The Public Image is Rotten
PiL Glasgow kicked of a number of gigs for me in the next week. With loads going on in and outside of work, just a quick review of the PiL gig (and nae photies).
I’m off to see lots of the old guard in the next week or so, starting with PiL (supported by The Wonderstuff’s Miles Hunt). Next up Skids on Sunday (with Big Country/From the Jam) & Hollywood Vampires next week (with The Darkness/The Damned).
Miles Hunt
Before the appearance of Lydon, it was the turn of Wonderstuff front-man Miles Hunt to warm up the crowd. A strange choice I thought for supporting the elder statesman of punk. Just Miles and an acoustic guitar. I suppose one thing is for sure, they were both known for being a bit mouthy in their heyday.
Anyway, no need for concern, Miles put on a great show and it went down well with the fairly sparse crowd who had turned up early for the gig. Speaking to a few people beforehand, I was struck by either the lack of knowledge of who Miles & the Wonderstuff were (apart from “comedy” tracks Dizzy/Size of a Cow) or if they did know them, outright hatred!
Having experienced that I was surprised (as was Miles judging by his reaction) how well he went down with Lydon’s fans. He played a set drawn from the Wonderstuff back catalogue (Can’t Shape Up, Caught in My Shadow, Circlesquare). He also brought things right up to date with tracks from more recent Wonderstuff line ups with Ericka Nockalls. Also, with a diversion via Fixer, a track by Miles post Wonderstuff project Vent 414.
An enjoyable set but perhaps not enough to get the fairly subdued PiL crowd warmed up.
The Main Event
When PiL took to the stage, the set up and lighting were reminiscent of previous tours. The familiar figure of Lydon taking centre stage with his book of lyrics and now obligatory oversize shirt. No longer an angry young man, but still outspoken when he wants to be, he didn’t say much tonight. His focus on gargling brandy, and playing with only a few words uttered between songs.
The band opened with a powerful Warrior. Lu Edmonds wrestling a strange range of squalling noise from his bouzouki. The sound from the band was immense. Clear and solid with dense pounding bass from Scott Firth and slick drums from Bruce Smith.
Varied set
Lydon is no spring chicken and while oiling his vocal chords with his brandy (what a waste of a good tipple gargling and spitting out!) it was occasionally telling that the newer songs in the set are obviously more suited to his mature voice. There were a few points in the set where his voice struggled, take Public Image, the first encore which was slightly disappointing & not as impactful as it should be. And the usually triumphant set closer Leftfield and Lydon’s collaboration of Open Up was cut short as it melded into Shoom from the last album. Not one of my favourites from a very strong album. Bollocks.
Don’t get me wrong though, having said all that, I thoroughly enjoyed the gig. A mixture of old and new including tracks from aforementioned last studio album What the World Needs Now. I spoke to a few people immediately after the gig who were not so impressed. Each to their own, as I got lost in the music a couple of times during the set. Nothing better than a gig to take your mind away from the stresses and strains of life and work and lose yourself.
You wanted chocolates instead…
Particularly mesmeric was an epic version of the classic Flowers of Romance towards the end of the set. When they followed this up with the anthemic brace of This is Not a Love Song and Rise to end their set was perhaps where the set should have ended. But a set that included Memories & Death Disco as well as Corporate, one of my favourite more recent PiL songs, how could I be disappointed?
Skids next
Let’s see what The Skids have to offer on Sunday. I myself am slightly trepidacious about this gig. It will be the first time I have seen Big Country sans Stuart Adamson. A band I saw countless times back in the 80’s/90’s, I hope my memories aren’t tarnished. I’ve nothing against bands continuing with members not in the original band (Skids/PiL/Damned to name a few). However, often with a change of frontman/woman it changes the personality and feel of the band.
I’ll share my thoughts after Sunday…