Sunday 24 March 2024

1,319 NICK PARKER AND THE FALSE ALARMS, Siobhan and The Sunset Haze, The Lost Post, Winchester The Railway Inn, Saturday 23rd March 2024

 


If Nick Parker had half the voracious “live” work ethic as his former Company Of Thieves bandmate Gaz Brookfield, he’d likely be right up there atop my “most seen” list with the Bard of Purton; as it is, tonight represents the 9th time we’ve crossed paths, which at least elevates him to 40-somethingth on said list… This affable and talented tunesmith surprised us all by slipping out a new original album at the end of last year in “Ow Denny Rayne and the Jistal Parts”, his first such since 2017 and once again, a masterpiece of beautifully crafted, varied and accomplished indie-folk with the Parker trademarks of warm humour, intricately observational Dury/ Squeeze-esque lyricism and easy melodic earworm hooks. And in “Living Again”, a gem of a song, for me likely his best yet and one which firmly encapsulated my mood at the end of 2023, following a couple of turbulent years. Time to fall in love with living again, indeed!

And part of this process would of course be a Nick Parker gig, particularly with his equally accomplished band The False Alarms. The “Nick Parker should probably tour tour” only featured a smattering of full band gigs, however, a couple too early for me to drive to due to my knee op, and the Winchester Railway Inn Saturday gig featuring an 18+ caveat. Boo! However, a word in the ear of accommodating promoter Jack got Logan in (thanks Jack!), so we hit the road for a circuitous cross-country drive down, dumping the motor in the station car park after a bit of confusion and enjoying some pre-gig nosh in Turtle Bay in town. Back to the evocative old pub to join the queue to get into the small, black-painted side venue; with most tickets sold, this one might get sweaty… Openers The Lost Post were on at 8.15; a 3 piece led by a tall cowboy-hatted vocalist, they plied a decent trade in dark Spaghetti Western or Coen Brothers soundtrack murder ballads, recalling (to my ears at least) the likes of Violent Femmes, the baroque atmospherics of 60’s band Love and even Neutral Milk Hotel in parts. Intriguing and a decent start. 

Better was to come however in main support Siobhan and The Sunset Haze, a 5-piece led by the aforementioned Siobhan, a tiny but chatty hippie chick who led her charges onstage, lamenting her recent absence from gigging due to a broken foot (I know the feeling, dear…). She exhorted us all to dance to their bright, fiddly diddly hoedown opener, but “Raise Your Glass”, second number in, was much more in my wheelhouse, an unexpected power-chord propelled punky emo stomper with a soaring hook belted out by the vocalist. Impressive. The subsequent set was enjoyably varied too, with “Drunken Carnival” a robust indie folk banger with a stream-of-consciousness chorus, and another “angry song” following “Lilies”, an understated ballad. “Witching Hour” answered the burning question as to what an 80’s goth Steeleye Span would sound like (!), and overall, this young band left a very favourable impression indeed… 

We kept our places down the front, despite working up a sweat in this now-packed little room just by standing there! Nick greeted us on his way onstage to set up, and I chatted briefly about what “Living Again” meant to me. In short order, however, he and the band were ready to go, kicking off at 9.30 with the beautiful lyrical detail and climactic musical build of “Departures”, dedicated, rather tongue in cheek, to “anyone who’s flown here today…”! Thereafter we were treated to a mammoth 1 hour 50 set (!) encompassing the breadth of Nick’s oeuvre, delivered with warmth and open heartedness by a gregarious, engaging (and newly svelte!) performer, ably backed by his brilliantly virtuoso team of musicians, particularly the two instrument-swapping Johns, Messrs’ Leonard and Hare, who varied between tin whistle, squeezebox, banjo and keys, often within the same song! “Maison D’Etre” was preceded by Nick commenting on Logan’s Pit Viper sunglasses, then referencing the pitch of the recent London crowd, who sang louder than his monitors and came across like, “a wedding party singing “Take On Me”!” “Don’t Play The Kerryman” was a delightful drinking song swayalong, but the subsequent “Living Again” was my set highlight, stark, emotive and epic in equal measure, including a subtle nod to me from Nick. Nice one – thanks Nick.

