1,206 and 1,208 GAZ BROOKFIELD, Jake Martin, B-Sydes, Southampton 1865 and Swindon The Victoria, Friday 21st January and Thursday 3rd February 2022

 

Gaz is on the road again! Punky folky storytelling wandering minstrel and “live” favourite (indeed, currently my most-seen “live” act going away) Gaz Brookfield initially held back from his usual seemingly perpetual programme of gigging following the easing of Covid restrictions last July, poking his head above the parapet for a select few appearances (“My Dad’s” Festival and his own Christmas Fleece gathering, my gigs 1,187 and 1,204). But then, following the release of his new album “Idiomatic” at the arse end of 2021, the man announced a New Year tour with his 2 besties and analogues, Jake Martin and Ben Sydes. Mainly centring around weekend dates, our only shot initially seemed to be the Southampton 1865 gig, so Logan and I booked for this. However, following the postponement of the Dean Wareham gig (for about the 9^th time!), the clashing Swindon Vic date opened up, so I booked for that too (no Logan as it’s 18+; boo!).

 So, a new South Coast venue on a Friday night for starters then; an easy drive down got us parked up before doors directly outside the venue (next to their bins!), a returning Gaz greeting us on arrival. First in then to this unexpectedly large ballroom style venue, half carpeted and with tables and chairs, so we got seats and drinks and passed the time listening to their soundtrack of earnest emo before Ben took the stage for his opening set. Opening with a splendid, rollicking “Crutches”, his performance was slightly softly spoken and understated, yet heartfelt and emotive. Falling more on the emo side of the one-man-plus-battered-acoustic oeuvre (and admitting that tonight’s pre-gig soundtrack sounded like the inside of his head!), Ben nonetheless enticed a couple of singalongs from the early gathering, during “Good Times” and the plaintive “This Was My City Once”. Clearly happy to be back onstage after, “2 years playing to my phone and getting drunk on the internet!”, Ben was also clearly still shaking off some ring-rust for this, the 4^th gig of the tour, and earned a shot of sambuca from a fellow punter for each lyric ricket, eventually downing 4! Donning the harmonica for “The Desperate Dance”, Ben coaxed another backing singalong from us early punters (“if you’re not [warmed up] for Gaz he beats us!”), and a final, off-kilter and dissonant “Still In Saigon” rounded off a fine opening set.

 “Sydes is much nicer than me, I’m going to abuse you for the next half hour!” proclaimed Jake Martin as he bounded onstage, prompting me away from my merch-stand chat with the opener and joining Logan down the front again. A more overt, potty mouthed and in-your-face performer, Jake was nonetheless as full of good fooling and effusiveness as opener Ben, prompting singalongs for an excellent early “Mountains”, and the, “you’re an asshole!” hook of “For Fuck’s Sake Jake”, Jake commenting beforehand that his therapist advised him not to play that anymore, but remarking afterwards that it, “never fails to bring a room full of people together!” “Posters In Picture Frames” was pre-empted by a fun if meandering explanation about growing up (all my posters are in frames – does that mean I’m old??!!) and featured some “la la” singalongs, as Gaz had said all Jake’s songs have “whoa-oh”s in them (!). Then closer “We Sing The Words All Wrong” reverted to type for the inclusive, “whoa oh,” hook (“my grandfather said always end on a singalong; mind you he was a truck driver…!”), again rounding off another entertaining Jake set.

 Logan and I kept our front-centre spot as Gaz set up, Logan telling him about our intended post-gig dirty kebab plans which prompted an appreciative fist bump from the man, before he eased into the almost ballad-like opening of first number “Pantomime” before picking up speed for the second verse. Pointing out his lyric stand, Gaz admitted that following the near-2 year layoff, “I’ve no longer retained the ability to remember lyrics!”, although he had no such problems for an early highlight, his “most requested livestream song” (no surprise there) “The Tale Of Gunner Haines”. Newie “Monochrome” was introduced as being, “about loving where you live – even if you live near Swindon!”; I mimicked being stabbed through the heart at this, which prompted a chuckle from Gaz, then the next number, a rocking singalong “Diabetes Blues” was dedicated to Logan, “my diabetes bro!” An unexpected “Godless Man” was taut and tense, then Gaz bolted on his harmonica (“unlike Sydes, I never apologise for [doing this]!”) for a slower burn “Art Of Falling” and sway-along “Under The Table” mid-set double. “Idiomatic” was another highlight, Gaz explaining the song’s meaning – “about my anxieties on normal life – not this [being onstage]; this is my comfort food, my… dirty kebab!” “Lostfolk” and “Land Pirates” finally got the Southampton crowd, who’d been very reserved and respectfully quiet throughout all the performers, properly warmed up, and another excellent Gaz set rounded off with the headliner bringing the 2 supports onstage for a bonding “Aged Revolt” and a rousing “Great Minds Drink Alike” to round off an evening full of singalongs, good humour and general bonhomie.

