Noah and the Whale, inspired dance

Noah and the Whale: Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Gig 12: 29 March 2012

By now the merely going along to 40 gigs this year seemed eminently achievable and I am definitely enjoying the challenge or getting a little bit obsessed with going along to gigs, not having huge amounts of spare time, its taken the place of going to the Gym, another win!

So Noah and the Whale was selected by me and Planty from Song Kick to attend, and the date rolled round, having been to a leaving do for someone from work and stopped chatting a little bit too long, the journey to Wolverhampton was incredibly speedy, I played the game of beat the satnav to very good effect arriving in the usual spot and racing up and into the gig.

I was keen to catch the support and cooking lager in hand I got in to see Lucy Rose who I had researched a little on youtube and really enjoyed, singer, guitar, quirky songs, just my particular cup of tea, a bit like this Youtube clip:

Live however this cracking song writer had surrounded herself with a band who just didn't seem to be playing anything to do with Lucy's songs, and I was a bit underwhelmed.

May have been the big venue, the fact I was stood under the balcony at the Civic and the sound wasn't perfect or I missed the point, but I would give Lucy a second chance hopefully when she returns to the Little Civic in June.

The crowd was in good attendance for the support and gave a better response than me I suppose, whilst I finished off my cooking lager with traditional plastic glass.

It was clear that the audience were ready for Noah and the Whale, there was a palpable buzz going round and when the support music turned off, lights dimmed and the curtain at the back was lit up in Mondriane style the buzz increased. This was then brilliantly captured by the Noah's punctuating little messages in the squares building the anticipation, more and more, are you ready?, are you ready? here we go! NOAH AND THE WHALE, ending with the back drop as the photo above, a really impressive build up.

Coming on to Life is Life, I was immediately in, ooooooh I like this one mode, rocking back and forth on my heels (my preferred gig shimmying) to the songs, and venturing out from under the balcony to be greeted by a much better all round sound.

I wasn't the only person enjoying this, the rest of the audience were very much into it, as was in particular the lady in front of me, who was a dancing whirlwind, well when I say whirlwind, she danced like the dancing priest from Father Ted, not in time to the music, just really enjoying herself.

I loved this free spirit and emotion, reminded me of Phoebe from Friends when she went running through Central Park and ran like a 5 year old arms and legs going all over the place in abandon, I've tried this (admittedly running through a forest where no-one could see me and it is liberating).

The thing that struck me as we went through the gig was how tight the band were on stage and how far from the Mumford and Sons / Laura Marling twee folks they were, the gig was really rousing and cracking, upbeat and fun, and as a result there were great engaged sing alongs with the audience.

A nice touch was for Love of an Orchestra where an Orchestra was wheeled in, but virtually, where violinist Tom steps off stage right and then back into the orchestra in celluloid. A very nice touch which was Charlie Fink commented was made even more remarkable by this vortex being able to change all of Tom's clothes, but again a great tune.

The songs kept coming and I kept thinking how I like this one, I like this one, Noah and the Whale have secretly snook up on me without me knowing! Last song of the set was L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N which was a perfect way to finish, ensuring mass sing along and everyone was happy.

Having satisfied everyone, the encore was the indulgent wig out of The First Days of Spring, but I had already Lifegoeson lodged in my brain for the drive home and sleep. A cracking nights entertainment and well worth the entrance fee.

Set List:

1. Life Is Life 
2. Just Me Before We Met 
3. Give It All Back 
4. Give A Little Love 
5. Rocks and Daggers 
6. Shape of my Heart 
7. Blue Skies 
8. Old Joy 
9. Our Window 
10. Wild Thing 
11. Love of an Orchestra 
12. Tonight's the Kind of Night 
13. 5 Years Time 
14. Barracuda 
    (Heart cover)
15. Jocasta 
16. Waiting For My Chance 
17. L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. 
18. Encore:
18. The First Days of Spring 

I spy with my Beady Eye

The first of 2 long bank holiday weekends and by Easter Sunday I am suitably chilled and up to see Beady Eye, or diet oasis (without Noel). Arriving in Wolverhampton not having managed to do my homework with the album, I wondered what Liam Gallagher would have in store, wandering towards the gig you could tell it was going to be a big one as the streets were filled with a beered up mod army, with amounts of hair on show that made me feel folically challenged for a change rather than simply old.

Getting into the gig I was very chuffed to find that I had booked a balcony seat, front and centre to see the gig, and even better the bar upstairs was one deep in queue and the bar maid asked me over the chap in fronts shoulder before I even had chance to get ready for a pint of Fosters. After 4 months enforced abstinence the beer was suitably lovely.

Settled in for the support, Steve Craddock from Ocean Colour Scene, he was ok, nowt to write home about until he got enthused about the last song which was a pretty good tune. What he didn't explain was the 10 years old kid sat next to the keyboard player not playing the sleigh bells in time, I sat their all Dad wondering if he had ear protectors on.

The build up to Beady Eye was very well done, a building of mod anthems, the Jam's that's entertainment, Sex Pistols God Save the Queen, and finally the Stone Roses I am the resurrection which whipped up the crowd into a frenzy, beery chants of Liam, Liam broke out, a huge intro tune followed by Liam and band walking on. At that point the crowd erupted in beer, loads of beer flew, and what made it more of a spectacle was that Wolves Civic Hall were serving beer in 3 pint pots.

The first 3 songs were very tight, banging songs, with Liam doing exactly what the crowd wanted and expected, having perfect attitude whilst standing immaculately in a Parker looking cool as fuck. Gem and Andy Bell flanked Liam looking quite assured and the tunes really bashed out of the speakers, and you could see this was going to be a first class gig.

A highlight Was the song Bring the Light with it's driving chorus of 'baby come on' and the piano being thumped out like it's supporting Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis. The piece de resistance was the backing film for it was impressive with 3 dancers looking like the 3 degrees bouncing round, cracking.

As the gig rolled on, it flew by, each song crafted either to sound like an Oasis song, or a song stolen from a classic band, Beatles, Stones, Who etc. But it really worked, and the band knew it, Liam seemed suitably impressed with the crowd, saying something that was met with cheers before the encore and then at the end, but for the final song he did climb down into the audience before leaving stage right, pretty cool.

All in all, a quality gig, with a really Hugh atmosphere. I only remember the Garbage gig there coming close ever (being their second gig in the uk when arriving for their debut album tour which was electric). Seeing Liam up close like this, without a football fields worth of people like Knebworth or V festival was great. Who cares this was Oasis light, I am quite a big fan of diet coke.