 “After All”, the, “angry teenager song I wrote in 1994!” recalled Sugar’s “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” in its’ breathless undulating groove; Nick’s niece joined him onstage for a touching duet to “Guess I’ll Never Know”; and late newie “Dolly Parton” had tinges of “Sgt. Pepper” Beatles off-kilter psych. Nick then eschewed the encore malarkey (“we’ve all got homes to go to – actually we’re going out out tonight!”), delivering a solo nostalgic “Half Of The Moon” before the inevitable and insanely jolly “Es Tut Mir Leid” and a frantic instrumental hoedown, the discordant opening and dramatic sweep of “Half A Song For Suzy” then closing out proceedings. Without a barrier to lean on, my knee had been barking at me for much of the last hour, but I’m glad I stuck it out, although we left promptly after a brief merch desk chat with Siobhan and fond farewells from the Star of the Show, limping down to the car park for a swift drive home. Great gig, possibly the best I’ve seen from Nick and Co. Here’s hoping for plenty more in future!

Wednesday 20 March 2024

1,318 THE PIXIES, The Pale White, London O2 Kentish Town Forum, Saturday 16th March 2024

 

Barely 2 months after delivering one of their most stellar performances at Cardiff Arena last March (gig1,270), veteran Boston sleazoid alt-rock pioneers The Pixies announced another slew of UK dates… and this time, unusually, they told everyone what they were going to play! Three sets of 3-night stands across the UK, including a first London date on a Saturday, promising full run-throughs of their lesser-known but still seminal original 4th and 5th albums (presuming you’re counting “Come On Pilgrim” as album 1, which I am), “Bossanova” and “Trompe Le Monde”. Excellent! I immediately booked tix for nascent Pixies devotee Logan and myself for said Saturday, anticipating a boys’ day out oop the Smoke. However, my knee op not only put a potential spanner in those works, but also gave me a goal – to be fit to drive to this one, just 7 weeks after the op! Thankfully my recovery was swift, and I got the go-ahead from the physio on Wednesday to get back to normal activities. So, an afternoon oop the Smoke, at least…

 We left at 12.30, suffering M4 closures which shipped us up at our booked parking spot just round the corner from the venue at 3.30, then found Kentish Town tube was shut till Summer, necessitating a walk down to Camden! Shopping and street vendor tea at Camden Lock later, we hit the O2 Priority queue 45 minutes before doors, grabbing a barrier spot house left on entry; the knee had held up well from the drive and unexpected hike to Camden, but I didn’t want to take any chances! Chatted to fellow front row punters – including a similar veteran set-list grabber who’d read my blog! – before openers The Pale White, dead on 8. “Panic Attack” their second number in, was a muscular and hard-edged rocker, and an eerie mid-set “Nostradamus” featured some Interpol-esque guitar riffs, but otherwise there was little to commend their average at best, and plodding at worst, post-grungy set. Well, apart from the drummer’s antics, that is…

 The place filled to capacity during the interval; no surprise really as this date was sold out in a day or so, and represented probably the smallest venue I’ve ever seen The Pixies, certainly the smallest since their 2003 reunion… Roadies laid down multi-page set-lists (surprise, surprise!) and I hazarded an interval loo trip, squeezing through the crammed masses back to our barrier spot just as Black Francis led the troops (including brand-new and very tall bassist Emma Richardson) onstage to a suitably eerie backing track. And, surprise, surprise again, he spoke to us! Giving us a heads-up on tonight’s performance and the genesis behind tonight’s opening song (“the story began in 1893…!”), Francis then led us headlong into the spaghetti Western surf-punk instrumental “Cecilia Ann”, kicking off the “Bossanova” run-through. Unfortunately, the guitars sounded a little off initially, somewhat discordant and fighting against the mix, with Joey Santiago stamping furiously on various pedals from his copious floor bank in front of us to rectify matters. However, by the tremendous, rampant “Allison”, things sounded completely sorted, and thereafter Pixies were flying.


