Everyone loves a gig, don’t they?
Welcome to part three of my guide to some of the best live albums and DVDs money can buy. If you haven’t read the other two parts yet, you can give them a skim here, but in this part, we’ll be looking at three recordings, all from the year of 2011. Yet, despite their similarity in terms of timing, they arguably couldn’t be more different. So let’s get going.
Passing The Baton – Brixton Academy 2011 (Faithless)
Though their debut ‘Reverence’ initially released to obscurity, once one of the album’s singles, the iconic ‘Insomnia’, became a huge hit, almost overnight, Faithless became one of the biggest and arguably best dance acts in the UK. The band released 5 albums with their classic lineup, the latest, 2011’s ‘The Dance’, being one of their best in my opinion. So that is where we find ourselves for this gig: 8th April 2011, at Brixton Academy, for Faithless’ proposed farewell gig, and boy do they go out in style.
The first thing to acknowledge about their live sound is the bombshell that Faithless are maybe one of the only dance acts to play with a fully acoustic live band, which I think gives them a serious upside. Reason being that, especially in the case of the rhythm section, made up of drummer Andy Treacey, percussionist Sudha Kheterpal, and bassist Stan White, they have so much more natural funk. It allows the grooves to hit with so much more force and power than could ever be coaxed out of a drum machine, and they reap the benefits big time. There’s also the contributions of guitarist, David “Shabba” Randall, who on top of delivering some undeniably funky licks, also lends these tracks a level of drama, cinema and texture, that really helps these tracks stand out that much more in a live setting.
Obviously though I can’t talk about Faithless without bringing up the two main components. First, at the keys, there’s Sister Bliss. Donned in full glam-rave getup, she’s one of the two principal musical minds alongside the enigmatic and ever absent Rollo. This goes for everybody, but particularly with Sister Bliss, the way she so effortlessly plays this many keyboard parts completely live, seemingly without making a single mistake, deserves serious props, especially under their fantastic light show. Point is, Bliss is very much the captain of this musical ship, and if you’ll excuse the extended metaphor, she proves to be a fantastic navigator. Then, there’s Maxi. Now unfortunately departed, Maxi Jazz was a fantastic performer. Backed in this case by phenomenal singers Harry Collier and L.S.K, he was not only a brilliant frontman as far as stage presence and energy, but also a very capable rapper and lyricist. His often spiritual and topical lyrics may seem an odd fit for a house band, but boy, does he make it work well. This also has to be one of his strongest documented performances ever, not only in terms of his very high and versatile rapping ability, which barely ever wavers over two hours, but also his great stage generalship, having the crowd wrapped around his finger at every syllable, but also delivering a level energy at 53 that puts 99% of young bands today to shame.
The set choice for this gig was incredibly well curated as well. They chose not to deviate from their regular tour set in lieu of a special farewell set, a decision that served them very well. They really made sure that every nook and cranny of their discography was given ample time in the sun, and so the resulting structure makes it feel like the most seamless journey through their back catalogue you could ask for. It feels like many bands on album tours choose to play the new material as a showcase, even if it’s not their best. With Faithless, it doesn’t feel like that. It really just feels like a band playing their greatest tunes, but they just happen to be spread throughout their catalogue. That’s a compliment very few bands can lay claim to, believe me.
