My big bro sent me this review of last night's gig
SLEIGH THE UK 2012, O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE
As the Rolling Stones start their 50th anniversary tour with many people excited and horrified in equal measures, questions are being asked “When should a band stop performing, should you still go to concerts in the same capacity as a teenager, and is the music still as good it was then?”
I found myself asking these questions last night as I caught up with three bands that dominated my teenage years, Jesus Jones, Pop will eat itself, PWEI and the Wonder Stuff who all played at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It was very interesting finding myself face to face with the teenager I once was moody, spotty and with long hair. This was MY music back then and now it gives me a chance to reflect on who I was and who I am now.
In the late 80s early 90s the guys that went to see these bands were mainly white middle class and wanting to be outside the mainstream of the pop music of the time. The music was a mix of skate punk and dance for Jesus Jones. Dance, sampling and heavy guitars for PWEI and indie country music for the Wonder stuff. Looking around the theatre auditorium yesterday it was still white middle class guys, some even came with children, some with band t-shirts that were odd to look at the whole package, I mean guys in their forties wearing band t-shirts looks exactly like guys over 30 wearing football shirts for anything other than sports, not the best of fashion statements! Looking around and taking in the chatter from my fellow concert goers, there were Project Managers, Solicitors and consultants from Harley Street. But once the music started middle, aged moshing began, very fun to watch and watching 40 year olds crowd surf, alas I’m too heavy for that, but yeah I wanted to do it.
First up was Jesus Jones who faces I once got my artistic friend to paint on the back of my jacket, the face now were older rounder but still with the glint in the eye that I saw over twenty years ago and the boundless enthusiasm on display. Now whilst I don’t have the energy the boys on stage did, they may have been a bit slower but were all giving it 100% and not even the sample sounds breaking down ruined my enjoyment of a sharp 35 min set which they knew not to disappoint their audience with and they stuck with predominantly material from their first couple of albums and not their lesser known later albums.
PWEI came on and had their own rubber carpet laid down as they do plenty of stage jumping and bumping. Only one original member left, Graham wearing a rather groovy combo of white trainers, red knee length shorts and t-shirt along with a group of fine musicians. They did play some of their best known material and they encouraged the 30 and 40 something guys to jump harder and faster whilst singing along. Again the energy was amazing and they had the crowd eating from the palm of their hands, especially when playing classics as Def Con One.
I was one of those guys that loved the Wonder Stuff when they released their first two albums but a combination of the Bass player leaving, the band appearing to start playing children’s theme tunes and hanging around with Vic Reeves made me go off them. Last night I was thrilled and less than thrilled with their set but then towards the end they pulled me in from the cold by surprising everyone with a cover of ‘Planet Earth’ by Duran Duran and by playing the earliest material that I had once held so dear to my heart. They ended by inviting everyone back next year as they do it again, will I come back? Yes and I think I’ll wear the t-shirt, to hell with age that teenage boy is still around!
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