Hello,

I wasn't gung-ho for this show but a mate told me to get my arse along: I owe him a beer as this was a really uplifiting two hours.
To be honest I don't know too much about the band as I only have one LP of their's ('Build Me A Rocket') which has some lovely moments on it but I was half-expecting them to be a bit fey and 'shoe-gazing' as a live band.

Well, it's good to be wrong! You'll have to go a long way to find a more heart-warming, engaging and at times, muscular show: of course it doesn't hurt when it almost qualifies as a hometown gig and that everyone knows that the band will be taking a break for at least a year. Partisan doesn't quite cover it, hah-hah!

Elbow aren't reinventing any musical wheels but they strike a chord er, hit a nerve with a lot of folk: it's been said a thousand times already but the front man Guy Garvey looks like a bloke who you'd find in your pub. Indeed he goes through at least a couple of pints during the show and even nicks his guitarist's beer. Bloody singers, 'init?
Mind you, any band that has their own ale [www.elbowbeer.co.uk] has got to be worthy of a listen...how good is that Stones wine I wonder?

Anyway, some of you might have heard of a small venue in South-East London called the O2? Maybe not, but that's where Elbow are playing the last show of their tour tonight...strongly recommended at £40. Bring a good voice!

























Cheers,

Simon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-12-02 17:28 by SimonN.

Well worth discovering, Simon! I found them about the time of their album "Leaders of the Free World" and saw them live at this year's IOW Festival - a highlight of the weekend.

You need to have experienced the mud and the transport chaos getting to the festival to appreciate the opening call-and-response on this one - but everyone should appreciate Grounds For Divorce once it gets going.

Sorry. I hate Elbow. Completely overhyped and just not very good.

Hi rh72,

Fair play- no need to apologise- you are polite! I know it's always a long-ish shot posting about a band that is pretty far removed from The Stones on IORR, but for me part of the joy of this site is the diversity in O/T artists that get a mention. It's all a bit of a learning process for me...

Hi Brenda,

Glad to hear that maybe one other IORRian likes the 'Bow, as nobody else calls them, hah-hah! The acid test with regard to live bands is whether I'd go and see them again: for Elbow, yes.

Cheers,

Simon.

Quote
SimonN
Hi rh72,

Fair play- no need to apologise- you are polite! I know it's always a long-ish shot posting about a band that is pretty far removed from The Stones on IORR, but for me part of the joy of this site is the diversity in O/T artists that get a mention. It's all a bit of a learning process for me...

Hey, no problem. I should have added "in my humble opinion" to the end of my post! Each to their own I say.

I like 'em too. Also see their 1st LP. It's good.