1,347 BIG COUNTRY, Mike Peters, Swindon MECA, Saturday 21st September 2024

 

The Big Man and I had already done this tour earlier this year in Bristol (gig 1,323), but I guess you don’t refuse when they’re playing a stone’s throw from your house… So, second time this year then for 80’s post-punk Scots rockers Big Country, continuing the 40^th (!) Anniversary tour of their sophomore effort “Steeltown” with a second leg, including a rare gig at the criminally underutilised MECA. As mentioned in that Bristol report, “Steeltown” marked a departure from the upbeat and windswept bagpipe riffery of Big Country’s debut “The Crossing”, ploughing a darker, more politically oriented lyrical furrow paired with a suitably murkier, almost heavy machinery musical feel. From Big Country to Big Industry, perhaps (!), but either way still a quality listen, with strident terrace chant hooks aplenty, so a much-loved album for me. 

Ironically my last MECA gig was fellow Scots The Skids last Autumn (gig 1,298), a band which latterly featured Big Country mainstay Bruce Watson and his son and gunslinging partner-in-crime Jamie, and tonight was another father and son outing, as Logan joined me for the stones-throw drive into town. Met the posse in the venue, plus other Swindon folks, before the support at 8. Happily, it was Mike Peters, vocalist of 80’s contemporaries The Alarm, the guest singer in the early 2010’s Big Country reunion shows (gigs 812 and 841), and latterly the recipient of treatment for a recurrence of his cancer. Thankfully, he was in fine form tonight, striding between 3 mics onstage and generally stadium rabble-rousing the crowd (“raise your hands, raise your voices!”), whilst bashing away at a fat acoustic accompanied by backing tapes fleshing out the full band sound (not usually to my liking, but I’ll forgive him this time). The set itself was a run-through The Alarm’s finest flag-waving 80’s post-punk moments, with a fist-pumping “Strength”, the slow-burn intro into a rather epic actually “68 Guns”, and the hymn of working-class hope and redemption that is “Spirit Of 76” all highlights. But the real highlight was the ovation for his impassioned speech about his cancer charity, and simply the fact he’s still with us. “I will never give in…” indeed!

Took a wander around the venue with Logan – plenty of room to move, but very few large empty spaces, denoting quite a decent turnout for this one. Well done, Swindon! We were back in our house left spot, half a dozen rows back, as the lights dimmed and the eerie pulsing opening to “Flame Of The West” heralded the band onstage, immediately ploughing into this “Steeltown” opening track. From the off, the sound was big, powerful and strident (if a little muddy early doors, with the more intricate riffery taking a while to become fully established in the sound), and the Watson boys in particular were a kinetic onstage presence, sawing furiously away on their guitars, swapping positions and back to back rock poses, and generally having a ball and challenging the initially static Swindon crowd to do the same. Side one of “Steeltown” was dispensed with in a heady rush, the dark, dramatic title track and a turbocharged, anthemic “Where The Rose Is Sown” early highlights, before Bruce told us the story of how the album was recorded (in Abba’s Sweden studio, apparently!) and introduced new vocalist, tribute band Restless Natives’ frontman Tommie Paxton, a serious Stuart Adamson look- and sound-alike who, “jumped in to save the day, 3 ½ months ago!” 