To first comment once again on the new material, a sign of good material is that the band seems energised playing it, and, well, you can feel the joy through the screen, as the opening one-two punch of ‘Happy’ and ‘Sun to Me’ proves. It seems bold having a rare bonus track as the opener but it really works well. ‘Happy’ seems like much more of a shimmery hip-house affair, fit with a rumbling bassline, funky guitars and light synth stabs. That, along with the chorus backing vocals make this feel almost like a dance, hip-hop disco fusion in the best way, with a brilliant, joy-preaching performance from Max. ‘Sun to Me’ is much more classically Balearic though. Underneath Maxi’s introspective, reincarnation-centric rhymes, lies a great, atmospheric, fittingly sunny sounding house track, striking the absolute perfect balance between ethereality and danceability, all anchored by, in my opinion, an all time classic Faithless riff. Oh yeah, remember as well when I said they seriously benefit from a full live band? Prime example: this. That groove. Man. It’s not just the opening that’s brilliant though. As odd as a Faithless/Blancmange interpolation sounds, ‘Feel Me’ proves it can be done very well. With Luke Collier taking over on vocals, he gives one of many stunningly soulful performances, backed by glorious spiralling synths and one hell of a bongo backbeat. Not to mention a live exclusive Maxi verse. I implore you to try not to dance to this. You’ll fail. ‘Tweak Your Nipple’ is successful for many of the same reasons. Infectious grooves and euphoric melodies, with sage, motivational lyrics and a great sheen of drama and anticipation. Perhaps the best piece of new material comes with the main set closer ‘Not Going Home.’ It’s pretty much the apex of everythingFaithless is. Firstly, that groove has so much power and low-end thump, put this track on the right sound system and your roof might come off. Additionally, there’s yet more fantastic percussion and guitar flourishes, not to mention that the pure swagger in Maxi’s performance is arguably at an all time high here. He just sounds like cool incarnate. Top that all off with multiple keyboard parts and textures, all of which have memorability in spades, as well as a killer climax, and you have the makings of a late-era Faithless classic.
The band also manage to strike a very good balance between providing plenty of fan favourites and fresh material, while still making room for a number of fan favourites and relative deep cuts, some of which turn out to be real highlights. Take ‘Bombs’ for instance. Not exactly your typical dance track, but stands out all the more because of it. Dave’s beautiful and twinkling acoustic guitar lines meld perfectly with Luke’s airy voice and Maxi’s wise gravitas. Then, when the drums, and Blissy’s layers of synths enter the picture, it goes somewhere entirely different. Angelic, psychedelic, cinematic, yet funky. The combination of dark lyrics, somehow serene yet thumping instrumentation, and gospel-esque vocals is genuinely quite moving. There’s also ‘What About Love?’, one of the only out and out “bangers” from ‘No Roots’ which is criminally overlooked compared to the classics. Not only is the rhythm on this track an absolute BEAST, but the deceptively simple, 4-note earworm at its heart, combined with Maxi’s lyrics about a yearning for world peace, act as the perfect bright, vibrant climax, not only to the album, but also to the halfway point in the set. A friend once said they enjoyed Faithless because “they don’t mind taking ages to go somewhere”, and this is a great example. The way it slowly builds and builds before blasting into that final drop, great stuff.
What About Love?
It’s probably at this point I should recommend the DVD over the CD. Only because, on the CD, over half the set is missing, including ‘What About Love?’ I get you have limited time on a CD, but you really do miss out. Luckily, you do get the great two part ‘I Want More.’ Fronted by the mighty L.S.K, this track masterfully switches from cinematic RnB/Hip-hop in its first half, to ending as a relentlessly funky dance rager in its second. The way this transition is carried off is done incredibly well too. Again, the sense of space is also brilliant. Sadly in the case of the CD-only owners, you also miss out on two thirds of the encore, with ‘Music Matters’ and ‘Muhammad Ali.’ Neither are exactly quintessential Faithless: one is a genuine all out power ballad on the universal power of music, while the other is a slick, shiny piece of glam-rap where Maxi waxes lyrical on his childhood hero. Yet, as ‘Bombs’ proved, a good song is a good song, regardless of format, and yet again, the live band absolutely works wonders in both cases. So yeah, in short, get the DVD.
Branching off from that topic. There are actually a fair few more downtempo, or straight up instrumental tracks that work really well in the set in addition to the ones I’ve already talked about. The modern rendition of Bob Marley cut ‘Crazy Bal’Heads’ has a really cool, more electro-dub inspired feel to it, with a great new verse from Maxi to boot. Then there’s ‘Everything Will Be Alright Tomorrow’, a track that on ‘No Roots’ was a pretty enjoyable, acid bass tinged interlude, but here, is a nearly 7 minute piece of psychedelic RnB with heavenly synthesisers, soulful vocals and understated, groovy beats. ‘Flyin Hi’, however, feels genuinely transcendent. Made up primarily of just synth arps and Maxi’s vocals, aside from the odd flourish of cymbals or backing vocals, it weirdly benefits from the silence. Any studio track can feel slightly boxed in, but being able to almost feel the atmosphere in Brixton Academy while Maxi’s performing, making for a truly special moment. It’s about as genuinely spiritual I think as they’ve ever got. Also, while certainly far from chilled, there is also a great moment in the set where the band get a chance to shine by themselves with ‘Emergency.’ Beginning with an absolutely killer rhythm, it soon gets added to with Randall’s guitar hero-esque shredding and Bliss’ layers of bright synth blasts and gurgling acid bass, with a super awesome dramatic climax. Think cyberpunk Bond almost.
