Venue:
Plymouth Pavilions
Date: 05/03/2015
Booked the moment this went on sale, I’d seen him at the same venue on the last tour (just before Wake Up The Nation) and he’d been fantastic, so was really looking forward to this! The venue was configured as part standing and part seated, but we went for seats this time – best in the house, right above and behind the sound and lighting desks. He opened with Uh Huh, Oh Yeah, but the set was light on hits, with the audience growing a bit restive as they waited for the next tune they recognised. The new material though is strong – I particular liked White Sky and I’m Where I Should Be, and he played 5 new songs out of 24, but there was the distinct impression he was trying stuff out on the first night of the tour. The crowd only really got going for Porcelain Gods (bloody brilliant version), Peacock Suit, Broken Stones and the closer, Changing Man. Tellingly, the two encores weren’t really as a result of the audience clamour, more of a going through the motions! Sound quality at the Pavilions can be variable, and this one was middling, but far, far, too loud with an odd echo effect added to some vocals. On the upside we weren’t beset with numpties talking were we were sitting, which is a plus these days. Overall 3 stars for this one. Picture is courtesy of a mate who had standing tickets!
The audience:
Mostly 40/50 somethings with a smattering of rather sad Welleresque haircuts and parkas.
It made me think..
I’m looking forward to the new record!
Weller’s kind of stuck.
He still has the burning drive to push and make new records but he’s fast reaching the tipping point of ‘heritage act’ where middle aged blokes like me have limited desire to spend £50 to hear an album track off Sonik Kicks. I want ‘Town Called Malice’ and I want it now! That’s not to say they’re not good albums but he’s preaching to the converted these days. He’s a stubborn bastard so I don’t expect him to change but his audience is very much now more selective.
I meant to say that there were (pointedly, I felt) zero Jam songs…or Style Council, come to that! Good point from Sixdog about this point in his career. Last time out I felt there was much more light and shade – even an acoustic section. Comments elsewhere from fans were apoplectic in their derision for anyone who dared expect actual, you know, ‘hits’.