“A
Last Lap Around The UK” was the enticing strapline for this one, a 2025
Testimonial Tour for veteran indie pop icon Edwyn Collins. As a teen emerging
from the seismic effects of punk, I’d latched on to his nascent ramshackle DIY
post-punk band Orange Juice with their initial clutch of independent singles
(the heady rush of “Blue Boy” being my favourite) and saw them “live” a couple
of times in the early 80’s (gig no’s 7 and 22!). However, his subsequent solo
material, more soulful, crafted and mainstream than that early youthful DIY
ebullience, largely left me unmoved, so our paths rarely crossed thereafter.
His brush with death in 2005 due to a cerebral haemorrhage was awful news, and
I was subsequently gratified (and honestly a little astonished) to see him 9
years later, on Record Store Day 2014 (gig 912), still clearly physically
suffering from the after-effects of this episode, yet still able to sing in his
wavering, sonorous baritone.
I’d been meaning to catch one of his understandably infrequent tours since then, so when the subject of this seemingly final tour came up over the curry table with a group of long-standing friends, plans were made for an afternoon and evening out in Bath! I picked Paul up at 2.30, thereafter scooping up Colin and Ben, thus amazingly completing the same quartet who’d travelled to Chippenham in 1984 for that Orange Juice gig 22! Met old friend Mike there and caught up over a meal and drinks in The Salamander pub, hitting the venue for just after 7. We’d barely got our bearings in this wonderfully ornate venue (my wandering down onto the floor, leaving the boys debating who was going to buy what colour Postcard cat t-shirt from the merch stand!) before support The Hanging Stars joined us at an early 7.15. Coming across from the outset like a support band from a 70’s “Whisky A Go Go” bill, or the house band at a Laurel Canyon druggy Summer lock-in, their opener “Let Me Dream Of You” had a late-period Velvet Crush hazy countrified vibe; the slower “Radio On” was a proper “Sweetheart Of The Rodeo” Byrds throwback; and given this sonic template, it was no surprise to hear Teenage Fanclub’s Gerard Love had produced their Beatles-esque new single “Sister In The Sun”. I’m usually a sucker for bands like this, but this was nice, harmonic but largely forgettable stuff, a chunkier Diesel Park West-esque rocker “Let It Slide” the best of an okay opening set.
I ran into gig buddy Jeremy and his wife Becky a couple of rows behind me, so had company for the Main Event; an early 10 past 8 saw the lights dim and the band take to the stage, then Edwyn, slowly, leaning on his stick but still with a pronounced limp, being helped to centre stage by a roadie to a welcoming chair. However, whereas the body was still bearing those afore-mentioned after-effects, the mind was still sharp, Edwyn announcing in his slow, halting speaking tones, “let’s start at the beginning, shall we?” the band then starting up the opening build to Orange Juice’s classic proto-DIY indie single, “Falling And Laughing”…
And
I’m pleased – nay, overjoyed – to report The Voice was largely still
there too; rich, sonorous and soulful, and more effective in the lower register
(Edwyn apologising early on, saying, “I’ve lost my voice so I’m singing low…”),
a little shaky on occasion but overall to be expected, and received with hushed
devotion. And if the odd line or phrase was mumbled rather than sung, that was also
overlooked by this knowledgeable and understanding audience. “FAL” was just great,
a thing of joy and wonder; an early “Make Me Feel Again” a fine melancholy 50’s
tinged soda bar ballad; and the Summery newie “Knowledge” the best of his solo
numbers at this early stage, Edwyn acknowledging the applause with a soft,
“thank you,” and a wry, crooked grin. But thereafter, the Orange Juice numbers
(comprising exactly half of tonight’s set) held sway… “What Presence”’s
squalling intro ceded to its’ ticking rhythm and wry wordplay; the rolling
drumbeat of a gauche yet charming “Simply Thrilled Honey” was, simply,
thrilling; and the funky Motown-lite “I Can’t Help Myself” led into the squashy
synth and wah wah of a languid yet singalong “Rip It Up”. Edwyn then stood for
the final 2 set numbers, his best-known solo efforts of the countrified “Don’t
Shilly Shally” and the understated soulful menace of “A Girl Like You”, limping
off stage to an ovation as the band played on.
A four-song encore saw the breezy verse and driving hook of “Felicity” followed by final number, the off-kilter ramshackle joy of my personal favourite “Blue Boy”, Edwyn again leaving the stage first. A wander back to the car and circuitous drop-offs saw everyone home before midnight, albeit maybe not in the order everyone wanted! But hey ho… A great evening out in fantastic company, on and off stage; if this was indeed the last lap, the man has gone out on his own terms, with style and panache. Good health, Edwyn, we’ll miss you “live” but thank you for leaving us with a proper celebration of both you and your songs!
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