Both “Bossanova” and “Trompe Le Monde” are very varied and almost scattergun stylistically and tonally, the former the smoother, more melodic, almost hazily dreampop, and the latter more abrasive, harsher and grungier. One would therefore expect the set, particularly the lesser played tracks, to feel a little uneven at times. However, after the guitar mix-affected first section, there were very few lowlights and actually a tumbling cascade of highs; “Hang Wire” was an excellent sinister goth march (preceded by Francis announcing, rather macabrely, “I lost a tooth or two during the pandemic and saved them so I could put them in my guitar!”), “Stormy Weather” was a fantastic anthemic change-of-pace soaring singalong and the best of the “Bossanova” tracks for me, and after a slightly restrained “Planet Of Sound”, “Alec Eiffel” was a frenzied slasher movie of a track, really kicking the “TLM” rendition into gear. However, the subsequent “Head On” eclipsed even that; Francis gave props to the Reid brothers before launching into a quite brilliant galloping rendition of their Jesus And Mary Chain surf-punk classic, easily my highlight of the night. Surf punk perfection!

 The languid verse and fierce college roar of “UMass”, the gabbled, stream-of-consciousness vocals of “Subbacultcha” and the old school Pixies death march of “Motorway To Roswell” (Francis admitting, “thank you for the appropriation [on this song], we don’t have motorways!”) were other “TLM” highlights, before the albums run-through concluded and time allowed for an eerie “Slow Wave Of Mutilation”, an equally slowed down “Nimrod’s Son” (still featuring the audience baying back the call and response “Son of a mother-fucker!!!” hook), and a double false start to eventual closer, the poppy light touch of “Here Comes Your Man”, before the band as usual took in a lengthy and thoroughly deserved ovation. No lists (I tried; the head roadie said, “we’re saving the planet by reusing them!” which for the first night of 3 at the same venue seemed fair enough…), so Logan (who’d been in the mosh since 3rd number “Velouria”) and I headed off promptly, a much easier drive home seeing us back in the ‘don before 1. I have to confess it did feel a little weird knowing what The Pixies were going to play next, but great to hear them go off the beaten track and spotlight their lesser-known works. And “Head On” was worth the admission price alone. So once again, all hail The Pixies!

Thursday 14 March 2024

1,317 STIFF LITTLE FINGERS, Glen Matlock, Bristol O2 Academy, Wednesday 13th March 2024

 

After a year’s pause, it’s Stiff Little Fingers’ “Mad March to Bristol” time again! I actually gave this one a very very late call indeed, only booking tix at the end of February as there was a slight possibility that my recovery from my recent knee replacement op might be sufficiently swift to allow me to drive up to Birmingham for the clashing Echo and the Bunnymen gig. I’m recovering quickly, but not that quickly, however, and not wishing to jeopardise my pre-set plans to drive to London this coming Saturday for The Pixies’ gig with Logan, I happily went for this alternative, joining “The Big Man” for an almost annual excursion of late – 16 times in 20 years we’d been to see these original anthemic politico-punks, and my 21st time overall!

We were also joined by old mate Olly, Rich scooping him up from Covingham then fetching me at 7 p.m. for a breakneck hurtle down the M4, parking up after a little difficulty in Trenchard Level 7. Support Glen Matlock was already part-way through his set; punk rock royalty he may be (being the original bassist with The Sex Pistols – but you knew that already of course…), and in suave, “gor blimey guv,” good nick for his age too, but unfortunately the set, based mainly on his recent “Consequences Coming” release, was average journeyman fayre at best, lumpen pub rock at worst. “Which Side Are You On” was a decent rocker, but for me the subsequent cover of k.d. lang’s “Constant Craving”, whilst laudable (“it’s about making a better world,” argued Matlock) was dull and monotone, and Richard Hell’s “Blank Generation” fared little better. However, the unmistakeable guitar intro to arguably the Pistols’ best song “Pretty Vacant” rose head and shoulders above the set, even with the extended chantalong outro, and the descending intro hook of closer “Head On A Stick” was easily the best of the newies. Matlock left us with the cry of, “thanks, and don’t forget – Fuck The Tories!” which again endeared him to the crowd. I liked him; his set, not so much…