Flyin’ Hi
We had to talk about the classics at some point though didn’t we? There’s perhaps not much I can say about them, perhaps because they are so omnipresent, but I can say that they all get shown perhaps in their best versions here. The Maxi Jazz rap ‘All Races All Colours’ transitions beautifully into mega-hit ‘God Is a DJ’ and it delivers big time. It was always a fairly grandiose trance track, but that gets taken to another level here. A superb instrumental build, multiple monumental bass drops on the tail end, and a version of the iconic melody that’s as catchy as ever, while also seeming markedly more introspective and almost mournful. Quite fitting for a farewell gig I’d say. ‘Mass Destruction’ goes in an almost pop-rock direction with an absolute monster bassline underscoring a 60s rock style clap beat, rapid fire synth stabs, and yet another of Maxi’s awesome raps. It borders on cheesy, but rides the line very well. Then there’s the big hitters. All three of ‘Insomnia’, ‘Salva Mea’, ‘We Come 1’ feel like a bonafide victory lap. They work for all the same reasons I’ve reiterated ad infinitum already: thumping beats, fantastic grooves, masterful use of atmosphere, a subtle air of eerieness, a great vocal performance and an un-fuck-withable riff, but all with an extra air of “bloody hell, we’ve done it!” ‘Insomnia’ in particular feels like a proper hero’s homecoming. The energy in the room reaches fever pitch, and it’s a high you never want to end. You best believe me as well when I say that this version of ‘We Come 1’ is truly epic, in every sense of the word, from the crowd singing along to every synth blip, to then jumping in mania to the final last blast of righteous noise. What an ending, and quite moving too, which Max helps no end in fostering. Just wow.
As a final word, while this would ultimately prove not to be Faithless’ last stand, it does show them at their absolute best. A brilliant band, steered by a musical mastermind, and fronted by one of the most iconic vocalists in British popular music. Maxi said close to the beginning of the gig, “everything we have, you’ll get.” He was right. In actuality, you get a hell of a lot more. R.I.P Maxi.
Talking Light – Bimbo’s San Francisco 2011 (The Residents)
The Residents are one of the strangest, most intriguing bands ever. They’ve spent over 50 years creating whole vaults worth of great, conceptual, thoroughly odd, and sometimes dark music. Not only that, but they’ve managed to remain mostly entirely anonymous while doing it. That was until 2010. Feeling they needed a change of pace for their new ‘Talking Light’ tour, for the first time ever, they ditched the anonymity. Rather than four tuxedoed eyeballs, they were now a three piece power trio: Lionel Bob on guitar, Charles ‘Chuck’ Bobuck on machines/keys, and Randy Rose on vocals. So began the first (and best) show of the Randy, Chuck and Bob trilogy, and arguably their strongest live show ever, with this DVD documenting its final performance. Filmed on my birthday of all days.
