photo by Keith Pearce
Supergrass are out on a series of dates to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album, the Mercury-nominated `I Should Coco`, an album that not only reached the no 1 spot but shifted 500,000 copies in the UK and a million worldwide.
The quartet of Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn, Danny Goffey and Rob Coombes share a quick hello before launching straight into the album for what is the next fifty minutes beginning with the amusing `I`d Like To Know` which even thirty years ago had a kind of sixties retro vibe with its singalong “ la la la la la la`s “. We don’t have to wait long for the first hit of the night which arrives with `Caught By The Fuzz` an angst ridden tale of young Gaz being cautioned over a small amount of cannabis which sends this packed audience into frenzy. The percussive foot thumper `Mansize Rooster` briefly restores order before it`s mayhem again with `Alright` a number that epitomised British youth culture of the time and everybody’s singing the strap line
“ We are young, we run green, Keep our teeth nice and clean, See our friends, see the sights, Feel alright.”
Of the rest of the album ` Lose It` is quite reflective, `Lenny` is delightfully bass driven, `Strange Ones` wonderfully odd, Sofa (Of My Lethargy) is introspective and dreamy before `Time To Go` leads us out and the band feign to leave the stage before staying and sharing an additional five songs.
Of the five additional songs presented tonight, I loved `Late in the Day` which was perfectly reflective, `Moving` which felt hugely expansive and the rhythmic `Grace`. The fellas are encouraged to return for a further encore which they indeed do and offer up the breezy almost summery `Sun Hits The Sky` before leaving us after a quite restrained version of `Pumping On Your Stereo` which sent all and sundry home with a smile on their faces after this blistering ninety minute set.
I took my then girlfriend who is now my wife to see Supergrass supporting Coldplay at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow in July 2005 she was undergoing treatment for cancer and adore the band so it was quite emotional to catch up with the guys again twenty years on with my wife dancing around as if she were a twenty year old.
Supergrass are the kind of band that mean something to a lot of people for different and personal reasons like me and it was really heartening to see so many young fans who couldn`t have been born when `I Should Coco` came out. As the title of the album suggests in it`s cockney rhyming slang Supergrass are touring “I should think so” so get along while you still have the chance and if indeed you can get a ticket!!!