The place got much busier in our usual house left spot as, for some bizarre reason, they played Abba over the p.a. Bah! I greeted friend Martin in the photo pit just before the lights dropped… and Val Doonican’s “Walk Tall” rang out loudly on the p.a.! “If the band walk onstage to this, I’m booing them!” I threatened to Rich, but happily it finished and The Greatest Intro Music in Rock, the pounding drum and roof-raising “diddly-doo!” singalong of “Go For It” thankfully heralded Stiff Little Fingers onstage, the bald, rotund and imposing figure of bandleader Jake Burns greeting us with the usual, “y’allright?” before launching into an incendiary “Suspect Device”, followed by surprising oldie “State Of Emergency” and a fist-pumping “Fly The Flag”. Excellent start, at least…

Burns then announced tonight’s intent to switch up the set a little and play some more unfamiliar tracks, kicking off with the strident hook of newie and tour slogan “Hate Has No Home Here” (“if hate is our default position [when we disagree with someone] then we’re all totally fucked!”). As if to prove the point of this song, Burns then dealt with a disagreement in the mosh (“here’s an idea; one of you fuck off over there and one of you stay here!”) before a fine, undulating “Silver Lining” and frankly groovy “Just Fade Away”. “Roots Radicals” was a tremendous early set highlight as well (“time to murder another unsuspecting reggae classic,” deadpanned Burns by way of introduction), but (and I hate to say this, given that I totally agreed with the idea of shaking up the set, after, as I mentioned, seeing them 16 times in the last 20 years here!) a few of the lesser played numbers in the mid-set didn’t measure up for me, particularly “Love Of The Common People”, which dragged…

Time to claw it back, then, and “Strummerville” (preceded by a tribute from Burns to his hero and Clash leader Joe; “I never wanted to be him, I just wanted to conduct myself like him…”) raised the game; the double whammy of an apt “Nobody’s Hero” and the excellent if truncated “Tin Soldiers” maintained; then savage set closer “Gotta Getaway” was easily the highlight of the night, launching into gear with Burns’ cry of, “go on ya fuckers!” Encores of a swaying, skanking “Doesn’t Make It Alright” and the inevitable “Alternative Ulster” closed out a variable performance which actually was very worthwhile overall, and quite excellent when it really hit the heights. A swift exit and drive back got me home for 11.30. Fine night out overall in splendid company… I don’t know if Stiff Little Fingers have many more Mad Marches left in them, but if they do, then I guess we probably do as well…!

Sunday 3 March 2024

1,316 PETE WYLIE AND THE MIGHTY WAH!, Bristol Exchange, Friday 1st March 2024

 

Another one that required a bit of (relatively) last-minute intervention… I’d booked this one ages ago, relishing a rare opportunity to see one of my 80’s Liverpool post-punk “rockist” icons, the effervescent motormouth and haphazard musical genius that is Pete Wylie, tread the boards, particularly at such close quarters as Bristol’s excellent scuzzy little Exchange, and also apparently delivering a career spanning retrospective set in support of a new “Best Of” compilation. However, the proximity of my recent knee replacement surgery precluded me from being able to drive, I couldn’t find anyone else keen to join me, and by the time I’d sweet-talked my dear lady wife into both coming along and arranging sitting for the daughter of the house, the damn thing had sold out! Bah! Luckily, a pleading note on Pete’s Facebook page elicited a couple of favourable responses (including one from the man himself!), including a kind offer of a free spare ticket from a fellow punter. So, all systems go!

 An early departure to drop Jami off, and a trundle down into very foreboding dark skies nonetheless saw Rach and I park up opposite the venue in relatively dry conditions, meeting up with our saviour Emma (AKA Flo) and her brother-in-law Russ. Bought them both a drink (the least I could do, really…!) and enjoyed some gig chat before doors opened, and Rach and I grabbed a bit of wall bench, house left. My first post-op gig without crutches, but I’m still not sure about standing up for 2 hours! No support, so we watched the place fill up with old rockist musos – never mind Rachel, even I felt quite young in this crowd!