One of the many things that make this show stand out is its sound palette. Along with the 1999 ‘Wormwood’ shows, or maybe the recent 50th Anniversary shows, this is the heaviest the Residents have ever sounded, perhaps the most here. A lot of that is to do with Bob, AKA Nolan Cook. Having spent time in a number of metal bands, including Dimesland, his whammy heavy, super noisy industrial shredding gives the sound of this iteration a serious gnarly edge. Combine that with Chuck (AKA the late great Hardy Fox)’s dark keyboards and sometimes thundering beats, and you’re barely a step away from a true metal concert, minus the costumes and general weirdness. Take the opener, a revision of ‘Smelly Tongues.’ Preceded by a fittingly ominous synth intro, once the eerie pianos and Nolan’s industrial guitars enter the picture, you know you’re in for quite the show. The drums rollock and roll along with almost breakbeat like force, meaning this opening number squaks, squeals and drives on with the force of an industrial trash compactor. Lest we forget Randy though. His vocals throughout this show are very versatile, much to his benefit, but for this track, he goes into pure animal mode, sounding like he just swallowed a kilo of gravel. God it’s brilliant. There’s a lot more where that came from though. ‘Lizard Lady’ starts off with a backbeat of pounding toms complimented by sparse, creepy melodies and authoritative spoken vocals. Around halfway though, it really kicks into high gear. The drums punch harder, Nolan starts really shredding away, Chuck piles on mounds of dark synthesisers, dramatic brass parts, and castanets of all things, and Randy’s vocals get increasingly unhinged, eventually all reaching fever pitch. It’s genuinely pretty evil. There’s also ‘Once I Went To Barstow.’ Starting off as a piece of psychedelic, demented, wonky blues rock, it features Chuck’s characteristically ominous melodies joined by Randy’s alien, vibrato-heavy vocals laiden with effects. Then, a minute in, it descends into pure chaos. The drums are pure rock, thumping perhaps the hardest so far. The speed and noise of Nolan’s guitar is frankly insane, and the touches of frantic harmonica and creepy accordion motifs are just the icing on the cake. It’s absolutely a highlight.
The absolute brutalest moments though are saved for the end of the set. ‘Lillie’, like many other tracks, starts out as a combination of creepy atmospheres and skittering percussive textures, albeit sounding very cool in the process. Then, as the shivery, creepy guitars build in the background, and Randy’s monologuing gets progressively tense, we’re gifted with the absolute mother of all breakdowns. For one, the drums are absolutely stomping and pummeling as all, hell, at least for Residents standards, Nolan’s guitars are playing some absolutely chugging riffs and insanely cool, soaring leads, and as far as Randy’s vocals go, though it is assisted by a number of vocal effects, it doesn’t stop his growly delivery sounding any less gnarly. There’s also ‘Die-Stay-Go’ in the encore, and that’s another absolute stomper. The drums provide a decent backbeat, but here the power is in the melodies. Despite Randy’s lyrics pretty much consisting of “DIE! GO! DIE GO! WOAH, NO NO NO!”, again, it’s the delivery that really sells it. It’s downright demented. On top of that, Nolan gives one of his absolute most impressive guitar performances with some absolutely mental soloing, and Chuck’s layers of dramatic synth strings and atmospheres are as epic as they are apocalyptic. It makes for an absolutely perfect ending, I’ll say that.
Of course, though, The Residents are far from just a metal band. While Nolan’s abrasive guitar consistently remains in play, a great deal of these songs also revolve around intriguing melodic soundplay and atmosphere, and result in some stone cold high points. In fact, after the opening of ‘Smelly Tongues’, the following number ‘The Sleepwalker’ might be my favourite of the lot. Chuck’s contributions on this are incredible, equally warm, eerie, grandiose, and surprisingly catchy. Not to mention Nolan and Randy also do a great job at fostering the kind of “haunted house soundtrack” vibe, with fittingly deadpan, sinister vocals and really infectious leads. ‘They Are the Meat’ is very similar too. A few earworm melodies, layered textures, and a compelling vocal performance slowly build to a dark, string backed climax, with some creepy, yet very effective spoken word passages in between. Meanwhile, ‘My Window’ is much more minimal, only consisting melodically of a few cycling keys and the odd textural organ part or similar. Randy also does a great job with his lyrical storytelling, and understated yet captivating performance. The way they leave the audience to almost stew in the silence is very well executed while also leaving ample space for some great guitar solos. There are a few tracks though that bridge the gap between the more heavy and atmospheric sounds, and do so very well too. ‘Semolina’ may be less so but it is still a great track, with some incredibly alluring, skittery synth layers at its centre, that create an almost psychedelic aura for the whole thing. Then, after an opening section with roaring guitars and banging percussion, it soon transitions into an all out collision of breakbeats, atmospheres and manic twinkling bells, along with great guitar playing of course. All the while Randy seems to be doing his best to just sound as strange as possible, and succeeding. Additionally, the sole breakbeat section and lone grand piano notes that follow are among some of my favourite musical moments.