 A quick chat with Jake at the merch stand (re-introducing him to Logan, 4 ½ years after my then-9 year old son got all up in his face at “All Roads Lead To Frome”, gig 1,036!), before a swift blast up the inky black A34 and a late kebab rounded off another fun boys night out and part 1 of my triple-header double-header (!).

Part 2 came 13 days later, one night after the Chameleons’ Fleece gig (gig. 1,207, hence the gap in the count!), as I trundled up the hill, meeting tonight’s promoter Ed Dyer, plus Rich and Ady in The Vic for some pre-gig rock chat. We were however well ensconced in the old back room for B Sydes opening set at 8.30, Ben running through the same set as Southampton, this time with extra added piss-taking from the side-stage Jake after a lyrical slip-up during the otherwise excellent opener “Crutches”, and of course the ubiquitous penance shots! Ben however fired back at his tour buddy whilst exhorting the audience to sing the “woah-oh” fill during “This Was My City Once”; “it’s easy, it’s like one of Jake’s songs!”, prompting an entertaining bitchy exchange between the two, which continued throughout both their sets! The Placebo-esque, tense and taut “Still In Saigon”, featuring an impressively held final note, ended another fine opening set – he’s up The Tuppenny in April; so are we!

 “I said to Gaz and Sydes I might be the drunk one tonight, but then Sydes got a little bolshy!” announced Jake at the outset of his set, continuing the pseudo-feud, but then admitting, “I’ve proved by mocking my best friends that I’m a bit of a twat!” So following a raucously sung-along “For Fuck’s Sake Jake” (during which he nonetheless changed the hook to, “Sydes, you’re an asshole!”), the boys all made peace with an onstage hug-in. Again, motormouth Jake’s set followed the same lines as Southampton, with the Frank Turner-esque closer “We Sing The Words All Wrong” my favourite of his well-received set.

 This bumped us up to 10 and an amply full room; Gaz took the stage to little fanfare, quietly strumming the opening bars of “Pantomime” whilst prowling the stage and eyeballing the chatty crowd until they paid attention! Gaz also followed the same set structure as a couple of weeks ago, but from the outset you could tell there was something extra tonight… “You have no fucking idea how much it means to be here!” he announced at the end of the opener, “let’s not dwell on it or I’ll get all teary…” his comments making us realise that he was playing with the spirit of his old friend Dave Young, former proprietor of this very venue and sadly lost to us last year, looking over his shoulder. That being the case, he did his old friend full justice with a splendidly delivered set. The early “Gunner Haines” was again amazing; “Monochrome” was again preceded by his sad lyric-forgetting lament, although this time his phone served as prompter (“I’m actually playing “Doom”!”), and the excellent “Godless Man” was referred to as, “one from my wedding set!”

 A mid-set break to raid Jake’s fish supper (“I love Mr. Cod! I used to live around the corner from [there]…”) preceded a loudly accompanied “Under The Table”, then, after checking in on the crowd (“how we all doing? Thought I’d check… I’ve been rabbiting on… scruffy cunt with a guitar, what’s he doing…”), the rest of the set passed in an inclusive and raucous singalong blur, my highlight being a splendid “Lostfolk”. Jake and Ben again joined him onstage for the communal manifesto of “Aged Revolt” and the three-handed drinking song “Great Minds Drink Alike”, Gaz leaving us with a heartfelt comment of, “it means even more [than usual] to be playing here… this is my fucking town!” to appreciative roars.

 That wasn’t it, however, as Ed took the stage and persuaded Gaz to come out for another couple of clearly unplanned numbers. Gaz, seemingly reluctant at first, ran through a savagely bolshy “Be The Bigger Man” and an emotionally charged “West Country Song”, murmuring between songs, “this is the first time I’ve been back [to The Vic] since…” his voice then tailing off. By the end he was an emotional mess, heading off backstage in short order, with both Ben and Ed following to check on him, after a performance which would have done his old friend proud.

 Not much else to say on that… I left pretty promptly too, as my knees were aching, home at 11.30 in reflective mood. Strange how a performer can play the exact same set over 2 shows, but for the mood and atmosphere of those shows to be completely different. One relaxed and full of good humour, the next a poignant tribute to an old friend. Either way, 2 splendid nights out from Gaz and his besties. Here’s to Dave Young… and the Original Trilogy!

