Ginger Wildheart – ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Ginger Wildheart – ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ (Wicked Cool Records)

A break-up album can be the most honest and personal album of a musician’s career. I feel an artist is at their best when they are going through the worst of times, it’s when they have something to truly write about. A relationship breakdown, like a bereavement, can open the emotional and creative floodgates like no other experience, and it can be the best of therapies in the darkest of times.

So, when Ginger Wildheart (and his faithful four-legged companion Maggie) retreated to a caravan in the wilds to write the follow up to the confessional ‘Ghost In The Tanglewood’ album, the pen did flow as did the whiskey, and ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ was born.

Originally rush released as a 10-track album by Round Records back in 2018 to meet pre-order deadlines, this collection of heartfelt, soul-searching tunes has been lovingly re-mixed, re-sequenced and beefed up with 5 extra songs recorded at the same sessions, but not finished in time for release. The album now gets a proper worldwide release on Little Steven’s Wicked Cool Records label, a place that sees our man now rub shoulders with other RPM favourites such as Ryan Hamilton, Jesse Malin and Wyldlife.

Track wise and feel wise, the reshuffle turns this album on its head quite literally. The album now opens with the upbeat vibes of ‘Why Aye’, a song of hope and confidence in moving forward. That now leaves the beautiful, acoustic sermonette ‘May The Restless Find Peace’ to close things up. In hindsight, a more fitting epilogue to the story than an introduction. It now feels like the song has its rightful place and harmony has been restored in the world.

It’s interesting to note that a friend of mine (who is not a big Wildhearts lover) commented that Ginger sings in his natural accent on his solo material, and that’s something I never noticed before, but I must say the Geordie twang is more prominent on this album. And it maybe gives more of a sense of locality and a big dose of Northern charm that fits well with the country-tinged direction in which Ginger is heading.

‘I Love You So Much I’m Leaving’ is a euphoric high for dark times. A song that offers hope and contemplation in equal measures. A sound that features pedal steel and acoustic guitars, it’s the country-tinged direction we assume he will take further with The Sinners album (to be released later this year). Another album highlight is the acoustic driven ‘You Will Let Me Down Again’. Commercial and worthy of single status, it flows along on a summer breeze with lazy, hazy backing vocals courtesy of Emily Ewing.

Of the new songs, the standout is the newbie single ‘Stalemate’, which along with the title track could have fitted nicely on the ‘555%’ triple album. A signature Ginger melody and a radio friendly chorus that will stick in the subconscious, never to be removed. ‘Detachment’ has a similar melody to ‘The Words Are Gonna Have To Wait’ and ‘No Regrets’ has an almost Greg Lake seasonal feel to it.

Elsewhere ‘I Don’t Wanna Work On This Song No More’ is one of those fun, studio jams that pilfers from The Wurzels as much as it does from The Levellers, and ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ is a tongue-in-cheek romp that raises a smile or two.

Back sometime in the mid 90’s the Wildhearts leader claimed that “some of the best of me plans have been laid, and some of me best moments used”. Well, fast forward to 2022 and we find the man re-releasing his 7th (don’t quote me on that!) solo album and it seems he still has some of his best moments left in the bag.

The heart wrenching ‘A Better Love’ features a beautiful piano-led first chorus that is so gentle and fragile, it feels like any intrusion would destroy the song forever. Heart on sleeve, a love song pure and simple that implores you to hold on tightly to the one you love and never let them go.

‘Sweet Wonderlust’ is pure countrified pop with a killer chorus the likes of Nashville can never deliver. And ‘There Is A House’ is a contemplative, folky ditty along the same lines as ‘If You Find Yourself In London Town’. Full of tinkling ivories, stark percussion and creative space, it might just help heal the broken hearted…just a little bit.

While as standalone tracks the additional songs may not be the strongest on offer, they seem perfect in the context of ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ as a whole listening experience. And now I feel relistening to the original record, it will always feel like there is something missing.

A release designed to get the talents of one of the UK’s best kept secrets out to a wider audience. ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ is a country-tinged break-up album that is as much a therapy for the artist as it is joyful, masterful listen for fans both old and new. An album worth revisiting if you’ve been here before and also worth forwarding to those who haven’t. Let’s help spread the word.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

Francis Rossi – ‘Tunes & Chat’ – Huge 2023 spoken word/acoustic tour

Francis Rossi – ‘Tunes & Chat’ – Huge 2023 spoken word/acoustic tour

Status Quo legend Francis Rossi is taking up his acoustic guitar to bring you a selection of well-known hits and some previously not-performed-live-before tunes.  He will be undertaking a massive 101 date tour next year that kicks off on 24 March 2023 in Wimborne and closes on 11 November 2023. 

