Our resident reviewer Thomas Christie takes time out from pulling pints to cast an informal eye on some of the bands who've rocked The Brook recently.

29/10/05

The Fall

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Many great artists have graced the Brook over the years but are there any who have had such an influence on British music as Mark E Smith?  A precursor to everything from Britpop to Madchetser, a 78 album career where he has refused to compromise, Winner of NME's 'God like genius' award.   The late John Peel said he would walk the length of the country to see them live…you get the drift?

They were supported by Resist and John Cooper Clark the Mancunian Street Poet, whose musings provide a sublime warm up to the band.  Apparently he is a regular fixture at a Fall gig, and it is an inspired partnership

Then came the Fall.  My first glimpse in the flesh of Mark E Smith.  Striding around the stage, like a caged tiger, anxious, restless, glowering at the audience.  The jacket was on, then it was off, then it was on again.   One song was sung crouched down at the rear of the stage, back to the audience.  All throughout, there was a real edge to the gig, something in the air, hard to define, but man was it electric; all eyes transfixed on the man on the stage, wondering what would happen next.

What did happen next was, they done their set, a one song encore and left.  It all felt rather perfunctory; within the hour the roadies had packed the gear and they had buggered off.  That's the trouble with 'god like geniuses', sometimes they just wants to turn up, play the gig, take the money and get the hell out of Southampton!

28/10/05

Silver Beatles

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There seems to be two different methods employed by tribute bands in copying their heroes.  One is to immerse themselves totally in character, become the band.  The other is to still do this, but do it with tongue very much in cheek.  So how to interpret the greatest pop group of all time?  The Silver Beatles go for option B, not taking themselves too seriously and this approach definitely works for them.  They indulge in banter among themselves and with the crowd, making the most out of the fact that every Beatle is instantly recognisable.    The first half of the gig is the young Beatles, suits and mop tops, covering all the early hits; 'Saw her standing there, Can't buy me love' among others before finishing on 'Twist and Shout'.   Then it's a quick break and costume change where they miraculously transform into the older, hippie era Beatles; the period where  they wrote some of their finest songs.  Just point non-believers to songs like 'In my life' and 'Let it be' which show, more so than the early years, why the Beatles are still held in such esteem.  Not that anyone here needed convincing.  The 500 plus crowd, arms held aloft, nah-nah-nah-ing during the encore of 'Hey Jude'.  Nope, no non-believers were present.         

17/10/05

Alabama 3

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Ah ain't it great to catch up with old friends.  This is the fourth (?) time the band have played the venue, always eagerly awaited, always a sell out and always a belter!  First tune was the instrumental Me & The Devil struck up from an empty stage, gradually enticing on band members, before finally D Wayne and Larry Love appeared.  Two songs in 'Woke up this morning' was casually dispatched, the message that there is much more to this band than 'that Sopranos' song.  Of that there is no doubt.  From 'Hello, I'm Johnny Cash' to 'Hypo full of love' led by a couple of errant scoundrels in deep south stage personas, this band don't look or sound like anyone else.  Yet it is songs like 'You don't dance to Techno' a lament to rave casualties everywhere, which show there is a message amongst the madness.  The band are an enigma; they were combining Blues and Country with modern Techno sounds years before Moby even thought of it and it's all done with deep southern accents honed in Brixton, Merthyr Tydfil and Glasgow's Possil!  They pioneered a sound that others have followed, while remaining that bit different, and every time they play down here the place is packed with people who get what they are about.   So pats on the back all round for being up with the Alabama 3 tip, aren't we all dead clever.

PS, If you ask me, they still played that song too early.       

14/10/05

New Model Army

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Before the gig my understanding of New Model Army was t-shirt clad, combat trousers, jack booted army of fans.  Scary mo-fo's who used to frighten me as a child, before the term scary mo-fo had even been invented!. 

