Teenage Fanclub

"Baby, justify the reason behind your smile…." they sang. Well, it could have been the buoyant crowd, the career-spanning selection of songs, that they hadn't lost it since I last saw them live way too many years ago, or just because it's January and being there was a joyous escape from the doldrums.

Context is important here. I stopped paying attention to Teenage Fanclub after 1995’s 'Grand Prix' album, for reasons not just to do with the clarity that they‘d had their last chance to break big. Last year I chanced upon a Greatest Hits album, and naturally enough the early songs stood out, but I also became familiar with their works of the last ten years, works which were more subtle but no less tuneful.

So tonight, when the band came on to a solid cheer from the sell-out crowd, I could recognise:
Norman Blake, lead singer and guitarist, with glossy/greasy hair and half-beard that my mate suggested was pure Stephen King, but which I clarified as a look more eccentric than sinister.
Gerard Love, bass player, with half-curly hair and looking just like all those years ago, lucky fellow.
Some mature fellow as 2nd guitarist, due for instance to a fine barnet of silver. Had the line-up changed in my years away? Not so, for when he sang, it was a perfect fit, and I later find out it was indeed Raymond McGinley.
Some young-looking fellow on drums. Definite line-up change. But apparently not, it was Francis MacDonald, and I blame the extra viewing distance and some fellow called Brendan who had that drum role for a while.

I was treated to three unknown & presumed-new tracks to start with. The crowd duly and respectfully applauded, for it was a solid start. Turns out these were known tracks, 'Near You', 'Thaw Me', and 'It's All In My Mind', reflecting with hindsight that this was a show for utter fans who'd recognise all sorts and truly appreciate it. Nice nonetheless, and scene-setting.

Next we had 'Star Sign', the song that should have launched them to the world at large. The crowd became significantly more frenetic, & many more of us took to belting out what words we could remember. 'About You' then popped along jauntily. 'I Don't Want Control of You' duly continued the crowd vocals, but at the steadier pace of the song. Possibly the most-memorable chord change of the night for this one, within its uplifting ending.

'My Uptight Life' continued the measured-song approach, ending touchingly with its repeated but quietening refrain of, "All my life I felt so uptight, now it's all alright."

'Ain’t That Enough', their only top 20 hit, progressed the upbeat mood with some lovely harmonies. The opening notes of 'Neil Jung' in particular received a very favourable cheer, blasting the crowd into greater voice and movement.

Tracks that even the likes of myself could recognise were now coming thick and fast. 'I Need Direction' retained its particular late-60s feel, Hammond organ and higher vocals outstanding. 'Your Love is a Place Where I Come From' moved along at an unhurried pace, with Blake swapping guitar for silent-xylophone duties. The heavier efforts of 'The Concept' finally plucked a crowd-surfer from the willing audience. When that song progressed to its second section, a most-pleasant and drawn-out slow guitar-jam reminiscent of Crazy-Horse-era Neil Young, the hands-in-the-air-and-swaying crowd efforts put me in mind of The Bay City Rollers. Such was the mass enjoyment and devotion.

'Sparky’s Dream' ended the main set, coming across with added bass-drum to make it a favourably stompier-than-usual affair. It was perhaps the only song that didn't sound to me almost exactly as recorded, all of which is a credit to the band, for I'd imagine some of the guitar work and collective-singing needs a lot of hard work, togetherness, and ability.

An encore was duly given. It started with a quieter number called 'Broken' followed by a mid-tempo 'Don't Look Back'. We were treated to a driven cover of Buffalo Springfield's 'Burned' that was a capable mix of the original and The Fannies' tight sound. This led inevitably to their youthful masterwork, 'Everything Flows' which was as pleasingly drawn-out and heavy as could be expected.

A coda of 'What You Do To Me' as second encore was a curious rush-job, as if the plug really was about to be pulled, or they seriously wanted to catch people napping in the toilets, and then that was that. No 'Radio', 'God Knows it's True' or other fine pieces of TFC, but then again there was very little filler really for lost sheep like me, and plenty of recognisable music. So overall, for those that are interested after all these years, all is a little more mellow with this band, but they still have it in abundance.

Set List, according to some kind people on the forum at The Teenage Fanclub Website (www.teenagefanclub.com):

Near You
Thaw
It's All In My Mind
Star Sign
About You
I Don't Want Control Of You
Please Stay
My Uptight Life
Mellow Doubt
Ain't That Enough
Neil Jung
I Need Direction
Your Love is the Place Where I Come From
Dumb Dumb Dumb
Only With You
The Concept
Sparky's Dream
----
Broken
Don't Look Back
Burned
Everything Flows
----
What You Do To Me

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.