 The band wended their way through the crowd and took the stage just after 8, Pete on last, resplendent in gold patterned shirt, silver trousers and feathered steampunk hat, and looking like my equally rotund and grey-goateed old friend Paul Crowfoot these days. “That was horrible trying to get [through the crowd] to the stage; I almost had to touch people!” the man quipped, before thanking Johnny Thunders for writing, “the story of my life,” the poignant acoustic opener “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory”. The widescreen classic “Come Back” was next up, the build to the huge hook both soaring and strident, and bouncing, breathless oldie “Remember” followed in short order, Pete commenting (not for the last time), “the record company said this would be a massive hit – they were wrong!”

 This pretty much set the tone for the set; a startlingly quick 2 hours of Wylie and Wah! classics through the years, delivered by a competent if slightly restrained band (Pete rated them, anyway, praising then with, “I love this band – proof you can buy cheap and do okay!”) and Pete’s own authoritative tones, peppered with plenty of quickfire wit, chat and storytelling from a genuinely warm, stand-up level funny and maverick one-off. A taut, claustrophobic “Better Scream” was preceded by a story about its’ Sounds singles review; “Hope” was dedicated to our gig saviour (“this one’s for Flo – it’s called, “Fuck Off Flo”!”), and the excellent “Sinful” was followed by a story of Pete nicking a clock from the Top Rank club on the Clash tour to give to Clash guitarist Mick Jones for his birthday, during his last visit to Bristol! Some serious moments amongst the chat too; Pete sharing his experiences of his recent ADHD diagnosis with an understanding crowd, talking about volunteering at the food bank at The Florrie (Pete totally nailing it with his comment, “the best thing we can do is look out for each other; I have a saying; give a shit or be a shit!”), and saving some righteous anger for an old adversary, preceding the jolly, celebratory “The Day That Margaret Thatcher Dies” with, “this is a love song because I love good people and still hate her!”

 The slow-burn, sweeping stately melancholy of “Heart As Big As Liverpool”, my overall set highlight, was dedicated by Pete to his old friend and Radio DJ Janice Long, with a genuinely affecting story about their last conversation; the tense, galloping “7 Minutes To Midnight” was about as rocking as it got tonight; then, “the moment when you realise you could have just turned up now!” arrived, with inevitable set closer “The Story Of The Blues”, a top 3 hit when that actually meant something, and a fine way to end a celebration of a quite unique, charismatic and brilliant genius. Simply superb stuff from the man.

 Grabbed a copy of that afore-mentioned “Best Of” at the merch stand, then bade farewell to Emma and Russ before hitting the road for a drizzly drive home. Really glad we were able to make it for this one, so thanks again to Emma for the spare ticket… a great night out!

Sunday 25 February 2024

1,315 WINGS OF DESIRE, Hunny Buzz, Bristol Rough Trade Records, Wednesday 21st February 2024

 


Inheaven were one of my favourite bands of the mid-2010’s; bursting into my consciousness with a fully-formed debut album, incorporating elements of post-punk, shoegaze and wall-of-noise sleazoid rock into a fascinating, leather-clad and rose petal-strewn melting pot, they were also a fiercely ambitious lot, clearly going places in a hurry. I saw them 3 times in barely 8 months (gigs 1,043, 1,057 and 1,070) and was bolted in for the longhaul with them. That is, until a blood-splattered bouquet posted on Facebook with the epithet “RIP 2015-2018” heralded their demise… dammit! OK, fast forward 5 years or so, when I picked up on a deliriously metronomic track “Runnin’” by new name Wings Of Desire, downloaded that and their subsequent excellent synth-washed post-punk anthology album “Life Is Infinite”, and then looked up who they actually were, only to find WoD were effectively the 2-headed creative force behind Inheaven, namely vocalist James Taylor and his partner-in-crime, Swindon’s own Chloe Little! This duo having happily been restored to my listening habit, all I needed was a show to follow this up… 

