I arrive at the Academy and the queues are massive. It takes ages to get in which is inexcusable really but I eventually get in, get down to the front and even get a pint. However, I have already missed half of the support band. It was 7pm doors for a 7:30pm support act. That never really works until your venue is tiny. The Academy is far from tiny. It’s only at this point that I realise that I may booked through 02 Priority. Which I thought was just priority for getting a ticket and not queueing but I think I may have been able to queue jump. Next time!
The support band are called Everyone Says Hi and are a super(ish) group named after a David Bowie song. They feature Nick Hodgson the former drummer from Kaiser Chiefs, Pete Denton the former bass player from The Kooks, Ben Gordon from The Dead 60s, Glenn Moule from Howling Bells and local Leeds guitarist Tom Dawson. They are decent, extremely competent but very dull.
And so to Feeder playing their 2002 album ‘Comfort In Sound’. This is the first night of the tour and therefore their first ‘album in full’ show after constant nagging from their fanbase. Although I must say not particularly for this album but it’s an understandable choice for a first stab. This is the album that finally catapulted them into the big time and the arenas. The record has been remastered for the occasion and there will also be a live album, which is another first for the band.
It is also an emotional album for everyone as it was the first one written and released after the suicide of the band’s drummer Jon Lee when we weren’t even sure that the band would continue. It’s a fragile record about lived experiences and tonight they turn this into an almighty attribute to Lee.
We’re in order so that means we’re straight into ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ for which having the lyrics up on the big screen makes it even more moving. Meanwhile the band remain mute as regards talking to the crowd for the duration of the album. A decision that makes it even more dramatic and emotional. They simply get on with it, with no fuss but plenty of style.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m no great fan of full album shows, as all bands have albums with stuff we want to hear again but also stuff that are fillers. I’d much rather bands just dig out the rarely played oldies that people are asking for but I also get this is about savouring a whole body of work and tonight their performance of it is flawless.
Among the ones that everyone has been wanting to hear again are ‘Find The Colour’, which comes with great visuals of Jon Lee, and ‘Forget About Tomorrow’, a potent reminder to appreciate every day. Both of which were singles back in the day. Personally, I am particularly stoked to hear the glorious ‘Helium’ played again.
The last track on the record is ‘Moonshine’ and, at its conclusion, we are left with a huge photo of Jon amid loads of claps, cheers and chanting until the lights finally go out. Once again, I’ll use that word - emotional.
The playing of the album was much better than I expected and, to be fair, totally blew me away. So that shows you how little I know about playing whole albums. However just when you think they can’t top that, the encore steps things up a level.
It starts predictably enough with a totally acoustic solo ‘High’ from Grant which is as sublime as ever, followed by the ever present ‘Feeling a Moment’ and a pumping ‘Pushing The Senses’ but then we get two never played b-sides from the ‘Comfort In Sound’ era.
‘Feel It Again’ is in many peoples Feeder top 10 but has only been played once ever at a festival. It sounds amazing tonight. While ‘Opaque’ has never been played before and is just awesome. Both tracks were b-sides to ‘Come Back Around’ which was the opening single from the album and their comeback record after Jon Lee’s death. So, all very appropriate and now I can die happy.
One finally twist tonight is that while they finish with the usual tumultuous ‘Just A Day’ they don’t play ‘Buck Rogers’ and, you know what, nobody dies.
Despite my misgivings this has been their best set in years. Comfort In Sound, it’s all around. Indeed.
Tonight Belly are at a sold-out Rescue Rooms as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of their second album ‘King’.
There is no support act and as we wait for the band to play the first of two sets we listen to an oddly Kim Deal heavy selection of warm up music.
Then they come on stage to play the first of two sets which sees them perform ‘King’ in full in its original order including the likes of the very rarely played ‘L'il Ennio’.
‘King’ was released in 1995 and was meant to be the album that built on the success of their first in 1993. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen for them and Tanya Donelly broke up the band a year later.
It wasn’t until they got back together ten years later that their third album ‘Dove’ was recorded in 2018. Which was the last time they were in Nottingham and as bass player Gail Greenwood says there seems to be plenty of repeat offenders here tonight.
The songs still sound great today and while I’ve always thought I preferred their first album, now thirty years on I’m not so sure. The likes of ‘Puberty’, ‘Superconnected’, ‘Now They'll Sleep’ and ‘Seal My Fate’ all sound amazing this evening.
After just a 15-minute break they come back on to play a second set throughout which Donelly repeatedly apologises for messing up and starting songs in the wrong key. Not that we’ve noticed.
The set opens with the b-side ‘Thief’ but thereafter leans
heavily on their debut album ‘Star’ as they rattle through ‘Dusted’, ‘Gepetto’,
‘Low Red Moon’, ‘Slow Dog’ and ‘Feed the Tree’ with ‘Human Child’ from their third
album ‘Dove’ in the middle. Then they close the set with another off ‘Dove’ in ‘Shiny
One’
They return for a one song encore, the slow building ‘Full Moon Empty Heart’ and then that’s it for another bunch of years.
