A short notice one, this, and a chance to
catch up with an old friend after a long while… recently ¾ reformed 90’s
pre-Britpop indie/ psych prestidigateurs The Boo Radleys booked in to a
studio in Witney for rehearsals for a forthcoming European tour, and, noticing
the onsite venue, also announced a warm-up gig there! I’d never been to Witney
for a gig before, but a bit of research not only revealed it was the right (i.e.
the ‘don) side of Oxford, but also very close to Eynsham, where my 90’s Level 3
buddy Rich Craven lays his hat. Our paths hadn’t crossed since a couple of
Oxford gigs in 2018 (Fij & Bickers, gig 1,068, and ChameleonsVox, gig
1,118) but arrangements were happily made to rectify this sorry state of
affairs.
Drove off at 4 into the windswept and storm-battered wilds of Oxfordshire, eventually finding Rich’s pad amongst a maze of farm outhouses! Caught up at his place over a cuppa, chatting so much that we barely noticed the clock ticking up to gig time! Headed over to Witney, parking up in the sodden industrial estate venue location and getting in early doors. A compact and bijou little community centre venue, this, albeit off the beaten track and on the outskirts of town, and under new management too, tonight being the launch event. I met Rich’s friends “Deadly” Dan and new proprietor Becky, and we continued our catch-up until local openers Quartermain, on at 8. Their opener, “Time” was bouncy and melodic in a Summery Britpop vein, but subsequent numbers veered into understated 80’s wallpaper pop territory, the vocalist’s oft-used falsetto a bit annoying as well, so we went back to our conversation! Their later numbers sounded a bit powerpoppier, e.g. the Redd Kross-ish “Like A Meteor”, but they were generally forgettable, and at 45 minutes, overlong…
Hit the loo then took a ridiculously easy
spot down the front, house left, while new Boos guitarist Lewis soundchecked
the front line. Nowhere near full tonight, and quite an odd clientele too; a few
old school indie and Boos fans (including a father and son from Tring, chatting
with me down the front) but outnumbered by curious Friday night couples and disco
divas on girly nights out! Which beggars the question; why are the Boos labouring
away in such tiny spots, whilst considerably inferior 90’s contemporaries pack
out bigger halls, O2 Academies, and even stadia? As Bob would say, makes no
sense at all… Anyhoops, the Boos took the stage just after 9.15 to the atmospheric
“Giant Steps” opening backing track, easing into an understated but clear “I
Hang Suspended”, the languid rhythm at least getting me moving down the front. Sice
then introduced the subsequent rasping growl of “C’mon Kids” with, “this is a
different gig for us – we’re off to France so this is an early taste [of the
Euro tour set] – you get to hear the new songs and the fuck-ups!”
Self-effacing as ever, but for me, whilst the Boos took their time to really bed in the sound (early numbers such as a nonetheless fine-sounding double “Barney And Me” and “Find The Answer Within” feeling a little low-key as they eased in), fuck-ups were happily absent, and by the ubiquitous “Wake Up Boo!”, stylishly inserted in early-mid set, they’d really found their mojo with a dynamic, bouncy version of their best-known number. And Sice was in fine buoyant form throughout, chatty and effusive between numbers in his Scouse tones (“I sound more Scouse when I’m onstage!” he lamented), introducing the set material drawn variously from the entirety of their surprisingly deep 90’s canon, “because the French like that [material]!” The early “Barney” had gotten me rocking good and proper, and I carried my bat throughout, being joined occasionally by a smattering of dancing ladies to the more familiar stuff: so whilst “Wake Up!” was really busy down the front, the subsequent mellow melancholy of “Reaching Out From Here” saw me back dancing on my own!
The brooding “Man Who Sold The World”-esque
riff of “Ride The Tiger” (“a single, weirdly enough,” according to Sice) led
into its’ loose-limbed, dubby outro; a rare outing for “From The Bench At
Belvedere” evoked a hazy, late Summer evening vibe with its’ mellow melody; oldie
“The Finest Kiss” gave a reverential nod to their droney shoegaze origins; and
after the late period Beatles-esque “King Size”, the tremendous “Lazy Day”’s juxtaposition
between discordant backbeat verse and melodic undulating instrumental hook was
the set highlight. Well, until… “Thanks for coming, it’s been an absolute blast!”
Sice effused, before introducing set closer, a tremendous, tremulous and widescreen
“Lazarus” its’ stately and epic scope a fitting conclusion to a fine set. A set
list from Sice, then a chat with the man himself before we headed off. Dropped Rich
off for last orders at his local, then an inky but happily dry run back through
the Cotswolds and a stop for late kebab tea got me home just after midnight. Excellent
company both on and offstage… and hopefully it won’t be too long before I catch
up with Rich – or the Boos! – again!
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