A couple of technical hitches (“thwarted by technology! Bastard!” bemoaned Bruce) interrupted the flow of “side 2”, Jamie lightening the mood by leading the “Broooce!” chants, some wag (ok, me…) shouting, “that’s “Dad” to you!” The broody, morose “Just A Shadow” rounded off the album run-through, after which the soaring singalong of “Look Away” and a melancholy yet roof-raising “Chance” saw the Swindon crowd finally in full voice, Paxton reflecting on a point Adamson made at a gig the vocalist attended in 1986 – “you should hear what that sounds like back here!” A tremendous and still fresh sounding “In A Big Country” and a rousing “Wonderland” segue into a hard-hitting “Fields Of Fire” (featuring a snippet of old staple “Whisky In The Jar”) rounded off a punchy, energetic and powerful set, the snaking and weaving guitar interplay between Watson father and son a highlight throughout. Angular B side “Restless Natives” rather appropriately capped things off, after which I grabbed a list then saw a breathless Jamie Watson emerge from backstage. So I doorstepped the man to show him a pic of him and dad Bruce with me and Logan, from the 2017 Skids Oxford gig (gig 1,040); after incredulously realising my teenage son was the same wide-eyed little man in the pic, he not only insisted on re-enacting the photo, but then grabbed Logan and marched him over to the merch stand, instructing the merch lady (his mum!) to sort him out with a free t-shirt. Chap! Thus loaded up, we then grabbed some food and headed home. So, a great night out with son and old friends, and plenty of familiar, singalong tunes. “Fields of Fire”? Tonight, Big Country were on fire!

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 40^th (!) 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!

1,100 BIG COUNTRY, Derailer, Swindon Level 3, Friday 14th September 2018

Another milestone reached, and in the company of eminently worthy hosts as well… I’d thoroughly enjoyed the (relatively) recent Big Country reunion shows, featuring The Alarm’s Mike Peters in place of the fabled 80’s Celtic tinged post-punkers’ sadly lost founder and vocalist Stuart Adamson, and since original duo Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki continued to tour as more of a going concern with a new line-up, I’d been hoping to finagle them onto my gig schedule. I’d even been pondering their November Fleece gig, when a no-brainer date at Swindon MECA was announced; now, the only issue was, how to get Logan in? My little man, 3 years shy of the 14+ stipulation, had seen Bruce and son Jamie perform twice with The Skids and was keen to see them in their “day job”. I therefore approached promoter Leander Morales who pulled strings with the venue and got Logan permission to attend. Hooray! Unfortunately, slow ticket sales meant a switch to the smaller Level 3, so Leander had to do the same with that venue – eventually successfully. Hooray! Again!

So, it was two excited little boys (me and my son!) who drove into town and parked on Milton Road, joining the queue and hitting the venue for 8. I had fun telling Logan stories of my exploits at my 80’s/ 90’s “spiritual home” (“if these walls could talk,” indeed!) and we ran into some old faces from those days during support Derailer’s set. Local veterans, their set pitched midway between some balls-out rocking Stooges-like proto punk, and some more sludgy hoary and hairy blues/pub rock. “I hope you’re going to fill this gap [on the dancefloor] when Big Country come on; we’ve only got one bloke down here!” the vocalist announced at one point, indicating Logan…! Their set improved, with rocker “Icebreaker”, 4/4 blues terrace chant rocker “Riot” and an “LA Woman”-like final number. Unoriginal, but unfussy and unpretentious. Seen a lot worse!

Kept our front row spot, house right, as the compact dancefloor filled and we were joined by Phil and The Big Man, before eerie Celtic music heralded Big Country’s entrance at 9. No messing around, this lot, straight into the strident, soaring and singalong “1,000 Stars”, Bruce Watson’s ringing guitar work already the main feature. “Swindon! Friday night! What were we thinking?” the guitarist quipped at its’ conclusion, before announcing they were last in the ‘don at the Brunel Rooms, to which some wag down the front (ok, it was me…) replied, “17^th August 1982 – I was there!”, only to be shot down with, “really? You should be on Time Team!” Then, noticing Logan after a fist-pumping “Look Away”, Bruce remarked, “small boy alert! Must remember not to swear… aah, fuck it!”