For full details and ticket sales please visit francisrossi.com

It’ll be a unique evening in which Francis will reprise fan favourites from a remarkable 50+year career.  Expect original-style, acoustic versions of Quo classics, threaded together with chat in this music based evening.

Tickets go on sale Today Friday 15 April. VIP packages are available for those wishing to meet Francis before the show.

Ginger Wildheart – New Album & Tour dates

Ginger Wildheart – New Album & Tour dates

On April 22nd Ginger Wildheart proudly releases The Pessimist’s Companion on Wicked Cool Records. ‘The Pessimist’s Companion‘,  featuring the single Stalemate, will be available both digitally and on CD.

“Fresh from a break up, a lonely alcoholic living in a caravan poured his feelings into a collection of songs, as dark as they are confessional. The landscape is more eclectic than its predecessor, Ghost In The Tanglewood, but cut from the same tree. 

The Pessimist’s Companion never got a proper commercial release, due to one thing or another, and was hastily mixed and compiled to meet its pre-order deadline. Rough, urgent and entirely in keeping with the subject matter.

The album presented here, still wrapped in stunning artwork by Chris Mars, features a brand new mix, a different running order and five extra songs recorded for the session but not finished in time. 

This is a deeply personal release for me. I hope you find something here to warm the colder nights alone.” – Ginger Wildheart.

This official15 track album released on Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records is an aural treat, with no calculated image or reliance on nostalgia. Ginger has created a truly honest album which is an all too rare commodity in today’s world.To celebrate the release of ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ plays 7 UK shows, with Jon Poole, starting on Sunday 17th at The Cluny in Newcastle and concluding at the Lexington in London on Saturday 23rd.

The Pessimist’s Companion  is available to pre-order / pre- save here

Ginger Wildheart April UK shows

Sun 17th              Newcastle       Cluny

Tickets for Ginger Wildheart | TicketWeb – The Cluny in Newcastle upon Tyne , GB

Mon 18th          Edinburgh        Bannermans   SOLD OUT

Tue 19th           Leicester         Soundhouse

See Tickets – ‘Ginger Wildheart Acoustic’ Tickets | Tuesday, 19 Apr 2022 at 8:00 PM

Wed 20th         Cardiff             Clwb Ifor Bach

Tickets for Ginger Wildheart | TicketWeb – Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, GB

Thu 21st           Blackpool        Waterloo Music Bar

Ginger Wildheart Acoustic Tickets | Thursday, 21 Apr 2022 at 8:00 PM (ents24.com)

Fri 22nd            Huddersfield    Parish

Ginger Wildheart Tickets | Friday, 22 Apr 2022 at 8:00 PM (ents24.com)

Sat 23rd           London                        Lexington

See Tickets – GINGER WILDHEART ACOUSTIC Tickets | Saturday, 23 Apr 2022 at 7:30 PM

The Chats, Chubby & The Gang, Dennis Cometti – Bristol O2 -Monday 28.03.22

The Chats, Chubby & The Gang, Dennis Cometti – Bristol O2 -Monday 28.03.22


The much-anticipated trip over the bridge to watch The Chats at the Bristol O2 had finally come, after being postponed a number of times due to COVID the place was finally packed full of mullets and Aussie brilliance.

The First support band Dennis Cometti (named after a retired sports commentator) started the carnage as a people crowd surfed their way to the front to ‘on the sauce’ (which is still on repeat in my head) A perfect setup for the evening to come.

After a stop at the bar, Londoners ‘Chubby & The Gang’ send the O2 mental with their souped-up UK HC. It seemed to go by in a flash of strobe lighting, dry ice and dimly lit red lights. With a mix of songs from both albums, Chubby led his band through a pulverising set that fitted in rather well with tonights up for it crowd. Chubby seemed really pumped and up for it feeding off the pit and onto the O2’s large stage, rather than some grubby little club where this style usually lives and thrives. Tonight Chubby & The Gang brought it on to Bristol and went down a treat.

