The seldom seen gig

The Seldom Seen Gig

My first gig of the year and I greeted the gig going spectre with aplomb. Elbow have been a really important band to me over the years. Always consistent, musically they're a beautiful, edgy joy to behold and Guy Garvey is a great lyricist. He's capable of making you emotionally identify and empathise and melt with every poetic heartbreak. Cannily, he lets his every word juxtapose your own feelings alongside his. It's a rare talent indeed that you can feel like you can own their songs to reflect a personal emotion, and you kind of get the feeling that they wouldn't mind.

Felt slightly glum as it was the Colston Hall, not known for he best sound in the world. BUT. Fuelled by a previous night there in the company of Richarwd Hawley that turned out OK with no audio miseries, I was very optimistic.

A friend of Mr Sparkie's was there to take pictures for Venue, which was quite exciting, as by day he's a floorer by trade and his photography is starting to take off. Was shocked that he didn't have the foggiest who Elbow were. So made sure a brief history pep talk ensued and we sent him on his way.

The opening synth loops of Starlings heralded the band onstage. A fanfare for the Bury man ensued, as Garvey and the rest of the band mimicked trumpet bursts. Eyup! They've gone all showbiz on us. But down to business and Bones of You steered onto a raucous hispanic path to quit the lolygagging around. Like little glints that pepper the night's sky, Mirrorball, Newborn, Red and Station Approach twinkled brightly like the stars that they were and, to to stop the safe melodic lull, there were equal measures of anthemic bravado, as Grounds For Divorce and Forget Myself kept proceedings upbeat. Musically, there didn't seem that much detachment from how the songs sound live to how they sound recorded. If anything the subtleties of the melodies are made that much stronger, eightned by the swirling strings that punched there way through. Just so uplifting.

It has to be said that the gentle, humorous charm of Mr Garvey won many hearts, fendng off any audience verbal advances like a true pro. Tonight we learnt that he hasn't worn a dress, can't beatbox, knows a cracking joke or two, is not religious, will be playing Glastonbury and that Reg the security man told him that The Colston Hall stood on an old monastry site. Well done sir. It's kind of cool that you can go to a gig and learn a fact of the day. Normally I'm not that good at retaining facts, but remebering every joyful moment of the gig tonight? Well, that's pretty easy.