This set the tone for a relaxed, thoroughly enjoyable and celebratory set, in front of a fully engaged veteran audience. By no means note perfect, and with the sound mix a little uneven and lacking oomph at times, the overriding memory was the band’s performance itself; they were simply on fire tonight, pouring heart and soul into these fabled old songs, Bruce in fantasy band camp and throwing shapes throughout, vocalist Simon walking the line well between crowd rabble-rouser and reverential guest, and virtuoso drummer Mark giving a sheer masterclass in his art. And the songs… I may have revered “Heaven Up Here” more, “Empires And Dance” may have been more ground-breaking, but Big Country’s 1983 debut “The Crossing” is, in retrospect, a masterpiece of its’ time, songs full of huge terrace-chant choruses and evocative and windswept Celtic soundscapes, songs so intrinsically interwoven into my DNA it takes little persuasion for me to sing along, arms aloft, that 17 year old boy in the Amphi again… “The Storm”, a Celtic reel of delight, was excellent, “Porrohman” (which seamlessly segued into “Harvest Home”) a thing of desolate, widescreen wonder and my set highlight tonight, “Inwards” a raggedy-arsed, reckless romper-stomper, and “Chance” a lengthy and communal singalong, its’ joyful nature slightly at odds with the subject matter.

“Fields Of Fire” ended the set, at which point Bruce, after a short band huddle, announced there was no point going all the way back to the dressing room (at the back of Level 3’s balcony) just to come all the way back, so powered through! “In A Big Country” fittingly ended the night, with the band taking a deserved bow and Mark then paying an entirely apposite homage to Stuart Adamson. Chatted with the boys and our friendly merch guy Gordon afterwards, before I took a wired but tired boy home. I’ve certainly been to better sounding gigs this year, but in terms of sheer enjoyment, that was up with the best of ‘em. Thanks to Big Country – and Leander! – for a splendid boy’s night out!

841 BIG COUNTRY, Gun, Bristol O2 Academy, Wednesday 15 February 2012

Barely 10 months on, one of the Comeback Kings of a particularly notable 2011 year for comebacks, namely Big Country, are treading the boards again! This time they’re celebrating an auspicious 30th Anniversary; no, not of the first time I saw them “live” (they’re 7 months away from marking that August 1982 Swindon Brunel Amphi gig), but of the release of their first album, “The Crossing”. This saw Big Country arrive fully formed, moving between dramatic balls-out rockers, touching and careworn ballads, and expansive windswept epic rock workouts, whilst firmly establishing their signature guitar-led Celtic rockist sound. More importantly, it’s an album which you can pretty much raucously sing every word to, in the company of a good friend and 1,500 or so like-minded souls. So were the Big Man and I up for a repeat of last April’s triumph? You bet’cha!

I tried to persuade my 14 year old son Evan, down visiting my parents, to join us, but he wasn’t up for seeing his dad sing embarrassingly loudly in public, so it was a slightly man-flu ridden Sheriff that The Big Man drove carefully down to the Academy, hitting the quiet-early-doors venue just as similarly-reformed Scots rockers Gun took the stage just before 8. Their set of post grungey, late-period Rolling Stones rock’n’roll collision was alright, nothing more, and was met by swathes of indifference, despite the energetic vocalist’s best efforts. Their best number, their retread of Cameo’s “Word Up”, was clumsy and lacked the original’s quirky charm. Beyond that, much like their career, Gun’s set utterly passed me by.

Took our usual stage left spots near to a very habitable stage-front (well attended, this, but by no means a sell-out), and chatted until the lights dimmed at 9, and Big Country took the stage, diving into the rousing “Angle Park”, a “B” side from back when “B” sides meant something. Mike Peters, again on hols from his Alarm day job and guesting on vocals, was the focal point of the performance, his expansive rabble-rousing gestures, obvious fandom for Big Country, and general honest bonhomie (including a nice early story of a fan who’d kept a bootleg version of “The Crossing” a secret for 30 years – until tonight!) catching both eye and ear. That said, the set really didn’t catch fire until half an hour in, when, “the journey to "The Crossing”," as Peters’ referred to it, was complete. At that point, Mark Brzezicki’s familiar drumbeats and Peters’ echoing of the words of Big Country’s founder, the late Stuart Adamson, to, “take the emotion and passion and make it live… share it, and come out screaming,” heralded the strident LP opener “In A Big Country”. Then suddenly, like a champagne cork popping, the tension was released and the place went nuts.

