The average age in this student union tonight has probably risen to around 35, and its still only £3.70 for two beers. Fantastic!! We had arranged to pick up the tickets at the venue - but it turns out they hadn't actually been printed so my ticket now is a ticket for "The Mull Historical Society".
"Dont worry ..these will get you in," I'm told.
"They bloody better," I reply.
Anyway, the line-up has changed again. The two youngest people in the hall now are playing guitar and drums before David Gedge makes an appearance to a deafening mid-life roar... and so it begins.
I'm right on the front row in front of Gedgey and co, who are kicking off with Blonde from Seamonsters and a few others which I'm not so familiar with.. It's not really hitting the spot - starting slowly, perhaps? Lets hope that's all it is. They faff about with this and that until what looks like the bunny from Donnie Darko appears onstage with placards counting down like 5.....4.....3....2....1......... GEORGE BEST - because, this being the 20th anniversary of the album's release, they're going to play the whole thing... why I'm here really.
Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft bursts in and it becomes apparent that that's why a lot of other people are here also. A smelly dude next to me is trying to drink two pints whilst being pinged around like a pinball. I hold my own though - even though I'm soaked in lager...Achhh ..who cares??
The whole album gets played and Gedgey is having a chat with the crowd. I shout "How'd you get on in Russia?" (alluding to England's football defeat there last week) which leaves him slightly bemused at first, until the penny drops and he laughs it off. Three hundred Scots laugh with him. Shatner, A Million Miles, Something and Nothing, and Don't Be So Hard all follow - the hits just keep coming, and it's really hotting up as Kennedy comes alive and in jingle-jangles "Lost your love of life.....TOOMUCHAPPLEPIE".
But Gedge certainly hasn't lost his love of life - he's still kicking ass and looking good doing it.
Like Elvis, The Wedding Present don't do encores so the gig ends there, but obviously this is the first time for a few people and they're shouting "more!" while the rest just head for the exit knowing full well the futility of the request.
A very enjoyable evening!
The Wedding Present - Shatner mp3
The Wedding Present - Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft mp3
Buy George Best Plus, featuring 23 (count 'em!) of the Wedding Present's finest moments, here.
6 comments:
I hate it when smelly men spill there pints on me at gigs and turn into 15 year olds. Although i'd make an exception for the wedding present !!! Infact i'll probably be one of those smelly's if i manage to see em on this tour !!!
Big up the uk blog massive, hee hee
i wish more people wouldn't do encores. i wouldn't if it was me.
x
I wouldn't do encores either. Far too contrived and embarrassing, on the whole. It's summed up perfectly for me by that old Mary Whitehouse Experience sketch where "EMF" (or rather the MWE blokes dressed up as EMF) come off stage having just finished their set. But wait! They haven't played "Unbelievable" yet. I wonder if they'll be back for an encore??
Sounds like a great gig - cheers Drew! Yes, encores are way too predictable now.
I lpove the Weddoes, they were and still are one of the best live bands around. And I wouldn't do encores either. It's poncey and self gratifying.
Is this a very early blast from drew as in across the kitchen table drew?
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