Venue:
Hammersmith Apollo
Date: 29/03/2017
Only UK gig until Brecon in August [they’re in Amsterdam tonight, Zurich tomorrow, then off to America for the whole summer], so we were super-pleased to get tickets for this sell-out show. This version of The Shins is the one James Mercer put together for the deliriously good “Port Of Morrow” album in 2012. Five years on, they are touting a new collection of songs called “Heartworms” and the stage was kookily dressed up as the album cover replete with skull and giant flowers. After a glitch with the bass drum sound on the opening number “Kissing The Lipless”, the set moved into top gear and the band served up some well-loved tunes from the earlier [Shins Mk1] records, including “Saint Simon”, “Phantom Limb” and “Caring Is Creepy”, in thoroughly infectious fashion. The encore showcased a heartwarming rendition of their breakthrough song “New Slang”, followed by current album-closer “The Fear” and a banging “Sleeping Lessons” into which they shoe-horned a verse of Tom Petty’s “American Girl”. A wonderful night at what I still think of as the Hammy O.
The audience:
Broad. Mainly late-twenties/thirties/forties, some older like me and the missus, couple of family with young kids.
It made me think..
James Mercer is a damned fine songwriter and a great singer of his own work.
niallb says
Bravo. Of course it’s still the Hammy O. Always has been, always will be. Great review.
monsignorbonehead says
Very jealous. He hasn’t played Dublin in donkey’s years. The new album is a winner too.
dai says
Off to North America for the whole summer! Playing here (Ottawa) in a festival in July, will go if I can. Nice review.
SteveT says
Seriously talented band and new album terrific.