The support act set the tone, asking 'are you up for as good night?' then saying 'you know it.' The implication being that it was inevitable.  Curioser and curioser, just what were this New Model Army all about?

They kept the crowd waiting till after 10pm, building the anticipation, then came on spitting venom, opening with song Whirlwind which just about summed up their whole performance.  Each song like a firecracker, the pace relentless. If I hadn't blagged a set list, I couldn't have told you any of their songs, every one a raucous call to arms, but  two standouts for me were Another Imperial Day and Poison Street.  I was though merely an outsider, a witness to a happening, an event.  The NMA soldiers, many in aforementioned uniform, drenched in their own sweat, disciples worshipping at the temple of a band that have existed outside the mainstream for 25 years.  Apparently NMA have sold millions of records, but have never had a top twenty hit in any country.  If ever there was a band with a 'cult following', this is it.  After it Iswear one guy said to me it was the gig of his life and our own Emma rated it as her gig of the year so far.

So that was what all the fuss was about.  New Model Army, not touring with McFly any time soon!

30/04/05

Fish

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The big man certainly cuts an imposing figure, 6ft 4in of Scottish menace, growling at and joking with the audience with a roguish unpredictability. Buoyed by his beloved Hibs victory over Celtic earlier that day, he was in no mood for taking prisoners.  Three songs in he stopped the gig to give his bass player a public slagging for being Edinburgh born and supporting Celtic.  He announced that he would play his solo stuff first, take a break and then return to play his older (Marillion) stuff, the latter eliciting a spontaneous cheer from the audience. 'Aye.  Well that makes me feel f***in brilliant then doesn't it!' he growled.    

His passion for what he does is as evident in his songs as in his stage persona.  One song, inspired by a visit to Bosnia, was he said 'even more relevant now than when I wrote it'; and who would argue.  With Fish, it was hardly ever going to be all-serious though. A defining moment was during the stomp for Heart of Midlothian, with almost the whole venue engaged in a mass hand-clap he spotted some non-compliants in the balcony 'Gie me!' he pointed at them, then 'F***in gie me!!' before they finally succumbed to his greater will.  Rather them than me! 

'Ladies and gentlemen, they call me the Fish.' was how he left us, arms outstretched,  drenched in his own sweat and taking in the applause, but he was already preaching to the converted.  A force of nature.

10/04/05

Tony Joe White

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It is a measure of the man that his songs are more famous than he is.  Superstar Tina Turner sang four of his songs on her multi platinum album Foreign Affairs.  This is a man who has written songs for Joe Cocker, Waylon Jennings.  He has toured with Clapton and Credence Clearwater.  This is a man who has even written a song for Elvis Pressley!

His entrance on stage was as low key as his public image.  Taking the stage to encouraging applause, he wordlessly and purposefully sat down and tuned up, the epitome of understatement. Poise, style; the man's got it, in spades.

The opening numbers were just man and guitar, his Louisiana drawl soaked over the dirty sentimental blues of his acoustic, his own method of introduction.  He would then be joined on stage by his drummer, signalling a gear change, as the tempo moved up.  His gravel voice giving 'Rainy night in Georgia' a menace that the late Brook Benton or Dionne Warwick couldn't have mustered.  'Steamy Windows' was played near the end and sounded all the better for being stripped down and deprived of Tina Turner's rasping voice. A short break for an amp change then he rejoined us for an encore, and then the king of Swamp was gone, exit stage rear.  Tony Joe Lewis; so talented and cool as well.  Ah well, no-one said that life was fair.    

10/12/04

Perfect Alibi

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A Perfect Alibi

You know the drill, purchase the digitally remastered 'Dark Side of the Moon' CD,  perhaps buy the new dolby 5.1 enhanced Pulse DVD, you could even fork out for Nick Mason's Floyd diaries.  Despite little activity, the Pink Floyd still find ingenious ways of getting you to part with your cash, don't they?  And all the while you nourish a forlorn hope that a minor miracle will happen and those huffy millionaires can bury the hatchet and get it together one last time. 