There are also a few tracks of a more dramatic variety that go down an absolute storm. ‘The Old Woman’ towards the end of the set is a great example. Starting off with layers of looping ghostly synth melodies, and evolving to accommodate otherworldly orchestral textures, it somehow manages to sound kinda cheesy and genuinely unnerving at the same time, a balancing act The Residents have made part of their trademark, maybe because they do it so well. Just as Randy’s performance of a lonely, bitter spinster and potential animal killer, who’s also weirdly obsessed with plants, hits that perfect balance between theatrical and full creepy. To top it off in style, the ending music is genuinely menacing, Randy blowing away on the harmonica while Nolan gives an absolute soundplay masterclass, with enough guitar pedals to fill a music shop shelf. The covers of Hank Williams’ ‘Six More Miles’ and the folk song ‘Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie’ are genuinely spine chilling though. Both starting off with beds of daunting, cinematic atmospheres, over both of their long, linear structures, the intensity slowly builds until you’re faced with a mound of intense, terrifying chords, supernatural, uneasy melodies, pained vocals and screeching guitars. In the case of the latter, you basically get an all out existential crisis in musical form. Sure the Residents were always ready to flirt with the creepy, but never were they this genuinely scary. Bravo.
That actually brings me on to my final point about this performance: scary stuff. What I’ve neglected to mention is that this entire show is themed around the paranormal. Ghosts, death, spirits, demons, all that good stuff. This itself is reflected in a number of ways. Firstly, a number of the songs are themed around ghosts and the paranormal, which is fairly obvious when you read into the lyrics. Where ‘Smelly Tongues’ fits into this I have no idea, but I digress. Then there’s also Randy’s ghost stories. In between every few songs, Randy recounts a few ghost stories from his life, whether it’s talking about his odd encounter with a dead construction worker, coming across a UFO in Nevada, or even the terrifying and chilling tales of “THE MIRROR PEOPLE!” Somewhat creepy as all of these are, they are also pretty funny, working well as a palate cleanser between songs. Most of all though, there’s the three main stage pieces that split up the show. All of these consist of guest actors reciting twisted campfire style ghost stories on projectors around the stage, a lot of which are genuinely very creepy. On top of this, Randy and the guys offer a largely atmospheric, cinematic backdrop with the occasional vocal accompaniment, to enhance the sheer sense of fear. While it really is all about the stories in these sections (which are much more effective on DVD), the music certainly helps to enhance the genuinely mysterious, and skin crawling vibe that all of these have going for them. My favourite has to be ‘Perchance to Dream’, all about a widow dreaming incessantly of her dead husband, but the stories of murderous imaginary friends on ‘The Unseen Sister’, and an unforgettable trip to an abandoned cabin on ‘Talking Light’ are very well written too. I recommend checking out the DVD of ‘Randy’s Ghost Stories’ on YouTube to see some of the ones that didn’t get used, because they’re brilliant. Thinking back to what I said about the musical accompaniment as well, they are all genuinely pretty film score-like. Sometimes they’re loud and shrill, sometimes tense, or eerily sparse and cold, and to be honest, in combination would probably do very well as short indie horror films.
In closing, in many ways, this is the ultimate Residents show. While much more paired down as a show, their structure as a power trio, especially in this instance, allowed them to do a lot with relatively little. The music’s some of their most layered, intricate, and bombastic, the multimedia elements are incredible, the vibe is often seriously bone chilling, and the quaint living room stage set genuinely makes it feel like you’re watching one of the best, immersive, yet creepiest stage shows you’ve ever seen. All of which, in summation, acts as a great display for all of the members’ respective skills. Rest in peace H.