My other half and I arrive around 4pm and start with the tweeness of the failed Eurovision project that is Remember Monday. I am told they do a bad cover of a Sabrina Carpenter song but I wouldn’t be able to recognise a bad version of a Sabrina Carpenter song. We depart before they finish with their big Eurovision song ‘What the Hell Just Happened?
Then we head to see Fratellis on the Main stage. This is less to my partner’s liking and she heads to a quiet corner with her book although I suspect she will still be able to hear them from there. A very secret fan perhaps? They open with a lively Henrietta and a huge many personned presence on the stage including saxophone and trumpet players.
Amongst all their usual stuff they cover Baccara’s ‘Yes sir I can boogie’. Yes sir, really. It’s actually very good but they don’t attempt any Sabrina Carpenter. At least I'm pretty sure they don't.
Then we catch a bit of a very green looking (as in a very sparkly dress) Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the Main Stage as the rain starts to fall before we move across, at my insistence, to see the Levellers on the Confetti stage.
As we wait for Echo & The Bunnymen to appear on Confetti, the sky starts grumbling and the threat of lightning curtails Travis on the Main Stage. We are asked to retreat three meters from the metal barrier. Note to organisers - go plastic. Although these look like the actual ones from Rock City. When a delay in proceedings is announced my partner bails and heads home.
The Bunnymen come on an hour late and despite being outdoors still manage to disappear behind a cloud of dry ice. They play a shorter set of just under an hour including a one song encore of ‘The Cutter’ for which they bring out a chair for singer Ian McCulloch. As there’s no one due on after them, I’m not sure why they don’t play a full set as the site curfew is 10:30 and that’s still half an hour away. Perhaps they hadn't got enough chairs for the rest of the band
As I head over to the Main Stage the Kaiser Chiefs appear to be playing Travis’ ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me?’
When I get there, I realise they have Travis with them, who didn’t get to play their big song. Then we’re back on track with ‘Ruby’ while they also play a great cover of the Ramones’ ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ and they go way beyond the 10:30 curfew and without chairs.
Supported by Big Special
So this is my sixth Pixies gig. I saw them five times first time around up until 1991 but then they split up in 1993. I've seen them only once since they reformed in 2003, that was at Leeds Festival in 2005. 30 years ago... Where does the time go? but to be fair they never come to Nottingham any more like they did in their heyday, so here I am at the Academy in Birmingham. Not one of my favourite places but it's going to be great to get reacquainted with Black Francis and co.
First though are local lads Big Special who say they met just around the corner at Matthew Boulton College. They seemed to consist of just a drummer and a man with his thumbs up. Turns out he’s the singer but doesn't have an instrument. Yet there is a secret guitar playing somewhere and some keyboards as well... Yes, we have another karaoke merchant.
That aside... they are nice lads who are clearly delighted to be supporting the band they described as the best in the world and they do make quite a good 'manufactured' sound. I particularly liked the secret saxophone on what they described as their new song.
Pixies take the stage without a word and ease into the instrumental ‘Cecilia Ann’ perhaps a sign that they are simply going to let the music speak for itself because there is no banter, no theatrics and no attempt to involve the crowd in a singalong just a tightly wound set of one relentless classic song after another.
'Wave Of Mutilation' and 'Planet Of Sound' hurtle along in the Monkey's wake. Then we are treated to material from albums I am less familiar with along with tracks from their new and tenth album, ‘The Night the Zombies Came’. This pattern of old and new continues seamlessly throughout a generous 28 song set.
Of course, the ravages of time meant I wasn’t expecting Black Francis to yelp like a lunatic as much as he used to but even at 60 he still howls his way through the magnificent 'Caribou' and commands the stage throughout. Although he does have to keep reaching for his reading glasses to read the set list. Which is great really. So he's not a God after all, he's just like the rest of us.
Supported by Dan Ottewell & Amigo the Devil
First up tonight is 18-year-old Dan Ottewell from Ashbourne and his electric guitar. To say he is delighted to be here and playing to a sold-out Rock City is the understatement of the year. He bounced onto the stage like an overexcited puppy where he tells us of his nights’ crowd surfing here and when he broke his nose in the mosh pit. Clearly this is his first time the other side of the crowd barrier. After performing his entire, excellent, set as high as a kite he gets his girlfriend up on stage to take a photo of him in front of the crowd. Then he departs for a well deserved lie down.
Next up after Dan is the not much calmer Danny Kiranos, otherwise known as Amigo the Devil, who is based in San Francisco. His band start with a promise of lies, some weird shit and a cry of ‘happy birthday’. He describes their music as Dark Country and he has a great collection of love songs. One is called 'I hope your Husband dies', an ode to said Husband's wife. Then there's another belter entitled 'Crying at the Orgy' and then there's 'Hungover in Jonestown' where he gets everyone singing along to the chorus... this life is a joke and death is the punchline.
