Right, this one makes 3 gigs in Swindon so far this year, so I’m already up on 2025! And a welcome return to my Dance Card as well, after a 2 year absence, for Glastonbury’s folk/ punk solo acoustic guy Nick Parker. We’d actually attempted to get Nick to do a short turn at my 60th Birthday Party last year and things initially looked promising; however the man had an offer to play at Glastonbury Festival instead so took that up. Damn Glasto, but I can’t blame him really! Anyway, this date kicks off a short Spring tour for the man and unfortunately, due to other gigs and family commitments, is the only one on this jaunt we can get to! No back-up band for this one, then, but a couple of familiar yet welcome supports to augment Nick and his wry wordplay, observational lyricism and easy folk-tinged harmony. A good one in prospect, then…
It being local and on a Friday, Logan and boyfriend Kristian joined me as I drove up the hill, parking behind the Vic and wandering into the Hop, running into old Lev mate Rich Carter and his new lady for the first time since Frank Turner’s show 3000 last year! Quick catch up before we headed upstairs, grabbing a spot near the front, house left for the first support, namely Swindon’s own (oh yes he is now!) B Sydes. Reacting to the hearty applause from the already amply-filled room with a self-deprecating, “I wouldn’t applaud too soon – it’s my first gig of the year!”, Ben nonetheless set to his task with a focus and determination to get the crowd properly warmed up. “Crutches” was as ever a great start, taut and tense as ever despite a mid-song glitch (“I blame my guitar – it’s Nick Parker’s old one and I’m terrified of it!”) and urgent, insistent newie “Streaming Infidelities” featured an audience harmony singalong outro. A couple of other new numbers, including a dark, sinister emo-tinged “Beast” and a more measured and melancholy Dashboard-esque closing “Head Full Of Screams” (the title track of his forthcoming album) featured in a surprisingly short-feeling yet rousing, inclusive and in-your-face set as ever from the irrepressible Mr. Sydes.
The
Big Man joined us down the front for the first Parker of the night, namely Nick’s
daughter Flo Parker Bombosch, flying solo tonight and next up at 8.45. In contrast
to Ben’s more overt emo-esque delivery, Flo demonstrated that a whisper can be
as powerful as a shout, her perfectly enunciated set as delightful and
absorbing as it was understated and introspective, happily reciprocated with a pindrop-perfect
hush by the now-packed Swindon crowd. “On This Rock” was a wistful
alt-Americana ballad; a more textural new number featured an impressive octave-straddling
repetitive choral hook; and “Half A Year” had a lovely pastoral slacker vibe.
In between numbers, Flo lamented her home-moving status (“[I’ve] only 4 CDs
[for sale tonight] as I’m moving home and packed up by accident!”) before
praising our attention with, “you’re such a respectable audience… no,
respectful!”. Lovely stuff, once again!
Kept our front spots for Nick’s arrival at 9.30, the svelte Mr. Parker opening with oldie “Here With You”, a diss track for unimaginative punters, then following up with a more upbeat, jolly and singalong “Down With The Yoof”. Commenting on the opening track, he then resolved to, “stick with the singalong ones!”, keeping said promise with a lively “Never Been To Dublin”, really getting the crowd’s vocal chords working!
Thereafter
Nick delivered a wonderfully engaging, warm-hearted frothy mug of cocoa of a
set, his familiar hooky melodies as ever shot through with incisive and impish
wordplay and plenty of between-song exposition, bonhomie and banter. An early
duet with Flo led to a dad-joke level running pun-fest centring around Pearl
Jam’s “Evenflow” (even Flo?), Nick even commenting that a Nirvana tribute band
featuring his daughter might be called “Smells Like Teen Bedroom”, with Flo
indignantly retorting, “I’m 25!” “Departures” was a brilliant roof-raiser from the
off, Nick presciently remarking after the intro, “this is going to be so much
fun…!” and lamenting afterwards, “I wish I was recording [that singalong] for a
live album!” “Living Again” was a melancholy, stark yet beautiful outlier to all
the upbeat carousing; the retrospective 80’s tribute “Half of the Moon” was
preceded by a lengthy explanation as to the “Chuckie Egg” tour name and merch;
and Ben joined Nick for a rollicking rendition of The Weakerthans’ “Aside”. Flo
then returned for a delicate and wistful “Guess I’ll Never Know”, Nick thanking
the crowd for their attentiveness for her set, then after an uproarious “Wild
Rover” (featuring slightly amended verses!), a thoroughly entertaining set concluded
with “Es Tut Mir Leid” (Logan and Kristian acting as 2 of the placard holders!)
and a fun if throwaway version of Sheryl Crow’s alt-country staple “If It Makes
You Happy”, featuring all 3 of tonight’s performers. Quick compliments and farewells
to all and sundry, and we headed off just before our parking ticket expired. Excellent,
singalong fun night out, thanks to Nick and Ben… and even Flo!
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