"In A Big Country” was a brilliant terrace sing-along, but was even topped by a frankly stunning “Inwards”, which followed a show of hands as to which album cover colour everyone owned back in the day! (Blue won – I had blue on vinyl. I've got a red CD now...). “The Crossing” was majestically delivered, all tracks featuring lengthy audience sing-alongs, every one a highlight in itself. However “Chance”, which Peters delivered standing on a chair in the middle of the mosh after being challenged to do so by some wag in the crowd (not me this time!), and the rousing epic swoops and tempo changes of the set finale “Porrohman”, which saw Peters shine a reflective light on the crowd from his guitar back, were 2 particular highlights.

An encore of Smoky Robinson’s “Tracks Of My Tears” – apparently Stuart Adamson’s favourite song – was preceded by a punter proposing to his lady (been there, done that), before finale “Wonderland” and some kinds words of tribute from bassist Tony Butler, both to ourselves in the crowd and to Stuart Adamson, drew a 2 hour (wow!) set to a close. Ultimately superb stuff, as I had expected this time, so maybe last April’s comeback show topped this one in retrospect, as it was so unexpected. Nevertheless, this was another fine footnote to the legacy of this great band, and another fine tribute to their late and sadly missed founder. Stuart, your boys – and Mike Peters – are doing you proud.

812 BIG COUNTRY, Bristol O2 Academy, Thursday 14 April 2011

It seems stupid in retrospect, but I nearly didn’t bother for this one… Big Country, one of the post-punk “rockist” bands I picked up on in the early 80’s (primarily due to the presence of Stuart Adamson, former guitarist of my childhood punk faves The Skids), were joining the plethora of bands scratching that reunion itch, reforming for a 30th Anniversary Tour. This, however, was more poignant than most, given the untimely and tragic suicide of Adamson, Big Country’s vocalist/guitarist and driving force, 10 years ago. With his distinctive guitar work the signature sound of Big Country, how would this work?

Research revealed the “guest” addition of contemporary, vocalist Mike Peters of the Alarm, who had impressed me with Dead Men Walking a few years back, plus guitarist Bruce Watson’s son Jamie, to augment the surviving original trio of Watson, beefy bassist Tony Butler and drum virtuoso Mark Brzezicki. So I decided to treat this as an “Ex Simple Minds” scenario, and roped the Big Man into coming (not that he needed much roping, really...). Further pre-gig research by Rich revealed uninteresting supports, so I picked him up after our kids’ bedtimes, haring down the M4 and parking up in time to grab a drink, then head down onto the more-than respectably full floor to take up our usual positions, stage left at this increasingly familiar venue.

Big Country took the stage at 9 pm to a windswept symphonic intro, against a mountainous backdrop, kicking into an initially thin-sounding “1,000 Stars”. However, Mike Peters, last onstage and grinning like a man who’d won the lottery and, given the choice between a pile of cash and the chance to front his favourite band for the night, had chosen the latter, immediately fuelled the already enthusiastic crowd into a frenzy of clapping, sing-along fun and frolics and all-inclusive communality. “Welcome to the Harvest Home!” roared Peters, as an intro to Big Country’s second number and debut single, and we were really away.

Thereafter, the sound was perfect, the performance loud, dynamic, strident, powerful, enthusiastic and all-inclusive, doing full justice to the legacy of this classic, oft-overlooked band. Watson, still rock–star skinny, took lead guitar chores, and apart from a few bum notes at the end of an obviously gruelling set, again did justice to Adamson’s intricate, distinctive windswept and expansive riffery, while son Jamie, a rakish, flaxen-haired mini-me, fleshed the sound out with solid rhythm guitar. Mike Peters put on an astonishing performance, deftly walking a tricky tightrope between attention grabbing frontman and humbled and appreciative fan, telling between-song stories about his own friendship with Stuart Adamson, and also how Big Country’s music gave him strength in his battles against cancer. Achingly sincere stuff, but it never descended into maudlin sentimentality.

