his
Radio 6-aired "Grounded" ("the only song played on Radio 6 with
a frying pan [played] in the chorus!" he advised), which unsurprisingly
had inflections of tonight’s headliner, and for which he prompted an audience
singalong, to get the crowd warmed up for Miles! Overall, a decent start...
The Big
Man joined us midway through the set; I also chatted with Colin May, who
grabbed the seat next to us, while Miles set up onstage before taking a stool
and soliciting our attention at 9 with his usual, "Oi, Oi!" After
complimenting Swindon for selling the gig out, he explained the premise behind
the tour and CD, before opening with his first ever written song,
"Speakeasy" ("not to be confused with Shed Seven's!"),
which dated from his early teens, spent posing in the mirror with big brother
Russ' guitar... and breaking it!
This was
a quite excellent show, a scattergun yet relatively coherent, mostly
chronological run-through the works of an undoubtedly talented songwriter with
a gift for easy, catchy melody and flippant, acerbic lyricism. Miles was in
fine fettle, a relaxed, engaging and gregarious raconteur throughout, supremely
comfortable in his own skin and totally at peace with the shenanigans of his
past self. "My 20 year old self would slap me off the stage!", he
joked whilst calling for audience participation for an early
"Unbearable" ("all the lay-deez in the house - scream!"),
then, after an entertaining reading from his "Wonder Stuff Diaries"
(recalling the day he chanced upon his Uncle's glam rock band Wizzard, crashed
out at his parents' place, the apparent
inciting incident which made him want to form a band himself!), an almost
poignant "Can't Shape Up" was explained as initially being a breakup
letter to an ex-girlfriend! Songs and stories were dispensed in equal measure
as Miles took us through his career; "On The Ropes" was turned into a
hushed ballad, adding an extra dimension to my favourite Stuffies number; an
excellent Frank Black interview story touched on his MTV VJ days; and a
rendition of Vent's "Fixer" was surprisingly excellent. A
self-confessed "couple of soppy songs" in "Good Deeds And
Highs" and "We Hold Each Other Up" followed, before Miles,
claiming throughout that, "there's no Springsteen in me," nonetheless
stayed onstage for an encore, taking shouted requests from the attentive and
enthusiastic crowd, and delivering an excellent "Wish Away", a
rollicking, racy and singalong "Don't Let Me Down, Gently" and a
final "Give Give Give" before decanting to the merch stand.
So did
we! Photos and a brief chat with Sir Miles (who'd also handed me the sole list
at the end - result!), who was happy that we'd been a more attentive and
respectful crowd than at his recent Hastings gig - no drunken lairy women! Bade
farewell to all and sundry then home after an excellent evening's
entertainment. Miles the Custodian is looking after "our" Wonder
Stuff songs splendidly; in all honesty they couldn't be in safer hands!
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