Happily, a debut headlining tour was in the offing, and I brainwashed Tim into taking me along to the Bristol Rough Trade show, still being a few weeks away from being cleared to drive myself. I’d also organised some seats, and on arrival found they were right down the front of this splendid little back room, house left. Result! Chilled awhile as the hardy early comers trickled in out of the drizzly Tuesday evening, until openers Hunny Buzz took the stage at 8. Fronted by a vivacious female vocalist with a lilting, beguiling voice, they immediately impressed with a varied set of buoyant indie pop, incorporating a lot of familiar elements but never descending into obvious plagiarism. Opener “Chess Game”’s seductive backbeat built into a rousing choral hook, “Love Me Like You Used To” was a much more upbeat, careering Popguns-like old school indie banger with a “woah-oh” hook, and “Not Your Place” featured an almost Skids-like dark and robust opening riff, building into a C86 jangle-fest with a snarky, Coach Party-like chorus. A few little bumps in the road here and there (particularly from the drummer, who dropped his stick a couple of times, laudably resorting to playing with his hands!), but to be expected from this very young band, and a very promising set overall was concluded by their best number “Now I Can Get Over You”, a stream-of-consciousness verse vocal kicking into a big powerpop/Blondie hook. Nice work!

Wings Of Desire themselves took the stage dead on 9 after a short interval in front of a slightly disappointing but understandable turnout on this dank midweek evening, James centre stage, resplendent in olive and tweed, and Chloe, sporting outsized David Byrne jacket, sited behind a synth desk. Opener “Runnin’”, eased into life, the post-punk haunting swirl and synth-augmented mood immediately setting the tone for the set overall; where their forbears Inheaven were all about strident guitar licks and leather-clad rock, WoD evoke a dreamier, more ephemeral mood, keyboard-embellished but never dominated, and still notably post-punk tinged. In a nutshell, they’ve thrown away the first 2 Jesus And Mary Chain albums and replaced them with New Order’s opening double salvo…! 

“Be Here Now” was an early highlight, featuring a deadpan verse delivery from James almost recalling The Passage (!), the subsequent “Chance Of A Lifetime” was a slower burn with intertwining vocals from James and Chloe, and “A Million Other Suns” featured Interpol-like laconic atmospherics. “This is the longest set we’ve ever done!” announced the hitherto taciturn vocalist before “Perfect World”, their most Inheaven-esque number, the JAMC backbeat leading to a soaring surf punk hook with a droney, Velvets-like outro, then a later “Angels” was full-on Cocteaus dreampop, stately and elegiac, with a disaffected lead vocal from Chloe. A rather splendid actually set concluded with thanks from the band, and the pulsing intro to “001”, which built to a New Order “Ceremony”-esque final guitar crescendo to end (if I’m honest, not the first WoD number to do so tonight), at which point I leapt (hah!) up to grab James’ list.

 Quick reminisces with James and Chloe afterwards, recalling those Inheaven days and discussing their forthcoming Editors European support dates. Hit the road with Tim reflecting on a fine first showing. Like their forbears, Wings Of Desire’s influences are easy to spot, but once again they’re infusing them into an intriguing and haunting mix very much their own. Great to have James and Chloe back making meaningful music; perhaps Wings Of Desire will finally see them soar to the heights they deserve…!

Monday 19 February 2024

1,314 B SYDES, Heartwork, Ed Poole, Swindon The Tuppenny, Thursday 15th February 2024

 

Continuing with my gig February, despite still needing crutches to get around out and about; this one promised to be an interesting night, an emo-leaning triple header of acoustic guitar acts for this week’s Tuppenny Thursday Music Club, headed by recent “live” favourite and now-Swindon local Ben Sydes! This was the second of a brief 3-date tour from this 3-headed emo hydra, ironically named the “we are laughing and we are very good friends tour (!)”, and I’d been corresponding with Ben recently on the subject of Spanish Love Songs (Ben going to their Bristol gig on the day of my knee op), promising him that if I was up on my feet, I’d get to this gig, even if that meant getting a taxi!

