Teenage Fanclub

Pick up a copy of the music press from 1991 and chances are that you would see four fresh faced Glaswegians gurning out from the pages. That was Teenage Fanclub, who found themselves the darlings of the hacks and interviewed every other week following their highly acclaimed album 'Bandwagonesque'.

The press weren't wrong either, as that album was a classic, and along with contemporaries Blur & Nirvana, The Fannies looked set to launch themselves into big time commercial success.

But here they are, 14 years later, playing the Stoke Sugarmill; capacity approximately 150 and less than a mile from the Britannia Stadium which has played host to such unworthys as Brian Adams. What went wrong?



Well according to this show, absolutely nothing. Whilst sales of albums since Bandwagonesque might have disappointed, the critics still mark them high, and it's easy to see why. There isn't a band working that has a greater ear for melody - these aren't songs that make you rock, they make you smile at the sheer joy of hearing the layers of tunes & harmonies.

Norman Blake agrees. During every track he steps away from the microphone to exchange a grin with his tour manager, seemingly delighted to be playing new material again after a 5 year gap between 2001's 'Howdy' and the new record 'Man-Made', an album that seeps it's way further into your brain every time you listen.



Not that they baulk at the old stuff either. On this tour the band have taken something of a 'Best Of' outlook and are treating us to songs they haven't played live in years. Such is the confidence in their back catalogue, and that everyone who comes to see them these days is a fan, they can dig out album tracks like 'Metal Baby', 'Discolite' and 'Speed of Light' and know that they will be well received. The set list changes every night - tonight they even have the balls to drop the almost compulsory 'Everything Flows' - so if your going to see them in the next few weeks there's no telling what your going to get.

As always, this good thing end's too quickly, and 'Sparky's Dream' finishes the night off. The crowd have enjoyed it, the band have enjoyed it…nothing went awry with Teenage Fanclub - they're simply doing what they love and wouldn't change a thing.

FUTURE GIGS

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