Jodrell Park 2011 (Elbow)
The day is 23rd June 2012, and thousands of fans descended upon Jodrell Bank Observatory for a very special event. Elbow were about to play a huge headline show right in the shadow of the telescope. One problem though: it was absolutely biblically pissing it down with rain. The band, themselves, chose not to let this dampen their spirits. As the old saying goes, the show must go on, and this particular show was a really legendary occurrence. The band was just starting to wind down from their tour in support of their album ‘build a rocket boys!’, which followed 2008’s Mercury winning ‘Seldom Seen Kid’, and saw them at arguably their commercial heights. Elbow were obviously never the most raucous rock band in the world, but this album is perhaps one of their mellowest. You might think that wouldn’t work for a massive show like this, but trust me when I say every song they play from this album is a highlight. Right from the start, we’re treated to a live debut of the fantastic ‘High Ideals.’ Even with the walk on, the way those subtly solemn organ chords ring out across the fields feels genuinely magical, and the track itself is much the same. It has a brilliant, subtly shuffling and almost funky rhythm section, accompanied by tender piano progressions and huge, beautiful bursts of strings. Elbow I think is maybe one of the only rock bands who make having a string quartet on stage look cool. It really takes the epic presentation to another level. As usual, Guy Garvey’s vocal prowess is unmatched, equally, romantic, graceful, warm, yet distinctly familiar and relatable in a way only he can do, and when his vocals and the organ passage comes back around… shivers. In fact, it’s debatably the quietest moments that hit the hardest.
‘Lippy Kids’ is prime example. It’s made up of very little more than a melancholic piano and bass progression, as well as the occasional weepy guitar line, and yet it’s absolutely incredible. The way the pianos progress as the track goes on in tandem with Guy Garvey’s vocals is absolutely breathtaking, the supplementary organ and guitar parts and a great, bright sheen without detracting from the raw emotion the track fosters, and the whistle call and response, as well as the chorus crowd chant, are moments that made my arms stand on end, and I’m listening to it on a computer. It’s somehow subtly unsettling at times, yet ultimately heavenly. Similar applies to ‘The Night Will Always Win’, where the band bravely stride out to the stage walkway for a minimal ballad beside a four-way keyboard. If anything, it’s the absence of sound and sheer amount of space that makes it such a special moment. The constant organ chord underscoring the whole piece is quickly joined by a dour repeating piano note and glorious glockenspiel and string melody, along with Garvey’s lullaby esque vocals. It’s not just a song that the band want you to listen to and enjoy, but rather to feel it, and bask in it, and it’s truly epic, transcendental melodies and impeccable songwriting go some way to helping that.
The most “uppity” songs from the new album though, the band cleverly save for near the end of the set, and the payoff makes it all worth it. ‘Open Arms’ in my eyes is an underrated gem in Elbow’s catalogue. The chiming, cheery keys at its centre are quickly joined by a swaying drum beat and whimsical synth lead. Then, as the song kicks in to high gear, an almost folksy style groove enters the picture, which, when paired with the strings and mandolin like textures, makes it almost feel like a village fate jig got out of hand, and I mean that in the best way. The sense of drama, but also a kind of intangible communal element works really great. It might help that the lyrics play into that, sort of acting as an advertisement for lost souls returning to the welcoming comfort of their hometown. I’d rarely describe a song as wholesome, but this most certainly is. Moreover, while Garvey’s vocals are obviously fantastic here, I actually find the rest of the band’s underlying harmonies to be one of the most beautiful parts of the whole thing. Then there’s ‘The Birds.’ If you’re an Elbow fan already, I probably don’t need to tell you why this first encore tune is incredible, but if you’re not I’ll give you a run down. From the second the opening guitar lines and tambourine beat kick in, the crowd are already in full clap-along mode. The guitars themselves have an almost dirty western quality which contrasts brilliantly with the serene string textures and absolutely fabulous vocal duet between Guy and the backing singer. Yet, as beautiful as it is, it also has noteably anthemic overtones, which only becomes more obvious once we reach the middle, and the repeated lyrical mantra, along with the music, builds and builds in intensity before bursting with that sweet release. To call this final section incredible is a huge understatement. The way those strings effortlessly sweep over the pulsating beat underneath, as Guy Garvey reaches his absolute vocal heights in intensity and emotion is truly, truly special. I’m telling you, you catch them performing this song on a special night like this one, it frankly borders on a religious experience. I, at one time, dismissed ‘build a rocket boys!’ as being a bit too mellow, even for Elbow. How damn wrong I was.