And so it proved; with my dear lady wife out in London, Logan and I booked a cab up the hill for my first such gig transport since I don’t even know, I’m guessing The Popguns at The Link back in 1992 (gig 212)! Arrived at 8 and bagsied a seat down the front, also catching up with Tupp luminaries Ed and Linda, Grant and Lisa, Nick and a visiting Mr. Gaz Brookfield! Chatted briefly with the star of the show as well, before settling in for opener, Scouser Ed Poole just after 8.30. After a couple of entertaining and frenetic openers, featuring some neat off-mic undulating vocals, Ed unfortunately hit some technical issues, requiring the help of Heartwork’s Dan O’Dell to sort out, which immediately jogged my memory as to when I’d seen Heartwork before; he’d been “Mr. Fixit” at Gaz’ 2022 Fleece Chrimbo do (gig 1,257), sorting out busted guitar strings during Ben’s opening set! Anyway, back to Ed; tech issues (mostly) sorted, the subsequent “Collapse” was a fast-paced, almost Woodentopsy acoustic rattler with a passionately delivered, dark chorus and descending hook; “Punchline” was by contrast stripped back and bleak; and finale “Knives” was my favourite of a well-delivered set, another galloper with a big yearning emo hook. Good start!

 The affable young Mr. O’Dell, AKA Heartwork, was next up… opener “Achilles Friend” was an intricately-picked paean to lost love, Dan quipping at the denouement, “we got through a whole song without something going wrong!” apparently not only in reference to Ed’s set, but also his own most recent appearance here, when he didn’t quite manage to complete 3 numbers! The angsty, octave straddling “Right Thing” featured a quick appearance from Ben, “Wreckage” (introduced with, “to pick things up, a song about divorce!”) was a duet with Mr. Poole, and strident closer “Party” a purging exorcism and essay on mental health, all being delivered with a witty, affable bonhomie often at odds with the dour, darker lyrical subject matter. Again, a fine set from Mr. Heartwork…

 

Old Ben Sydes (!) then took the stage for the headlining set just about 10, his unique soaring nasal quaver dovetailing in nicely with the droney riff of opener “5 Minutes”. An excellent, passionately delivered version of his best number, the soaring and lengthy pregnant pause-punctuated “Crutches” was next up, happily dedicated to my good self, so I gave my crutches a little wave to emphasise the point! “Good Times” was a fine singalong from the packed and engaged room, and before a discordant, off-kilter “All At Sea” Ben emphasised the “we are very good friends…” angle by mentioning, “we’ve been sat on my sofa all afternoon watching “Dolphin Bonk” on YouTube!” A work-in-progress newie, the lockdown hymn “Screaming Infidelities” (nicking a Dashboard Confessional title!) skipped a verse, but as I whispered to Ben at the end, “it’s a new number, we [the audience] don’t know any different!” “The Desperate Dance” (which also saw his 2 tour mates desperate dancing by the door!) was a final singalong, before Ben thanked us, “for coming out on a rainy Thursday to what is now my home town show!”, a frantic “Still In Saigon” with the usual dramatic riffery and lengthy final vocal note rounding off another entertaining showing.

 Hobbled around the venue bidding farewells to everyone while Logan predictably nipped to the kebab house next door (!), then Rach came to pick us up for a sodden trundle down the hill and home. A fine triple-header indeed!

Sunday 11 February 2024

1,313 BIG COUNTRY, Icicle Works (acoustic), Bristol O2 Academy, Friday 9th February 2024

 

Two weeks and two days after my long-awaited knee operation, and I’m already back on the gig trail! A bit mad, maybe, but I am, after all, me… In all honesty, however, this one was totally thanks to old friend and tonight’s gig buddy Rich; we’d booked this one, a 40th (!) Anniversary Celebration of old “live” favourites and 80’s Celtic post-punk icons Big Country’s sophomore album, the imposing “Steeltown”, when tix went on sale last year, however the rescheduling of my knee op from late December to late January put my attendance in jeopardy. Rich, however, was having none of it; if I can get on my feet even with crutches, he said, he’d get me there; and he was as good as his word. Good man! 