1,205 DESPERATE JOURNALIST, Shoun Shoun, Bristol Thekla, Saturday 15th January 2022

 

Finally! The 2022 Gig Year gets under way! And, following the postponement of the first 2 dates on my 2022 “Spring Dance Card” (one because a band member tested positive for Covid, and the other due to more nebulous “Covid concerns” – there’s no restrictions at the moment, people, so bloody well get out and gig!!!), we really couldn’t have a better combo in prospect to kick the year off than Britain’s best band, Desperate Journalist, at the wonderfully evocative “Dirty Boat”! 2021’s “Maximum Sorrow”, whilst not being up there with the absolute cream of DJ’s album releases, still was one of last year’s best, repeated listens revealing an extra dimension to their spooky goth-inflected rockist 80’s sound, the bass and drums combo of Caz and Simon taking a more sonic lead, underpinning Jo Bevan’s as-ever insouciant, detached yet captivating vocal, with Rob Hardy’s Sargeant/ McGeoch-esque guitar licks providing more textural background patterns. Whether that would filter through to the “live” setting, however… well, let’s see!

 It being a weekend, Logan was keen to join uber-fan Stu and myself for an early drive down to the “Dirty Boat”, hitting the venue before doors and thereby requiring a trip across the road for a loo break! Stu got the round in and Matt joined us at the bar whilst Logan grabbed his (our!) usual front-and-centre spot, and we joined him for local openers Shoun Shoun at 7.30. Late replacements for the scheduled support, they kicked off with a racey, pacey opener “Much Sweeter”, with a detached and dissonant vocal from German expat Annette, which variously recalled Kleenex’s Astrid, PJ Harvey (Stu’s shout) and Drugstore’s Isobel! Subsequent numbers were variously paced, with grungy guitar riffs sharing centre stage with keyboard and violin embellishments, threatening to burst the seams of their oft-teutonic and regimented song structures, like a prisoner squirming at the restraints of their straitjacket! “Stuck”, their lockdown number, featured a fiercely yearning vocal from Annette, adding gravitas to the hook “we’re stuck together through good and bad”, and closer “Toxic” was a four-tender alarm metronome, again with thrillingly angsty vocals. Occasionally a little overwhelming sonically with too many moving parts (less is more sometimes, folks!), this was nonetheless a fine, dark and moodily mysterious set from very promising newcomers.

 We kept our stage front spots as the place filled up, whilst some way short of capacity tonight. No mind, hopes were high as Simple Minds’ sweepingly expansive euro-synth instrumental “Theme For Great Cities” heralded the entrance of the band at 8.30. Easing in with a couple of newies – the gloomy, haunting “Was It Worth It?” and the poppier yet deceptively confessional “Personality Girlfriend” – they then went all old school on our asses with a triad of utter vintage bangers. “Cristina”, breathless and taut, “Hollow” soaring and resonant, then a stunning “Why Are You So Boring”, Jo deadpanning the final verse lyrics for extra added snark and dismissiveness, and eliciting a shout of, “that was brilliant!” from a bloke at the back, Jo firing back with, “you have exceptional taste!”

 

He was spot on. Desperate Journalist were, as ever, quite brilliant tonight. The rest of the set was largely based on the new album, with bassist Simon, low slung and imposing, like a younger, gothier Peter Hook, sharing centre stage with the as-ever riveting presence of singer Jo. The sprawling, lugubrious “Everything You Wanted” was underpinned with a powerful, undulating and articulate bass riff which – and I’m sorry for not making the connection earlier, given their walk-on music – recalled Simple Minds’ virtuoso player Derek Forbes, and a later “Fault” was propelled by a rolling riff which prompted TBATB to again chip in with, “that’s proper bass playing!”. Then there was “Cedars”… the high watermark of their canon, the one that would be played on constant repeat on the radio if the tour bus ever went off a cliff (!), this is simply one of the, if not THE, greatest songs written in the last 10-15 years, and could be played on kazoos and tin cans and still sound utterly majestic. The fact they put all their collective heart, soul and tense, kinetic energy into it, as per their entire performance, was all for the better. Just wonderful.

 Encores of “Control” and the excellent “Satellite”, plus uncharacteristically fulsome compliments from Jo (“this is the most verbose crowd I’ve ever experienced in my life!” and a final “Love you!” – whaaaaat!!!) rounded off tonight’s utterly sparkling performance, Logan meeting Simon at the merch stand afterwards while picking up a singularly appropriate t-shirt (“Never Apologise, Never Explain” – excellent!). Farewells to Matt, then home early via the kebab van. What a brilliant night. The 2022 gig year is well under way, and it couldn’t have gotten a better kickstart than Desperate Journalist!