A good few months ago I reviewed their new album and a few days ago I got to see them preform it along with a load of old stuff too.
I would have reviewed the gig but I don't like to be taking notes unless I'm getting paid - or getting some benefit out of it. I find it takes away from the experience and feels a bit too much like work. So I'll summarise for you:
Birmingham HMV Institute was a mid sized venue which is set out a bit like a small Albert Hall, decorative walls and balconies creating a semi circle around the stage. When we arrived there was a cue around the corner and halfway down the next street. So we went to a pub with a couple of cling-ons from Preston who were most certainly underage. We had a couple of £1.79 beers and by the time we had finished, the cue had gone and we walked straight into $4 pints and the support act: Jenny & Johnny, who were pretty rockin'!
For the feature act I'll start with my only slight complaint which was Conor's dancing, which was a little odd... picture a diminutive, white, floppy haired bloke impersonating Snoop Dog (work on it Conor). Other than that every song gave me the shivers (the good ones), the man has a voice that could break diamonds. I'm not ashamed to say I cried when they played 'Poison Oak' and by the last song I was up doing the 'G' dance with my modern musical hero Mr Oberst.
Highlights of the set were:
...
and...
If you ever find yourself, accidentally or otherwise, in Birmingham (why you'd be there out of choice I don't know) the only inhabitable place I found was called The Victoria. They played Dylan and sold ale (albeit blonde).