Before placing ourselves out of the bear pit that is the front stalls and go for the safer option and prime spot on the balcony the lights dimmed and out they flew. In an absolute blur of limbs, The Chats hit the stage hard and the only thing moving faster than the songs was the lighting – strobing like crazy sending the pit wilder than a dozen boxing kangaroos. Everything was played at double, nah triple, nah quadruple speed, It seemed like a Chats classics masterclass. Favourites ‘nambored’, ‘temperature’ and ‘mum stole my darts’ sent the Kungfu kicking kids at the front absolutely mental.

With barely time to take a breathe Mr. Sandwith took a trip on some of the multiple liquids flung towards the stage and lay in the pool of beer that had gathered, in excitement he returned to his feet and smashed out a breakneck ‘smoko’ and their newest song, ‘struck by lightning’ and then it seemed to come to a crashing halt. Equipment was broken and chaos was all around which seems like the best way for a Chats show to go.

What felt like a prime frat house punk rock party Australian style – the set length was perfect it was all over and leaving the salivating mob with ‘Pub feed’ was about right. The crowd was duly told to fuck off and the band legged it. Soaked in beers and a cheerio-o their work tonight was done, Bristol was left to come down from The Chats tornado that just tore the O2 a new one. Until next time from a very, very sweaty O2 g’day and goodnight you bonza bunch of noisy swines.

Killing Joke/Imbeciles- Cardiff Tram shed 28/3/22

Killing Joke/Imbeciles- Cardiff Tram shed 28/3/22

As we move further into the new normal and as restrictions drop away and we begin the learning process of living in a “post pandemic world” as things move towards becoming endemic, live music has a huge part to play in the healing process, and re-invigorate our thoughts, attitudes and ability to function in a Tory led new world order. Thinking about new world order takes my thought straight to killing joke a band that have constantly pushed against the barriers of genre, attitude and predictability.

 I mean as scribes we constantly bounce our thoughts around look for influences get hooks to our writing and try and introduce the reader to band’s they might like based on their current listening, now ask yourself two questions

  1. Who are the influences that have helped build the Killing Joke sound?
  2. Who do Killing Joke sound like?

The answer to the first is there aren’t any, Killing Joke are constantly shifting the boundaries of music, they draw their power and intensity from fantastic musicians exploring the scope of their instruments with a frontman looking both inwards and  outwards from an almost visionary perspective pulling the threads together.

The answer to the second? No-One !! Killing Joke stand out on their own an enigma pulled together by an enigmatic frontman, present post punk/post modernist future reaching music, moving ever outwards and dictating where music can go rather than following the masses.

Pulling things back there is a support tonight Brooklyn based anglo-American ‘The Imbeciles’

The Imbeciles are: Butch Dante (guitar and backing vocals), Ben Rice (guitars, lap steel, backing vocals), John Kent (lead vocals, bass guitar, backing vocals, drums, percussion), Joshua Lattanzi (guitars and backing vocals), Charlie Culbert (drums).

Youth played bass guitar and co-write the songs on their new album ‘Imbelica’.

Now I have to hold my hands up I didn’t dive in and research them prior through choice, sometimes its worth making your mind up raw without prior influence in the live setting and myself alongside the crowd  really took to the band again not really a band you could pin down to a specific genre, at times hinting at REM, at times drawing on the grunge attitude Nirvana in particular, but staying in the Seattle sound with the Meat puppets and Soundgarden again coming through and all underpinned with almost a classic rock sound. The new LP will be well worth exploring and I would urge people to check them out live.

In all the times I’ve seen Killing Joke alongside the H Bomb’s experiences who provided tonight’s photos well into double figures between us ‘Love like Blood’ has only been  experienced once and never by yours truly and they only opened with it tonight!!! Fair play and then to follow it with ‘Wardance‘ and ‘The Fall Of Because’ I was a happy man, in fact the whole gig was both intense and relentless, presided over by a frontman on top form, engaging and driven, the intensity just continued to ramp up as the band locked in and by the time we’d gone through ‘Money is Not Our God’ and ‘This World Hell’ we were on fire and then ‘Bloodsport’ just tore the roof off. There were so many highlights until we got to the end of the main set with ‘The Wait’ and ‘Pssyche’.

Time to take a breath and we’re back with Requiem dedicated to Taylor Hawkins, ‘I am the Virus’ and ‘Pandemonium’.

So returning to my initial thoughts Killing Joke are still bang on point as relevant today as they were in the beginning moving and dictating what music should sound like tearing their own path Brutal, intense, challenging and forward thinking as all music should be standing alone an Enigma but one that needs to be experienced by one and all.  