A wonderful and dramatic mid-set “Porrohman” saw Peters abandon the stage as the song built like a thunderstorm, and reappear walking through the frenzied mosh; the subsequent release of “Inwards” sent shards of guitar riffery shooting through the air, and the lyric, “I don’t want to go home on a night like this,” summed up most people’s thoughts; a sinuous, celtic-tinged “Storm” segued into a none-more relevant anti-war “Where The Rose Is Sown”, and set closer “Fields Of Fire” raised the roof with a massive communal sing-along, which was even topped by encore “Chance”, the hook-line resonating around the venue for ages.

An inevitable final “In A Big Country” rounded off a startlingly swift 2 hour set + 2encores, the band taking a bow and Peters thanking the crowd for, “making me feel part of the family.” Tony Butler, fittingly, had the last word, dedicating the night to Stuart Adamson and again praising the audience for, “making me feel proud to be a part of Big Country again.” An emotionally-charged night was bookended with Butler’s final words, referencing the lyric of their final number; “Stay Alive!” Overall, they could not have given a finer tribute to their departed leader and to their own legacy than this brilliant performance tonight. This was everything I wanted it to be, and so much more. A superb night!

4 BIG COUNTRY, Swindon Brunel Rooms Amphitheatre, Tuesday August 17 1982

The above pic of Stuart Adamson on Big Country taking the stage at the Brunel Amphi was recently unearthed by my good friend Ben Warr, who I was at the gig with... and yes, that's the back of my head in the bottom right of the pic!

I managed to get in to see this gig, despite it being on an "Over 18's" Tuesday night and me being a mere 17 (going on 12!). The gig was scheduled for a few days after the release of Big Country's debut single "Harvest Home", which I, as a huge Skids fan, had snapped up immediately and loved the bagpipe-like riffery from my former Skids guitar hero Stuart Adamson.

I danced all throughout their splendid, unsupported set in the small Amphi hall, being the only person to do so! "Harvest Home" (which I distinctly recall they played twice, early in the set and then as an encore) and "Angle Park" were the high-tempo highlights of their set, at the end of which I shook Stuart's hand and grabbed a quick word, thus;
"thanks for dancing to us,"
"hurry up with the album, Stuart!"

The set-list at New York's Peppermint Lounge 4 days later was as below, so this one was likely to be very similar, if not exactly the same...

Angle Park

Harvest Home

Close Action

Balcony

Lost Patrol

Porrohman

The Crossing

Heart And Soul

Inwards

Harvest Home

9 BIG COUNTRY, One The Juggler, Oxford Apollo Theatre, Tuesday 27 September 1983

Drove over to Oxford with the idiot friend of an idiot friend; he knocked a child over on the way out of Swindon - luckily the kid was okay - but after the gig we only took about 20 minutes to get back to Swindon from the centre of Oxford! Maniac!

After a poor support band, Big Country opened with the rocking "1,000 Stars" and played a fine set of anthemic terrace-chant rock, with excellent, bagpipe-like guitar embellishments from my former Skids guitar hero Stuart Adamson. A very impressive lightshow as well, particularly for the excellent "Porrohman", my set highlight.

21 BIG COUNTRY, White China, London Hammersmith Odeon, Saturday 20 October 1984

Took the train up with PG and Colin for this sold-out show, Colin selling a spare ticket to a tout for £10 - well above face value...

White China were a good, colourful and rocking support with some anthemic ringing numbers. Big Country played a huge set of friendly guitar rock, largely promoting new LP "Steeltown" and featuring a very impressive light show. I felt a little disappointed though; have they become too remote and "big time"? Having said that, it's great to see former Skids guitar hero Stuart Adamson so successful - he deserves it.