The verve live g-mex thurs 20th dec 07
Firstly the venue- a soulless aircraft hanger of a room, houses x amount of people with no real atmosphere. After being kept out in the cold for longer than advertised the rush into the venue was for the heaters and toilets, still I managed to get front stage barrier view. The room was still really cold, ice drinks on sale, the girls stood behind me found it enjoyable to practice screaming for when the verve came on stage, but to my delight the support band came on and it was non other than the mightily fun coral. What joy!
At about 9 pm the verve came on to a ballistic crowd. The biggest shock was ashcroft’s appearance- gone were the long locks, now he was cropped and blonde- in shades- tight leather jacket. If I was cynical I’d swear he was trying to be rock n roll animal era lou reed- mid career crisis. Over the gig it was revealed that he was dick by name and dick by nature.
The actual gig started brilliantly- new decade, this is music, space and time and finished brilliantly- history and come on, (with Ashcroft on guitar for all of 2 minutes, bit pointless really), but the middle section seemed to be a band going through the motions. Drugs… was achingly dull, leaving me in places embarrassed for the band, the new song, sit and wonder, was a bore, complete with earth shattering lyrics-‘’ I sit and wonder, I sit and wonder about her’’.
As far as set list goes it was the best of urban hymns and key songs from northern soul- not one song from storm… over zealous bouncers continuingly ruined the view and ashcroft’s ‘rebellious’ stance of smoking on stage sparked a few cigs in the crowd. But the sound was awful. Due to the size of the venue there was a lot of emphasis on the drums and bluster, very little craft, a band embracing stadium mediocrity.
Well I never thought I’d see the verve but I have, I’m very grateful for that. The gig wasn’t amazing, dull in places but worry not if you missed if for it is coming out on dvd, complete with fan’s views of how great the verve are, (they came around with a camera and mic before the gig where we were waiting and everyone refused to speak to them…was a rare amusing moment)