Author: Nev Brooks pics Johnny Hayward

Suzi Quatro set to play Royal Albert Hall

Suzi Quatro set to play Royal Albert Hall

Suzi Quatro is the trailblazing Queen of Rock’ n’ Roll. Not only a global legend who has sold over 55 million records worldwide, she is also a record producer, actress (Happy Days, Minder, Absolutely Fabulous, Dempsey and Makepeace, Rock School), poet, author and radio presenter (BBC Radio 2).

This year, Suzi is celebrating an incredible 58 years in the music business by performing a hit-packed, career-spanning live show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She said, “I’m honoured to be performing at such an iconic venue. I’ll be playing a two-hour show – so be ready to get royally rocked. I can’t wait!”.

Detroit-born Suzi grew up in a musical family, forming her first band The Pleasure Seekers aged just 14 with her sisters, they recorded three singles.

In 1971, Suzi moved to England to work with celebrated producer Mickie Most. She first came to the attention of the British public as a support act alongside Thin Lizzy on Slade’s first nationwide tour of the UK. Then in 1972, she released her first single as a solo artist – Rolling Stone. She released a string of hits in the years following, including
two Number 1 songs; Can the Can and Devil Gate Drive.

In 1999 Suzi began her radio career with a series of weekly programmes and notable documentaries on BBC Radio 2.

In 2006, Suzi was nominated for Music Broadcaster of the Year at the Sony Music Awards. She is the recipient of the Woman of Valour Award from the organisation Musicians for Equal Opportunities for Women. Suzi was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame (2013) and, in the same year, received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the Detroit Music Awards.

Suzi Quatro continues to perform live, playing 100+ shows worldwide each year.

Purchase tickets for the Royal Albert Hall show:  Here

Supersuckers, The Hip Priests, Deathtraps – Le Pub Newport – Sat 26 March 2022

Supersuckers, The Hip Priests, Deathtraps – Le Pub Newport – Sat 26 March 2022

oh, what a night. This one had been on the to-do list for quite some time some months. Fingers and toes were crossed that this would actually happen as the country opened up.

Tonight Le Pub was bouncing with anticipation for what was promising to be an explosion of energy and rock and roll that had been pent up for oh so long. Deathtraps are south Wales finest exponents of noisy Rock and fucking Roll, Nottinghams finest The Motherfucking Hip Priests and Supersuckers the self professed Greatest Rock and Roll band in the world. This motherfucker is trippin’ on what’s to come.

Deathtraps were first up and we saw Fraser sporting a rather fetching piece of headgear to rival Eddie’s cowboy hat and the band was on a mission to cram in as much music as possible in their tight thirty-minute set. The band went for it from the off delivering a thuggish set with some new tunes that showed they weren’t sitting idle during the past few years’ hibernation and got to write some more decent songs. ‘She Said’ was particularly striking and the set was wound up with a tribute to the departed Hank Von Hell with a frantic cover of ‘Denim Demon’ which went down very well to finish off a most pleasing set.

The Hip Priests have been on the whole tour around plague island with Supersuckers and hit that sweet spot where everything sounded tight and they were in their groove right from the off. Opening with ‘Black Denim Blitz’ ‘Survival OF The Shittest’ a fitting tune that signaled the avalanche of venom from the twin guitar attack of Austin and Ben as they bookend the sonic explosions that is Von Cruz, a man who can’t stand still for a split second whilst Brother Lee Love holds the bottom end that holds these tunes together along with Des the rhythmic pair sound like a carpet bombing of hard rockin punk attitude.

Supporting in a venue they often headline at saw the slimmed-down set bolstered with the sound of no less than four new songs that sounded exciting and if they’re anything to go by the new album is gonna burn. They’re about to finish off what will be a career-high and see this ten-legged groove machine burn a path to glory. By the time they hit ‘Zero Fucks Given’ they were on fire and exploding a stick of dynamite that Eddie and the boys have to try and follow.

Taking the Newport stage to the strains of EVH mr spaghetti is Looking well in his trademark cowboy hat and shades. Eddie Spaghetti was about to get down to business and shake the shit out of one of the best music venues around and show the good people present that Rock and fucking Roll was alive and kicking and in rude health. Taking in songs from all quarters of the band’s catalogue and shaking up the set from previous nights and therefore keeping it fresh my only complaint to the management would be this, With so many great songs of their own why three covers in a tight – compact set? Sure I love me some Michael Monroe and Thin Lizzys ‘Cowboy Song’ is a banger as is their tribute to ZZ Top but I think I’d have loved to hear a bunch of other classic Supersuckers tunes, just saying.

