JB's, Dudley, 14/05/2003. Support: Archie Benson Outfit.
It was a surprising night of rewards on a Spring Wednesday night in Dudley In the wake of the large number of bands that the Bluetones simultaneously arrived onto the music scene with imploding (Echobelly, Sleeper, Mansun, Cast, Kula Shaker), it is rewarding to see the Bluetones still out there performing, still popular, and still producing good tunes. It has to be said that only Supergrass, Bluetones and Blur can lay claim to emerging from the Britpop scene as distant survivors, although less so for Blur despite evolving their sound numerous times.
Proving to be a shocking choice of venue for the lads from Hounslow, even by their own admission, but still a rewarding one for someone that lives locally to that area, namely me. Sadly I missed the support band Archie Benson outfit, but it was
rewarding to hear classic indie tracks blaring away over the P.A. system upon arrival, as I stood with drink in hand in keen anticipation to one of the better crafted guitar bands of the mid-nineties. What is largely used as rock venue, and has seen much harder, heavier acts grace their stage than Messrs Morriss and Co; it was pleasing to see a good number of people turn
out on a Wednesday night to see Mark, Scott, Eds, Richard, and Adam. Beginning with a long-term favourite of mine, 'Bluetonic', the 'Tones got a fairly flat reception warmed up, and the music was as great as ever.
Mark Moriss's patter didn't seem to go that well with the majority of the audience, but then I never realised until the end that someone heckling "turn it up", was actually a song request. I think that statement did break the friction however, as from a signifcant point onwards, the sound appeared to have more edge, and songs like the excellent "Keep the Home Fires Burning" had so much more warmth, that on a better day with a bigger crowd, that could be their more exceptional "Yellow" anthem. From there we had the wonderful "Sleazy Bed Track", which really emphasised Morriss' vocals, and classics like "Cut some Rug", "If", and "Putting out Fires" seemed renewed.
We also got to hear tracks from the recently released "Luxembourg", with stand-out tracks being the excellent "Fast Boy",
"Never Going Nowhere", "Here it Comes Again", and "Liquid Lips" dispersed in the set. Finally the gentleman had his wish acknowledged, and "Turn it up" ended the set; which excluded on the night "Slight Return", "Marblehead Johnson", "Autophillia", and "After Hours".
Nice to see a band out to please the fans for what they want to hear, however obscure, and not just churn out the hit singles. In any case, I'm sure the Bluetones will have plenty more opportunities to play those hits, and that is Bluetonic for all fans
everywhere!
Craig Aston
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