The Lemonheads / The Blueprints

at The Duchess, York on Thu 19th Apr 2012

It's not long since Evan Dando toured the Lemonheads album 'It's A Shame About Ray' on these shores. Now they are back with a different line-up to play it all over again, and with more hits afterwards too.

The Blueprints

First up local band The Blueprints are taking the stage. They are w very tight band, with catchy tunes and the sound is immense for just four guys. Very good quality. It takes me a while to catch their name (I would have thought someone would have already bagsied that name before now) and some of the tales behind the songs. The stand out track for me was 'Black and Blue', with the last two tracks 'The Wave' and 'Walk' (with its repetitive chorus) also up there. A great band to check out.

The fans tonight are quite on the older side, not that that matters but The Lemonheads normally get a good mixture of ages. I suppose I was 11 years old when this album was releasedÂ… Evan Dando looks as good as back then, obviously older and with a new beard but still with long straight hair drooped over his rugged good looks. He starts the show (as he usually does these days) playing a few solo songs, starting with 'Being Around' and 'Outdoor Type' before the current band of bassist and drummer appear on stage.

The Lemonheads

The line-up changes every tour; this time Dando has recruited drummer Chuck Treece and a bassist whom I cannot find out (he is labelled as Taking Back Sundays former guitarist Fred Mascherino, but I can assure you it isn't). Whoever he is though he's a racking bass player and fills in the backing vocals as well as can be (none of the predecessors can match Juliana Hatfield).

The amps (a two Marshall stack, one on its side) are now turned up for the more rockier songs as they begin at the beginning with 'Rockin Stroll' and so on. There is little banter as always from the main man (the rest of the band are always silent), so it's pretty much song after song. The sound quality again is brilliant, really clear without being overly loud. Well done to the sound folks (and lighting, that looks ace too). 'Rudderless' with its non-stop end chorus gets the crowd really moving. 'My Drug Buddy' brings the tempo down, only for 'Bit Part' to bring it back up again, This album tends to follow this flow; slower, calmer pop tunes followed by rockier classics. Last song 'Frank Mills' ignites a sing-a-long as always.

The band are far from finished though, in fact they are only half way through their set. True it's only taken little over half an hour because of the way the band power through the set, but still, many treasures still await!

The Lemonheads

'Hospital' and 'Down About It' start off a long list of classic Lemonheads tracks from across all the albums. From 'Creator' to the self-titled album, there are tracks from in between 1988 to 2006. The first and last albums are the only ones not represented.

It's another triumph by Evan and Co. Hopefully see you in another six months!

Set list:

Rockin Stroll
Confetti
It's a Shame About Ray
Rudderless
My Drug Buddy
The Turnpike Down
Bit Part
Alison's Starting to Happen
Hannah & Gabi
Kitchen
Ceiling Fan in My Spoon
Frank Mills
Hospital
Down About It
Great Big No
Tenderfoot
If I Could Talk I'd Tell You
Pittsburgh
Die Right Now
Stove
Break Me
Mallo Cup
Style

The Lemonheads

article by: Danielle Millea

photos by: Danielle Millea

published: 20/04/2012 15:24



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