On to the show and on a night full of expectation they didn’t disappoint. A few sound teething issues aside these great songs sounded as good and as fresh as they did twenty odd years ago. There’s little interaction with the crowd and the album is rattled through with each of the three main protagonists alternating vocals and sharing harmonies which are perfect especially when Messrs Blake and Love (sorry to see you go) share the mics. On the downside former drummer Brendan O’Hare appears sporadically on stage as a fake roadie which is both distracting and annoying in equal measure.
After a short break we are back with Songs from Northern Britain, which as one of our party notes probably suffers from being the album that follows Grand Prix. Well not tonight, it more than holds its own, the sound is considerably better and there are some really great songs on it too.
How do you pick a highlight from tonight? Well let’s go with side one of both albums and leave it at that. Next highlight was side two from both albums. Great songs played by a great band, who won’t be the same when Gerard leaves after these shows.
The only downside for me was that the evening was a little flat. With little crowd interaction from the stage I didn’t feel that the audience were really up for it. Of course a lot of us were belting out the words to our favourites but maybe people were just easing back and savouring every last musical drop without the need to let loose so to speak. So a fitting farewell to this line up.
Keep on power popping, harmony rockin y’all