As much as I gush over the mellower moments in their catalogue, you can sometimes forget that Elbow have some fair stompers up their sleeves (at least relatively speaking). Granted, they’ve more come into their own with it recently with albums like ‘Giants of All Sizes’ and the recent ‘AUDIO VERTIGO’, but it has always been a feather in their cap, and some of the best are on display here, essentially in one long line, which is cool. While ‘The Bones of You’ might not be the rockiest rocker out of the bunch, it does a great job at illustrating the band’s ability to switch between styles. One minute, there’s a frantic and busy drum pattern paired with striking organ chords, the next, it’s a classic Garvey chorus, with soulful backing chorus and deep Moog bass. Then later, the second post-chorus is a great rush of catharsis, with a bashing beat propping up a tornado like swirl of guitars before going into a mellow contemplative bridge, and all the way back again. It’s hands down one of elbow’s best, and I don’t think you’ll find many who’ll argue. Similar statements could be levelled at the following ‘Station Approach’, which while starting out as a quaint, country style ballad with a flowery piano flourishes, like ‘The Birds’, slowly develops into an out and out stamper with an infectious vocal refrain, then as the track reaches its peak, cymbals crashing, synths blaring, vocals soaring, I swear, every time, you can’t help but beam gleefully at its conclusion.
Another track from their underrated third LP follows, the title track in fact, and it’s maybe the closest they come here to an out and out rock track as such. The starts of the show are the constant, strutting, swagger filled beat, anchored by Pete Turner’s absolutely filthy bassline. You’re almost forced to bang your head along with it. Additionally, while Guy Garvey’s vocal prowess and the great harmonies are still present, they have a distinctly rebellious, righteous tone, as do the lyrics, leading to it maybe being their angriest, which the Potters supplement with stern dark piano notes and an absolute ripping guitar solo, all while ethereal synth textures give it some much needed light. If you’re into Elbow for their subtlety, this probably isn’t for you, but I love it. Then, there is of course ‘Grounds For Divorce’: THE Elbow rock cut. Again, Mark Potted gives us a great western flair with his guitar leads, and the crowd chant verse is equally gleeful and shout-out raucous. Then, after a short, admittedly beautiful, gentle pre-chorus with some lovely string parts, the hook hits, and it’s always an absolute heater. It rides that line that elbow are masters at riding, where along with it being maybe one of the catchiest hooks in contemporary rock music, with a brilliant, eerie group vocal part, the double drums still manage to absolutely slam, just as the guitar itself is incredibly grinding and intense. It’s been a mainstay in their set since it came out, and long may it stay that way.
Another thing that really sets this album apart is the one deep cut they put forward in the setlist. For an Elbow fanboy like myself, sure, I wish there were a few more, but the one we get is very good indeed. The track in question is ‘Scattered Blacks and Whites’, the closing track from the debut ‘Asleep in the Back.’ While a track as light as this may seem odd for a set closer, the sense of serenity it carries makes absolute perfect sense as an ending tableau. Richard Jupp’s almost jazz style brush drums work really well in conjunction with Mark Potter’s lightly plucked, cycling guitars, as well as Craig’s incredibly graceful yet relatively minimal piano parts. In the same breath, while Guy Garvey doesn’t necessarily have a massive chorus to offer up in this case, the way he’s able to anchor the song with his angelic yet wistful performance is just fantastic, and as colourful fireworks burst in the sky above them, I have no doubt the crowd were absolutely transfixed. It’s another one of those iconic moments that this gig just seemed chock full of.