But wait, there is another way!  Another way where you can experience the timeless sound of Pink Floyd performed live.  Even better, you don't need to go up to London, or sit in some cavernous hall or theatre with no bar close to hand.  For anyone with Floyd affections A Perfect Alibi at the Brook is not to be missed.  They pay fond homage to Floyd, staying predominantly with their best-loved and more accessible work.

The stage show mirrors the original bands, complete with circular projection screen and light show (albeit in a much smaller scale) and there is some stunning virtuoso guitar playing from the lead guitarist.  A few pints and a sing along to all the classics, Wish You Were Here, Comfortably none ét al. A damn site more fun than any digitally remastered CD!

The band are booked to play the Brook again in the new year and the place is sure to be packed, so Floyd heads get your tickets early 'to avoid disappointment' as they say.  I       

15/12/04

The Saw Doctors

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Man was this a real treat for all in attendance.  The Irish folk rockers graced our cool little venue and brought with them their own unique brand of celtic mayhem.  Make no mistake, a Saw Doctors gig is a participation event and we all did the business, from the band to the crowd, even the bar staff joined in.  The band treated us to all their finest hits, from I Useta Lover to the gloriously silly Tommy K as the Guinness flowed and the Brook became a far flung outpost of  Ireland for the evening.

As a live act, it shines out of them just how much The Saw Doctors enjoy what they do and this was reciprocated by the crowd.  The band and crowd feeding off each other, the way it should be, always the best gigs; and it was a thrill to know that they enjoyed playing down here as much as we loved having them.

They have an attitude which remains utterly refreshing in the industry, remarkable for a band who've been going for 17 years, this not a band with any pretensions or showbiz detachment; Singer songwriter Leo Moran claims that as they've never been cool then they'll never be uncool! He also says they feel privileged to be doing what they do for a living.  I beg to differ lads, it was us who were privileged.  Hope to see you down here again soon.   

03/02/05

Tsunami Appeal Fund Night

Featuring - The Delays, The Alaskan Pipeline, Dead! Dead! Dead!, The Dark Poets & Jed Cool

Some of Southampton's finest got together at the Brook to do their bit for the Tsunami Appeal.  The bands would forego their normal fees and the £10.00 entrance fee all went to help the cause.  It was an eclectic and rather surreal mix of performers; taking in the techno reverie of The Dark Poets to the refined pop of Southampton's very own starlets the Delays.

First up was the aforementioned Poets, who's cutting edge electronic sound was perhaps more suited to a later slot.  We then had the first glimpse of the surreal, in the guise of compere Jed Cool.  Most of the audience are probably still wondering - Did that really happen?  Jed, you're a strange one!

The politically corrected (for an evening at least) D!D!D!s have been collecting plaudits in the past year and on this performance it's easy to see why, powerful and harmonic.

Next up, The Alaskan Pipeline showed why they are widely tipped to become Southampton's next big thing.  With  a sound that is ethereal and dreamy, could new EP 'The Sum of You and Me' featuring the excellent 'Grandfather Clock' propel them on their way to recognition at national level?  Let's hope so.

Finally, the night's big hitters stepped up to the plate.  Southampton's very own local boys done good The Delays took the stage to an expectant crowd and immediately slayed them with opening song 'Wanderlust?' which was pure pop class.  Mention the Delays and the word 'pop' never seems to be far away, often seen as a dirty word these days, but the Delay's are purveyors of pop in it's purest form, a million miles away from the dross that infests the charts.  Hit singles Long Time Coming and Nearer than Heaven show a band on the up, a band going places.  They are indeed going places, to America with Franz Ferdinand no less.  Bless them.

So a good night and a worthy cause, a win-win situation you might say.  A cheque for £5632.98 is on its way to the DEC Tsunami Appeal, thanks to all who contributed, bands and patrons.

Tsunami Appeal Night Photos © Rach Barrett