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The last time David Gedge and company blew into town, they played Bizarro in its entirety, as the filling to a set that began and ended with different material plucked from the extensive Wedding Present discography. Two years on, they are at the same game, but with a couple of key improvements. First off, I prefer Seamonsters as an overall record, and secondly, the band just released their excellent new LP Valentina.
Those familiar with the super-charged buzz rush of Gedge’s adrenaline-fueled guitar strum and impassioned vocals found plenty to like in the new material, with “Deer In The Highlights” (also played on the 2010 tour!) and “Back A Bit….Stop” coming through as solid additions to their canon.
Eight songs, the band began the journey into and through their 1991 record (is it really more than two decades old now?), and for a moment the lead-in track, “Dalliance,” became the greatest song in the world. Slowly building, dropping hints of failed romance and bitterness, the song soon becomes a churning maelstrom of fury, with Gedge’s neck veins bulging as he unleashed invective and his guitar strings bearing the brunt of an aggressive plectrum attack. Phew!
Aside from drummer Charlie Layden (who at times bore an unsettling resemblance to Ed Norton, especially with his wide-mouth and slightly menacing smiles a la Primal Fear), the band had two new faces at guitar (Patrick Alexander) and bass (the casually sultry Pepe Le Moko) and overall the unit was as tight the snare head that Layden continually pounded. If you are looking for a drummer with fast, accurate, tight fills, he’s your man.
The show ended with “You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends,” and the room’s vibe was just that, a love fest between fans and artist. David, if you are reading this, please do keep in touch with us.
The Jet Age was the second band on the bill, and they share a bit of back history with Gedge via their remix of 2008’s “The Thing I Like Best About Him Is His Girlfriend.” Just a trio, they looked like they could have been stage hands who knew how to play their instruments proficiently, and churned out a decent version of brash rock. Leader Eric Tischler‘s keening tenor was an unexpected and welcome sound, but he could have cut down on the wah-wah pedal on nearly every guitar solo.
Opening band Toquiwa (neé Pinky Piglets) brought their zany/cutesy/kitschy take on Japanese pop/rock, full of energy and enthusiasm. Their colorful stage get-ups were matched stitch for stitch with their boundless vivaciousness and infectious pop tunes about chocolate and merry-go-rounds. Bonus points for pulling out a killer version of The Wedding Present’s “Kennedy.”
