A nice welcoming venue is Sheffield's Boardwalk, apparently a favourite of Nigel's. All in all another great performance despite the band's horrendous journey across the Pennines. The support band Calvin Party did their best, fronted by a desparado posing as a 'character' - too much mumbling, he must be a riot on his shrink's couch. Some interesting stuff, but what about starting with the blues number?
And then suddenly arrived the Biccies, those red and white Fenders never more resplendent - do we detect an increase in general flailing of said guitars? Much more and we'll have a couple of Townshend clones on our hands. (Who?) - next cover 'Substitute'?
Kicking off with the short, sharp 'Mathematically Safe', a hugely enjoyable set followed, with something for everyone however complete or random your personal collection. Highlights in a set from these lads inevitably split between general acclaim and personal favourites. 'Corgi Registered Friends', 'Shit Arm Bad Tattoo', 'Bob Wilson Anchorman', 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel', '24hour Garage People', 'Everything's A.O.R.', and the age-cannot-wither glorious 'Trumpton Riots' are mostly expected and never fail. Personals like 'Chatteris', 'Floriat Inertia', '4AD3DCD', 'Shropshire Lad', 'Depressed Beyond Tablets', etc, might register differently with different people but are wonderful to hear live. The cover of Elvis's 'His Latest Flame' took me back to teenage bedroom guitar strumming years (Bert Weedon 'Play in a Day' thrust aside), and of course everyone's new great favourite 'Joy Division Oven Gloves' to close went down a storm, complete with oven glove wearers in the mosh pit. We all have our favourites or 'Countdown', 'Desert Island Discs' and Gary lineker wouldn't still be popular after all this time. Them's the vagaries!
Some bloke towards the back remarked that he'd never been to a gig with footnotes before. Where's he been? but welcome anyway and it's true you don't get the wide range of references to popular culture plus general social commentary at the average ___________________________ (fill in virtually any band in space provided) gig.
Great performance, as fresh as ever.