It's now just over ten years since The Bluetones' debut album 'Expecting To Fly' knocked Oasis' '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' off number one in the album chart, at least for a week. With so many of their moderately successful, don't-mention-the-B-word peers now having fallen by the wayside (Cast, Sleeper, Kula Shaker, Dodgy, Shed Seven, anyone? Even Ocean Colour Scene have started losing members) it's a wonder that they're still here at all, but they've just signed another three album deal and appear to be happy with existence in their own secluded world a long way from the zeitgeist.
Tonight Mark Morriss (as charming and almost as young-looking as ever) can say "four months has gone by quickly, hasn't it?", confident in the knowledge that the majority here were at Shepherd's Bush Empire in October too. Hey, half of them were probably there in 1996 too. Not that this is a crowd who are just here for a nostalgic trip through the old hits.
2003's number 40 smash Never Going Nowhere is met with obvious total love and last year's self-released, internet-only single Serenity Now creates pogoing mayhem. They decide to play a set consisting half and half of A-sides and B-sides (to fit in with their forthcoming boxset) and it's actually difficult to tell from the ecstatic reaction which are which at times. Finally, just for tonight, If... is officially the best song in the world ever.
I could try to objectively review this and why it is that they still inspire such loyalty but frankly I'm way too busy at the front singing along to every word and having the time of my life.
(usual Ada-thanks for photos)
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