1,257 GAZ BROOKFIELD AND THE COMPANY OF THIEVES, Heartwork, B Sydes, Bristol The Fleece, Saturday 3rd December 2022

 

Completing my recent Fleece “residency” tonight is this one, which also happens to be my 30^th time of asking for Gaz! After a couple of solo gigs earlier this year by Bristol’s finest confessional punk-folk singer songwriter and ruffian troubadour (have beaten-up guitar and harmonica, will travel…!), our paths have largely remained uncrossed, his more recent Marlborough and Swindon Hop gigs coinciding with other Dance Card appointments on my part. This one, however, had been on the itinerary awhile now: Gaz’ annual full band “Christmas Do” at his spiritual home The Fleece! Previous such outings have been real highlights, and proper celebrations of Gaz’ uplifting and singalong oeuvre, particularly when fleshed out by his splendid band. So here’s for a hopefully entertaining Big Three-Oh!

 

After an afternoon supporting one of my children (Jami) at her piano group recital in town, I packed the other one (Logan) up in the motor, also collecting recent gig friend Joanna for a swift early evening drive down the M4. I’d sported my Darth Vader Chrimbo jumper to Jami’s “do” so figured, tonight is Gaz’ Chrimbo bash, so let’s keep it on! Hit the venue just before 7, greeting the recently Covid-ed but happily now-recovered Ben Sydes outside, then grabbing barrier front and centre on opening, Matt joining us shortly before Ben took the stage at 7.30. The place was already amply full, and Ben did his usual admirable job of getting the crowd fully warmed up and their collective larynx loosened with a few rousing and rowdy singalongs. The urgent “Crutches” was great, Logan and I chanting “knees! Knees! Knees!” at the hook, then Ben needed to call Heartwork’s Dan onto the stage to replace a busted string, the first of two such tonight! In fact, after the second mishap, which followed a singalong “Good Times”, Ben received a drinks shot from the crowd, commenting, “the best way to get over Covid is to get absolutely fucking shitfaced!” A plaintive yet singalong “This Was My City Once” was my set highlight, although the hurtling emo of “Still In Saigon”, coupled with Ben’s lengthy outro note, ran it close in another fine B Sydes set.

 Heartwork, AKA charming young bloke Dan O’Dell, was next up; his material was more angst-ridden and both determinedly and passionately delivered, demonstrated by “No Angles”, a pointed diatribe “about motherfuckers on the internet,” and “Fire”, a rawer heartbreak ballad. Between numbers he also showed some biting wit (“let’s get a cheer for the manufacturer of B Sydes’ strings!”) and a caring attitude, with a positive mental health message preceding his final, best number, “Just What I’ve Become”. Nice stuff, Sir!

 Only a 15 minute turnaround, before the lights dimmed and Gaz led the 6-piece Thieves on (no Nick Parker tonight) dead on 9, welcoming a full house with, “how’s everyone doing? Merry Christmas!”, easing into a slightly understated “March Of Progress”. “Gunner Haines”, next up, however raised the tempo and “Diabetes Blues” got the full crowd raucously singing along and raising their cans of Thatchers, Gaz reciprocating with his bottle of water before complaining, “I’m standing here drinking fucking rain!” Nonetheless, this didn’t detract from his and the band’s performance, which was as full-bodied and energetic as hoped, a perspiring and hard-breathing Gaz commenting, “I’m definitely not match fit!” but nonetheless leaving everything on the stage. “Getting Drunk For Christmas” was poignantly dedicated to, “absent friends,”; a rollicking “I Know My Place”, despite a 2^nd verse lyric ricket, was a tough best-of-set so far; but that was immediately surpassed by a blistering and rarely-played “Black Dog Day”, propelled in no small part by an octopus-limbed virtuoso performance by excellent (new? Stand-in?) drummer Lee Moulding. Another rarely played oldie, “Man Of Means” featured a splendid middle-8 break from violinist Ben Wain, and “I’ve Paid My Money” was another rousing singalong, “Gaz remarking at its’ conclusion, “you have no idea how satisfying it is to hear 400 people shout the word Dick!”

 

“Be The Bigger Man” was its usual superb and barbed self, Gaz then asking of us, “got a little left?” before the echoed chant of “East Winds Blow” and “Thin” closed out another, “AGM of lovely people!” as Gaz aptly put it, and another great, fun and inclusive singalong set. Quick chats with Lee (who learned the whole set in a couple of months on his work commute! Impressive!) and esteemed keyboardist Jon Buckett, before we briefly shook hands with the besieged merch-stand bound Gaz and headed off, home just before 11.30. So, the big Three-Oh up with Gaz, and a real celebration to mark it. Merry Christmas!