Whinge aside tonight the band was loud and proud and didn’t substitute any subtleties from the melodies with volume and Eddie was in great spirits with his banter. The Supersuckers love a cliche and why not? Rock and Roll is a celebration and not something everyone can do and do this well. They have songs with Rock and Roll in the title (and more besides) they love to let people know they are in the company of the Best band in the world and Metal Marty Chandler has the tone ringing through his les paul that would surely meet the approval of Jonesy whilst Christopher Von Streicher holds a tight ship in the engine room making it sound so effortless sure does make for a great band who sounded in fine form road worn and battle-ready. Tonight the Supersuckers have the Evil Powers of Rock and Roll well and truly harnessed and delivered the good.

It has been probably ten years since the last time I saw them live bar Eddie acoustic and whilst I regret not seeing the Evil Powers album in the full set this was a pretty damn perfect cross-section. Whilst there can and will be debating what is the perfect set there can be no debatin that when Supersuckers are on it they burn a hellbound trail and I’m always on board with that. Until next time hombres it was indeed a pleasure and not a second of a chore – three bands for less than £20 is an absolute bargain especially when they’ve been this damn good.

Author: Dom Daley

THE LOVELY EGGS HEAD OFF ON THEIR EASTER HOLIDAYS!

THE LOVELY EGGS HEAD OFF ON THEIR EASTER HOLIDAYS!

UK DATES CONFIRMED FOR APRIL, MAY AND JUNE

WITH SUPPORT FROM ROB AUTON, BUG CLUB, AND GWENIFER RAYMOND

TICKETS HERE

‘FRIED EGG’ 10” EP OUT APRIL 8TH FEATURING RARE SONGS AND LIVE RECORDINGS

NUMBER ONE SELLING NEW ALBUM ‘I AM MORON’ OUT NOW!

April 2022

Thurs 7th Castle and Falcon, Birmingham SOLD OUT

Fri 8th, Heaven, London

Sat 9th, Bedford Squires, Bedford NEW DATE

Sun 10th, Forum, Tunbridge Wells NEW DATE

Mon 11th Junction 2, Cambridge SOLD OUT

Tues 12th, The Waterfront, Norwich NEW DATE

Thurs 14th, The Black Prince, Northampton NEW DATE

Fri 15th, Pop Recs, Sunderland NEW DATE

Sat 16th, The Brudenell, Leeds SOLD OUT

Thurs 28th, Ulster Sports Club, Belfast

Fri 29th, The Workman’s Club, Dublin

Sat 30th, Dolan’s Pub, Limerick

May 2022

Thur 26th The Cluny, Newcastle SOLD OUT

Fri 27th Stereo, Glasgow SOLD OUT

Sat 28th The Mash House, Edinburgh SOLD OUT

Sun 29th The Crescent, York

Mon 30th Sub Rooms, Stroud

Tues 31st Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

June 2022

Wed 1st, The Facebar, Reading

Thurs 2nd, The Fleece, Bristol NEW DATE

Fri 3rd, 02 Ritz, Manchester

The Lovely Eggs do not give up. Ever. The proudly independent Northern psychedelic punk rock duo have now, since the beginning of the pandemic, rescheduled the tour originally intended to promote the release in April 2020 of their ‘I Am Moron’ album, a staggering seven times. Now, they can finally return to the stage in full force, with a string of live shows to start this coming Easter.

The Lovely Eggs have a long tradition of touring in the school holiday period because, as parents of a young son, they are not prepared to leave him at home!

“Every time the school holidays hit, we head off on tour,” explains Holly. “Our lad is 9 now and we’ve been touring with him since he was 4 months old. It’s just something we have to do. When we decided to have a kid, we knew we didn’t want it to change our lifestyle. Everyone goes on about settling down and getting proper jobs when you have kids but that’s just nonsense. We knew we could do things differently. 

“Making music and touring and being in a band is fundamental to who we are. There was no way we could stop doing it. So, we bought a mini fridge for the van, and I expressed milk for when I was on stage and stored it in there. I sterilised bottles every night after the gig. We took a mate with us to babysit. Nine years on and we’re still at it. And our little lad loves it. He’s been round the world with us through the band and visited some amazing places. We’ll ask promoters to get stuff for him on our rider and he loves a kick about during soundcheck. The late nights and early mornings used to be a killer but no worse than some of the hangovers we used to have!

