Concorde2, 27th June
You might think that Spiritualized‘s albums have passed you by. If so, I recommend perusing their album artwork if nothing else. ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space’ looks like something your local pharmacist would hand you and was the first really successful album from 1997. More recently, ‘Songs in A&E’ garnered much hype, not just for the fact that it looked like it might never be finished, but also because of J. Spaceman’s much-publicised brush with death.
It’s fair to say that the long-running indie band haven’t received as much commercial success as their Manchester counterparts Stone Roses and Oasis. But, having released material for nearly 15 years there was a vast fan base willing to flock to Concorde2 for the bands warm-up gig, before heading to the surprisingly sunny Glastonbury festival.
Spiritualized have nothing if not a checkered past. In the past, lead singer and sole constant member, Jason Pierce (A.K.A. ‘J. Spaceman’) has sacked the other members, been involved in arguments with record labels and spent a large chunk of 2005 hooked up to a life-support machine after contracting pneumonia. It was so touch-and-go that his girlfriend was even given grievance counselling.
A wonder the band even make it to the stage, you might think. The lights came up on the early show, to a crescendo of guitars. J. Spaceman and company were supported by three female backing singers and faced an eager crowd side-on, complete with some WAG-style large shades. Given the emotion that Spiritualized inject their songs with, and the recent life and death personal rollercoaster this struck me as a little detached. The band took their time through a relaxed set of classic tracks. ‘Shine a Light’ made an early appearance, along with drum heavy ‘Come Together’ and ‘On Fire’, where the stage lights half blind the audience.
Shouts of appreciation to J. Spaceman rung out in between songs and the band built up to some serious noise levels in the encore as die hard Spiritualized fans praised the return of some well-honed drone rock.
Words by Andrea Fox
