An
intriguing way to kick off a packed and ever-evolving Autumn Dance Card, this;
something a little different from a recent “live” favourite! My first real
musical loves, anthemic Scots punks The Skids, had barrelled a swathe through
my recent gigging days with epic and unforgettable performances since their 40th
Anniversary reunion in June 2017, not the least being a cracking gig in
Gloucester earlier this year (gig 1,124). At that one, it felt as if The Skids
were in the process of winding down operations for the time being (a June slot
at the Albert Hall on the Pete Shelley memorial gig notwithstanding), and a
subsequent acoustic album and Richard Jobson solo tour was announced as a
result. Acoustic Skids? Hmmm… Nonetheless intrigued, I looked into tix for this
St. Georges gig, remembering the excellent acoustics in this former church hall
seated venue, blanched a little at the £47.50 front row ticket price but
thought, better that than pay half that for halfway back, and subsequently
discovered said price included meet and greet! Looking a bit better value now,
methinks…!
A
5.45 start to this social session necessitated an early departure straight from
work; I was buoyed to note all the traffic was coming out of Bristol rather
than in, so chanced my arm up Park Street, finding a parking spot directly
outside the venue. Result! So, in for the meet and greet with a small handful
of aficionados; Jobbo happily remembered me (and my son Logan, absent tonight!)
from the Oxford meet and greet 2 years ago, complimented my write-up (I’m not
worthy! I’m not worthy!) and I was able to show him the letter I’d written to
“Smash Hits” as an indignant 14 year old fan defending his honour. Bruce and
Jamie Watson, Jobbo’s guitar wingmen tonight, also remembered me, and a
convivial time passed by in conversation with the performers, fellow punters
and merch man/ tour manager Gordon.
Grabbed
a drink in the new atrium, bolted onto the side of this venerable old venue,
before taking my front row seat, house right, for the “performance”. A larger
stage than I’d recalled from previous visits, and proper seats too, not church
pews! Not a sell-out, so back-row punters were encouraged to come forward to
make for a more intimate gathering. Bruce and Jamie came onstage at 10 to 8 for
a couple of warm-up numbers (one a Tex-Mex galloper, the other a more poignant
number, which Bruce introduced as the last number he’d written with Stuart
Adamson… He then introduced Jobbo onto the stage…
Straight
from the off Richard Jobson was his usual voluble and articulate self,
commanding your attention with his stories and songs. Explaining tonight’s
format, the plan being to give the lyrics more emphasis through these
interpretation, he also mentioned a mid-set break; “some of you might need it –
it’s a Bruce thing!” “Hurry On Boys” started the proceedings, the singalong
hook still as powerful and resonant stripped back, a couple of newies from the
recent album following, each benefitting from not only this interpretation, but
also from extensive intro explanations from the Great Man.
Tonight
being billed as “Songs And Stories”, both were balanced perfectly. Jobbo
touched on his childhood epilepsy and his introduction to music by his brother,
an early love of Bowie teaching him it’s OK to be different, before a haunting
and beautiful “Animation”; he joked about Big Country’s mid-80’s success throughout
(tongue-in-cheek, I hope!), juxtaposing this with the ill-fated final Skids
album “Joy”, before a baroque, folky “Fields”, and a lengthy story regarding U2
and Green Day’s version of the subsequent “Saints Are Coming” saw us into the
break at 9. Ten minutes later he was back, delivering a chilling acapella “The
Band Played Walzing Matilda” in his commanding, dark and resonant voice, before
throwing the evening open to some Q&As. This prompted a brilliant story
about him and Adamson motorcycling down to London from Dunfermline in the snow
to buy some leather trousers (!), hanging out with Sid Vicious and attending
the first Siouxsie And The Banshees gig as a consequence; gobbing on a Nolan
sister on Top Of The Pops (!!); and the sheet joy of hearing “Charles” played
on John Peel’s radio show, before an excellent version. I got a question in
(about old Skids fans introducing their sons to the band and bringing them
along), before an unexpected “Castles In Spain”, a single from Jobbo’s
underrated post-Skids project The Armoury Show, together with enough
information about his band members to suggest that project was ill-fated at
best… Musically, the penultimate “Woman In Winter” was probably my highlight of
the night, the mournful tones of the harmony weaving an eerie atmosphere,
before the inevitable “Into The Valley” ended a startlingly entertaining 2
hours.
Off
at the end for an unencumbered drive home, reflecting on this different
interpretation of songs I know so well. The hallmark of great material, I always
say, is seeing it seamlessly adapt to different interpretations, and that being
the case The Skids oeuvre is quality indeed. Also, Richard Jobson once again
proved himself to be a frontman and raconteur of rare and unique talent.
Different, but another breathtaking evening from my first musical loves - or at least their main man!
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