I’ve left some of the most beautiful moments until last though with the remainder of the tracks from ‘Seldom Seen Kid’, all of which should make it obvious while it’s one of my all time favourite albums. All of these songs have the power to move me to tears, but let’s start with ‘The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver’, a track largely left by the wayside in recent years, and I’ve no idea why. Mark’s choppy guitar lead works brilliantly with the lush strings in the background, with Jupp’s drums giving it an almost orchestrated, concert hall quality which is brilliant. Along with his wonderfully tender vocals, Guy Garvey’s lyrics here also speaks to a deep sadness that fuels the track, making its dramatic climax all the more powerful, along with a great little string interlude around a third of the way in. Just as beautiful is album opener ‘Starlings.’ Being the first song I ever heard from them, it’ll always have a special place in my heart, and it’s an unbelievable song to boot. The cycling otherworldly synth textures work as a base upon which the band lay down some lovely subtle drums and stunning vocal harmonies, then, when that burst of orchestral instrumentation comes in, it sounds absolutely mountainous and wonderful. Furthermore, while the band definitely does a lot with a little here, really letting the allure of Guy’s vocals shine through, that build and release of strings just over the halfway point is maybe the most beautiful moment I’ve heard in any song, period. The end. It’s perfect.
There’s more where that came from, as ‘Mirrorball’ is also among the all-time great Elbow songs. The combination of Craig’s dreamy piano arpeggio and Richard Jupp’s pumping rimshot beat is absolute perfection. It’s one of Guy’s most emotive and arguably passionate performances too, equal parts earnest, lovestruck and tactful. Not to mention that the grand, sweeping string section and fantastic chorus on this track would likely bring a tear to the eyes of millions, and there you have perhaps the perfect love ballad. Take note people. Elbow are far more than just a rock band, and are actually 5 of, I think, the best musicians active right now. Quite different though, is ‘Weather to Fly.’ In this instance, it actually functions as a song in two parts. The first part might actually be my favourite, as it starts off as a relatively minimal and intimate round table performance, fit with band banter. Dare I say I actually prefer this to the original? The intimacy really helps it, making it feel like you’re in a back room pub gig, despite the fact you’re in the middle of a rainy field. As does, incidentally, Guy Garvey’s brilliant crowd work , which I’ve neglected to mention until now. In between the tracks, Guy Garvey always makes sure to interject a bit of crowd interaction, whether it’s speaking to people that catch his eye, delivering a comical aside or interesting tidbit, or trying to keep morale high in spite of the rain. All of which he does flawlessly, again making it feel like you’re in the company of old friends. In any case, when the “main” track starts, it’s just as beautiful as it has every right to be. Richard Jupp’s prominent percussion definitely adds some nice gravitas and presence to the track, but not so much to detract from the very pretty melodies offered by the Potters and string section, especially when the horns join in on the outro, giving it a glorious, almost stately feel. Then, as if that weren’t enough, Guy’s vocals here are already wonderfully earnest and melodious, but when the band offers backing harmonies, it goes to a whole new level. There’s just so much great stuff in this set I don’t want to sound like a broken record.
Then, obviously to round out, they had to give a blast of anthemic mega-hit ‘One Day Like This.’ Some may argue it to be overplayed by this point, and in fairness, I won’t necessarily argue with you. At the same time, it’s such a huge hit for a reason: it’s just undeniable. The string arrangements are absolutely lush, Guy’s vocals are soaring and absolutely delightful, and it’s at its core, an incredibly catchy track, despite how “posh” its musical backdrop may seem. If that weren’t evidence enough, the multiple group sing-alongs the audience engage in, whether it be the chorus, the bridge or the magnificent ending refrain, reek of pure jubilation and ultimate euphoria, with some top quality guitar lines and group harmonies to boot. You can almost hear the joy on the band’s faces as their song is sung back to them. Then, with that, Elbow retire into the night in truly spectacular fashion, having delivered an absolute masterclass.
If there’s one thing this live album proves. It’s not that Elbow are musicians absolutely at the top of their game, or that their music is some of the best and most well arranged I’ve ever heard. No, that I already knew. What it proves, as wanky as it sounds, is that Elbow as a live experience, transcends music itself. Sure, the songs themselves are untouchable, but the absolute pure, joyful, euphoric, and emotional vibe that runs throughout the concert is just as palpable as it is intangible. It’s a truly magical feeling that you can’t even begin to describe, and it’s maybe the live album that fosters this reaction from me the strongest, which even at all, is beyond impressive.
Anyway, finally, that’s it for part 3. I went on a bit there didn’t I? Anyway, there’s still one more part left, so join me in part 4 where I go on even more. To close off we’re covering performances from two absolute titans of the rock world, and ending with a truly one-of-a-kind recording. See you there.