I'm already getting into Dark Country and Frank Turner has yet again found not one but two great support bands.
And so, onto the man himself, with the Sleeping Souls of course, and his new album Undefeated. He tells us that this is his 31st show in Nottingham and his 3016th in total.
There's not much to say about his set as it's as brilliant as ever. He opens with two from the new album 'No Thank You for the Music' and the 'Girl From the Record Shop' and plays another five from that record including the excellent 'Letters'.
There is of course plenty of old favourites too with the crowd singing back the words to him of every one of them, old or new. And yes, he ends up in the crowd at the end.
Supported By White Flowers
Support tonight is from Preston duo Joey Cobb and Katie Drew known as White Flowers who appear as a three piece tonight. Their sound is somewhat ethereal and they are very good but sadly they don’t hold the majority of the crowd’s attention. Their set maybe spoilt by the chatter of the crowd but not by their own; the lead singer does speak at the start but then after a short 25-minute set they just finish and walk off without a word. So not chatty themselves and maybe miffed at the inattention of the audience.
To be fair, Doves aren’t very talkative either but then they do open with an instrumental ‘Firesuite’ and will later close with one.
It is largely just great to have Doves back after a very troubled few years. The tour for their last but one album ‘The Universal Want’ back in 2021 was side-lined due to Covid and then cancelled because frontman Jimi Goodwin was struggling with various health issues.
Now four years on they are back with ‘Constellations for the Lonely’ which not understandably they describe as ‘dark’ but they are still without Goodwin, so the Williams brothers drummer Andy and guitarist Jez take centre stage. They are bolstered by the addition of four other musicians.
So, they have not one but two new albums to promote although they still somehow end up playing a set mostly of their classics. A gorgeous 'Snowdon', the wonderful 'Winter Hill' and a brilliant ‘Pounding’ among many others.
Jez steps up to take on most of the vocal duties. He has the added issue, he tells us, he's struggling with his voice - not that you can tell.
Andy vacates the drums on occasion to do vocals as he does on 'Last Year’s Man' from the new album and on 'Kingdom of Rust' in the encore where he starts up front on vocals before returning to his drumkit halfway through.
‘Here It Comes’, a classic from their debut album ‘Lost Souls’ in 2000, is dedicated to the absent Goodwin who they assure us is here in spirit.
After set closer ‘Black and White Town’ they return for a four-song encore that ends with the instrumental 'Space Face' from their Sub Sub days.
Supported By Cucamaras & Du Blonde
The last time I saw the Futureheads was six years ago at the Rescue Rooms, so I’m curious about why we’re at Rock City tonight. It’s only about half full, with the balcony closed and just one bar open. I hope they got a good deal.
There are two support bands with the opening slot given over to a local band each night. Tonight, it is Nottingham’s Cucamaras who self-describe as ‘post-something’. Sadly, I am too late to catch anything but their last song which sound great with it’s fuzzy riffs and post-something-ness. Damn, I should have got her earlier.
Then there’s a very quick turnaround before we get Du Blonde which is the stage name of Beth Houghton. She’s from Newcastle Upon Tyne so I hope she gets on with our Sunderland based headliners.
Houghton is no solo artist and is fronting a six-piece band tonight with some seriously strange outfits going on.
A mix of a bit of glam and a bit of ‘what I just got up in’ but never mind what they look like just feel the music. Which is a decent poppy guitar fare that they certainly put their heart and soul into. I shall try not to insult them by comparing them to Echobelly from the 90s.
Rock City has now filled up a bit with middle-aged folk like me as the Futureheads take to the most minimalist stage setup I’ve ever seen. I mean who needs gadgets, gimmicks and fancy backdrops. All they need is their guitars and a drumkit.
Then we’re into the first chant-along of the night with the ‘The Beginning of the Twist’.
The band have the already converted crowd in the palm of their hands as they quickly rattle through ‘Struck Dumb’, ‘Decent Days and Nights’, ‘Radio Heart’ and ‘Meantime’ barely taking breath.
The set is largely a nostalgia trip as you would expect as there’s only been one new album in the last thirteen years. This was ‘Powers’ in 2019 from which we get just the one track ‘Good Night Out’.
There’s a mid-set breather where the band down their instruments and go all acapella. I didn’t show much interest in ‘Rant’ the acapella album they did in 2011 but ‘Beeswing’ tonight is excellent.
Aside for the ‘hits’ there’s plenty of banter, mostly between themselves but occasionally they involve the audience usually when over-explaining the reason behind the next song.
Sadly, were all too soon at the end where the brilliant ‘Carnival Kids’ leads us to the closing ‘Hounds of Love’. They are tempted back for a three song encore before after ‘Man Ray’ that is really is out lot.
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