1,374 EXTC, Gloucester Guildhall Arts Centre, Saturday 15th March 2025

 

Night 2 of my late “Dance Card” additions thanks to my old friend Paul Crowfoot’s UK visit, and this is a closer one as promised, just up the A419 to Gloucester to see EXTC at the splendid Guildhall! This lot, ex-XTC drummer Terry Chambers’ brainchild to keep on performing his iconic former band’s classic idiosyncratic back catalogue mix of 70’s herky-jerky new wave and smoother, 80’s Beatles-based melodic and slightly-delic pop “live”, had of course been recent regulars on my gig schedule. However, our paths hadn’t crossed since late 2021 (gig 1,188), as Chambers and co. had taken their music beyond the ‘don to more far-flung fields, also trimming their number down to a 3-piece in the process with the departure of wide-eyed, wild haired centre-of-attention vocalist Steve Tilling. This latter point had, in all honesty, been on my mind when I initially eschewed the chance to book for this one, but when Paul suggested this one as well as last night’s trip, I didn’t really need too much persuasion…!

He picked me up this time in his rental, and we hared off up the A419, parking around the back of Gloucester’s Leisure Centre, scene of some legendary 80’s gigs from the likes of The Smiths and The Bunnymen, then we met Roger and a group of locals he’d befriended in The Thirsty Pine pub, enjoying some rock chat to the backdrop of some noisy locals cheering on the egg chasing on the big screen. They carried on to another local hostelry, but I popped into the venue early to suss out the scene and running order. A couple of sets with interval and no support awaited, and I picked up a fully signed setlist from the merch stand for a tenner, to avoid the bunfight afterwards, because do I really care where I get a list from, so long as I get one? I do not! The guys arrived and we grabbed a spot near the front, house left, as the 3-piece band arrived at 8.15, opening with an understated version of angular oldie “This Is Pop”, with bald, wizened guitarist Steve Hampton taking a growly lead vocal on this one, then exclaiming, “look at you! There’s millions of you!”

Fears that the performance may suffer in comparison to the 4-piece line-up happily didn’t come to pass; despite Hampton lacking the manic ebullience of former frontman Tilling, he was a relaxed and affable main man, at ease with the crowd and bantering with the front rows. That said, the initial set was a little muted and low-key, the song selection mainly drawing from latter day deep cuts and album tracks. “No Language In Our Lungs”, for example, plodded along, enlivened only by a lengthy outro note from Hampton, causing him to exclaim, “can someone hand me my spleen back?”, although the lugubrious “Towers Of London” was an early highlight, followed by Hampton’s story of borrowing the XTC album “Black Sea” from bassist and long-time comrade Terry Lines, and hating it! We also got an early singalong for the jolly chorus of “Senses Working Overtime” and I enjoyed the descending plaintive hook of “Peter Pumpkinhead” but overall, this opening set was proficient, sedate and reverential, with the “Handle With Care” warnings fully observed.

Took a late loo break and ran into old 80’s gig buddy Tim Lezard, who then joined us for the second set which, following the pastoral breeze of opener “Grass”, happily took things up several notches. The undulating pop of “Mayor Of Simpleton” got me shaking a leg, and the excellent growling backbeat of “No Thugs In Our House” kept it going. Thereafter it was Hitsville, North Wiltshire, as the fist-pumping “Sgt. Rock” (a song with, “more hooks than a longhaul trawler!” quipped Hampton) and the jagged angular rhythmic shapes of “Rocket From A Bottle” kept the momentum high. The bluebeat chant of “Living Through Another Cuba” segued effortlessly into a brilliantly bouncy “Generals And Majors”, the singalong middle-8 “almost sexual!” according to the vocalist. The inevitable “Making Plans For Nigel” capped the set proper, although Hampton announced their intention to plough through into the encore, mainly to avoid, “going down the [venue’s] Death Stairs – [they’re] like going down to Mordor… or Portsmouth!” Overall set highlight, the ridiculously infectious hook of new wave classic “Life Begins At The Hop” ended a superb sweaty second set, the band, with Chambers deferentially front and centre, taking a bow after a right proper game of 2 halves, but one which rightly saved the best till last. 

A gathering of breath and farewells to our accumulated gang, then Paul and I hit the road, grabbing a Penhill kebab on the way home. So overall, another excellent night out with old friends, but this time – the second EXTC set in particular – the entertainment matched the company. Safe travels, Paul, let’s gig again when you next muddy these shores!