So, I’d phoned the venue to arrange seating and early entry, and Rich, along with friend Nikki, picked me up in ample time to hit the venue at 6.20, even given Friday night Bristol traffic! He dropped me off outside the venue and went off to park the car, then we had a swift drink in the Hatchet before queueing up, thence grabbing three of the dozen or so bar stools located in the main bar area, immediately behind the mixing desk and affording an excellent view. Not the comfiest of seats, in all honesty, but at least I’m up off my feet! Old Brunel/ Level 3 mates Steffen and Adam unexpectedly walked in, so we had a nice chat and catch up before openers The Icicle Works at 8. An acoustic version tonight, comprising a duo of former IW main man and barking mad maverick Ian McNabb, resplendent in rocker double denim and steampunk hat, and old IW sidekick Chris Lay, they ploughed through a selection of “nostalgia” from the Scouse rockers’ impressive post-punk/ pseudo prog 80’s back catalogue, revealing extra levels of songwriting prowess in this stripped back format. Opener “Hollow Horse” was a melancholy wallow before the soaring chorus, McNabb encouraging singalongs throughout, “Little Girl Lost” was a plaintive tale reminiscent of The Doors’ quieter moments, and “Evangeline” a drawling Southern road movie vignette. Throughout McNabb was his usual effusive, sardonic self, introducing one number with, “here’s a track from 1985; it wasn’t a hit so fits in well with the rest of the set!”, and encouraging us early comers to meet up at the merch stand; “you don’t have to buy anything, but fucking do!” A very Country and Western-inflected “Understanding Jane” (“UJ” – the Yellowstone years?) was far removed from the soaring full band belter but my set highlight nonetheless, and after the intricate campfire picking of set closer “Love Is A Wonderful Colour” I took the man’s advice and hobble out to the foyer for a pic and a brief chat! 

Back in as I overheard the dark, pulsing “Steeltown” intro music, and I was back on my stool for the band’s arrival dead on 9. The snaking guitar riffery of “Flame Of The West”, delivered in fine homage to his sadly lamented former bandleader Stuart Adamson by beaming guitarist Bruce Watson, already in fantasy band camp and caring not a jot that the place was probably only 2/3rds full, opened proceedings, with “new” (I say “new”, he’s been in the band 2 years now…) vocalist Simon Hough delivering the lead line with his low, nasal and surprisingly Adamson-like voice. Good start!

 For me, there’s little to choose in terms of songwriting quality between “Steeltown” and its predecessor, Big Country’s debut “The Crossing”; however “Steeltown”, reflective of the turbulent industrial times of the mid-80s, is a more politically-charged and social commentary-led beast, often bleak of mood and atmosphere. That said, the title track and subsequent “Where The Rose Is Sown” was an early double highlight, the respective choral hooks soaring and singalong despite the subject matter, both powered along by drummer Mark Brzezicki’s economical yet commanding style. “Winter Sky” was an unexpected galloping highlight, and album closer “Just A Shadow” a fine, plaintive lament, yet the mood changed markedly with the subsequent and considerably more upbeat “Look Away”, the crowd suddenly in full anthemic voice, continuing the singalong into the subsequent “Chance” and set highlight, the euphoric “In A Big Country”. A thunderous “Fields Of Fire”, including a vignette of “Whisky In The Jar”, capped an imperfect (a few bum notes, but no surprise for the opening night of the tour) yet fine 1 hour 20 minutes, with “Lost Patrol” an unexpected choice for the sole encore. 

Grabbed a list and a chat outside with Big Country guitarist Jamie Watson as Rich got the car, slow egress from the city centre nonetheless getting us home for ¼ to 12. Not as singalong as previous Big Country gigs, maybe, but a fine night out and an apt celebration of a notable album. Thanks Rich!