Venue:
O2 Institute, Brum
Date: 04/03/2022
Hmmmm, well it was ok. Actually, better than that, it was fine. Or at least the band were, it being the audience I was less keen on. Maybe I was just being a grump, but I had forgotten the mismatch between the band and their image. Plus, I am possibly the epitome of a fair weather friend, knowing well only their eponymous debut, which this tour is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of, and last years triumphant Welcome to Coral Island, knowing little of the intervening. But I have always enjoyed their musical alchemies of choral vocals, lots of time signatures and a willingness to pick and mix from musical traditions far and wide: Eastern European folk music being one such. Indeed, so chaotic are the styles on that assured debut that I sort of pidgeonhole them into the territory of Dr Sardonicus era Spirit. I had coneveniently forgot their origins and appearance, at least back then, all scally Brit pop swagger and sway.
Perfect timing meant I arrived at about 8.40, having surmised most headliners start at 9. Having pre-watered at the Halton Turner tap house, I was able to forego the dreck they sell at the Institute. Not so the audience, already careering around and awaiting a mosh. Clearly the sort of night to be remembered by amnesia, and the good humour seemed on a knife edge of a wrong look or a spillage incident.
The band shambled on with few words of welcome, launching straight into a verbatim run through of that first album, in track order. And it was all present and correct, raising goosebumps of remembrance, that needed to penetrate the somewhat muddy mix. With seven of them, percussion, drums, bass, two guitars, three when the singer strapped on intermittently, plus, my main draw, the organ heavy keyboards, it was a thick slab of sound, the vocals sometimes a little lost, apart from when the backing vocals engaged, always an integral part of the sound. An impromptu instrumental jam came mid set, as keyboard issues caused a flurry of cable bearing roadcrew. Which was fun, if clearly of immense annoyance to that player.
I confess I missed the break; losing attention, I looked up to see how they were making a brass section seem present, to see the stage empty. But they lurched back on and rattled through a set of greatest hits, with but two from Coral Island. Dare I say it all seemed a bit perfunctory? Jacqueline was the highlight of this short second set of maybe 10 songs and, as suddenly as they had arrived they were off. No encore and rapid house lights up. Barely 10.15.
Yes, it was all a little underwhelming. Listen to the records instead.
The audience:
Drunk.
It made me think..
Whilst there were a few older than me in evidence, I felt a little out of my generation.
I’ve seen all the fuss about the re-release of the first album but despite my unyielding love of Coral Island and The Butterfly House I’ve not been tempted. I didn’t particularly like the single Dreaming Of You from it and as you allude to I think it’s a very different sound to what they became. They’ve managed to transcend the era that spawned them so I’m surprised they went back. Your experience just reconfirms my belief that those two albums are all I need yet I do wait with real anticipation for what they do next.
I liked Butterfly House so picked up 3 of their other CDs (including the debut) from charity shops. Unfortunately I hate all of them!
Loved the album when it came out, as it drew the best of Teardrop Explodes and grittier psych influences. Great stuff. But everything else, apart from the odd single and the Butterfly House album, has disappointed me. The Coral Island album was a bit of a return to form initially but it isn’t getting a lot of repeat plays in this house.