“As a woman I’m not having anyone tell me what I can and can’t do, or what stereotype I need to fit in with. This is our dysfunctional family and we bloody love it!”

Fiercely DIY, and yes, fiercely fierce, The Lovely Eggs have outlived most bands and continue to strive forward, with a dedicated audience that moves with them. Almost all of their tours always sell out and these dates will be no exception.

Joining them will be a three support acts that exist in the same world as the band’s eclectic, out-there sound: Rob Auton, Bug Club, and Gwenifer Raymond. Labelled ‘a genuine original’, Rob Auton Rob has written eight hit Edinburgh Fringe shows, which have led to nationwide tours and television/radio appearances. Bug Club are a trio currently turning heads, hearts, eyes and ears following the release of their debut EP ‘Launching Moondream One’ in early 2021 through Bingo Records. Finally, Gwenifer Raymond is a master songwriter, taking from the sounds of the Welsh Valleys and Appalachian Folk for an adventurous embrace of compositional tradition.

The Lovely Eggs are also due to release ‘Fried Egg’, a 10” EP that will be available from April 8th and features a selection of rare songs and live recordings that were originally available as a CDR release back in 2007. The release is limited to 1500 copies.

“This Egg EP was the very first collection of songs we released in 2007,” explains Holly. “We couldn’t afford to press vinyl back then so we put together our own CD-Rs at home which we would then sell at gigs. It included new songs at the time and live recordings, and we put it together to look like a fried egg in old joke shop packaging. Over lockdown our mate Phil, who runs a vinyl cutting business in Brighton called 3.45RPM, surprised us with a copy of it on vinyl which emulated the CD-R original. We loved it so much we decided to get it pressed so our fans could have a copy too. And here it is. “

The ‘Fried Egg’ 10” will be available here: thelovelyeggs.co.uk

New Model Army – Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. March 23rd 2022.

New Model Army – Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. March 23rd 2022.

It’s been a while but things are seeing a return to some sort of normality as live shows pick up some steam and bands shake off the rust of a couple of years in hibernation. Bradfords New Model Army are one of those bands who’ve been actively touring the globe for forty years and some and tonight it was a first as the band rolled into the very nice surroundings of the industrial town’s theatre for a night of alternative treats and a hefty back catalogue that needed purging. It seemed fitting for New Model Army and Sullivan’s lyrics always remind me of places like Port Talbot, gritty working-class towns that keep you honest and where people have worked hard for what they have and that’s reflected in the music and lyrics to one side of the town is a magnificent view and a bay that sweeps for miles whilst the backdrop is huge foreboding mountains leading to the North pretty much as it has been for decades and decades so with this backdrop hearing ‘End Of days’ strike up the band sounded up for it and the evening’s entertainment began.

The last few years have seen the band release several epic albums that are every inch as good as their earlier commercial breakthroughs such as ‘No Rest’, ‘Thunder And Consolation’ and ‘The Ghost Of Cain’. Songs like ‘1984’ seemed poignant and could have been written in the past few months never mind decades. Keeping it current the superb ‘Never Arriving’ and ‘From Here’ played back to back sounded monumental through the excellent PA.

Those present were treated to an eighteen song set with ‘Western Dreams’ taking me right back as the bass thumped my chest But there was some great interaction from Sullivan as he introduced the songs and offered up thoughts on whats going on in Eastern Europe and how grateful he was to be back doing what he loves doing. ‘Born Ferel’ from ‘Winter’ was a welcome breath catcher.

‘Impuritys’ ‘Before I Get Old’ was reflective whilst the band stayed with the album for a run through the spikey ‘Vanity’ fitting in seamlessly alongside ‘Where I Am’ the last song played from the recent ‘From Here’.

As we hit the home straight it was back to the beginning for a blast of ‘Bittersweet’ before an epic run through ‘Angry Planet’ with its brutal power chords never seemed more apt than right now. As the band offered up a couple more thacks for the encore it was ‘Courage’ from ‘The Ghost Of Cain’ before finally bowing out with a magnificent run through the life-affirming chorus of ‘I Love The World’ rang out through the steel towns corridors. It might have taken them forty-two years to get here but it was worth the wait. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I get the pleasure of seeing the New Model Army again. Always a pleasure and never a chore and nights like this I certainly love the world!

Author: Dom Daley