It’s difficult to believe it’s been thirteen years since the Bluetones debut, ‘Expecting to fly’, stormed the UK charts amid the feverish Britpop era; makes me feel a little old actually. They’ve been back on the road performing the entirety of their classic album since December last year. XYZ Reporter Jen Blakeley went to see if they still have that cheeky charm which made them so popular the first time around.
I am surprised at the enormity of the crowd that greets me at Concorde2 tonight; the Bluetones have stiff competition with recent Mercury prize winners, Elbow, performing at the Brighton Dome.This must mean that they still have a strong fanbase and that they’ve never quite been forgotten.
As the band come on stage, you can see how the last decade has matured them. Lead singer Mark Morris is sporting a very manly beard, trim figure and distinguished features; a long way from the fresh-faced popsters of the early nineties.
The band go straight into the first song off the album ‘Talking to Clarry’ and it’s clear that under the guise of matured musicians lies still the enthusiasm and sound of the former indie kids.The band seems to be enjoying playing its old songs. It’s one of those rare occasions where the act is so polished that the performance has nearly the same sound quality as its recording.On cassette, considering the initial release of the album. A few songs in and we arrive at one of my personal favourites, ‘Cut Some Rug’ with its endearing lyrics, ‘And all the time you remind me of blitzkrieg and the doodlebug, salt upon a bubbling slug’.
The band melodically journey through the rest of the album visiting the inevitable crowd pleaser, ‘Slight Return’.This was their most successful single, charting at number two in 1992.After this musical trip down memory lane, the band treats the audience to a few other songs from subsequent records. Although enjoyable, these songs could never capture the imagination or success of those from their chart topping debut.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance and great to see the band back on top form paying special attention to the album that shot them to fame.Mark Morris’s classic indie dancing and genuine appreciation for the fans made me feel like I was back in the mid-nineties and fourteen all over again.
By Jen Blakeley
Photography by Paul Mulley
www.bluetones.info
