“Hope that wasn’t anyone’s favourite new song” laughs Roddy Woomble as they reach the end of ‘Younger Than America’. Largely and inadvertently guitar-free, it is indeed a bit of a “false start”.
Though truth be told, ‘Readers & Writers’ continues the theme – a mighty tune which stands alongside anything from their 15 year history, live it’s lacking that brassy oomph of the recorded version required to truly kick off the show.
With this the hometown gig the previous setlists posted on myspace have showed that the band have opted for a grab-bag approach of tunes stretching across their entire back catalogue, but tonight with more sympathetic ears (friends and family doubtless in attendance) they feel free to draw from Post Electric Blues – fan-funded, it’s just appeared on Cooking Vinyl, though many of tonight’s audience may have long since had their exclusive copies and their names on the sleeve.
The band hit their stride, however, and it becomes obvious just how much Idlewild have changed over the years – Roddy’s vocals, whether on old or new material, have lost their mid-Atlantic twang, but also become stronger and more mellow and are considerably boosted by Rod’s backing. When the latter’s not flailing like a dervish, that is, but this only brings home the sound again – in their heads they’re doubtless Slipknot, but out front the sound, particularly guitar, is a warm fuzzy envelopment rather than – say on ‘Little Discourage’ – the cut-through-your-knees swathe of pure noise.
But a crowd-pleasing set which aside from a few chatterers largely pleases diehard fans who’ve supported them from ‘Captain’ (which gets a rare and well-received outing) through to, well, ‘El Capitan’ and onwards to the new album. The diversity of the set is very apparent; one where ‘American English’ can sit alongside ‘Paint Nothing’ and no-one – unlike a few years ago – bats an eyelid. And summed up by the fact that ‘A Modern Way Of Letting Go’ could pass for something written back in Hope is Important days.
A four-song encore includes ‘Everyone Says That You’re So Fragile’ and ‘Roseability’, and then, slightly more up-to-date, the guitar-drenched epic that is ‘Too Long Awake’. Well, there’s no room for anyone’s ‘new favourite song’ in the closing numbers – but the mini-set of crowd pleasers send everyone home happy.
Photos by Fiona McKinlay
