Public Service Broadcasting 23/10/2017

The support were called Palace and they didn't grab the attention apart from their penultimate song and the guitarist stage right was quite good. PSB came on as a much bigger show than the last times we saw them. Now they had a core band of four people plus a three strong horn section, a further three strong female vocalists/accordionist who came on for one track and eight video screens providing the visual context for the music and narration and further props such as pit wheels turning and miners' lamps descending. They started of course with a couple of tracks from 'Every Valley' before launching into 'Public Service Broadcasting' itself. In fact I was expecting a full recital of the album but the show was much more mixed than that with a lot of stuff from 'The Race for Space' which I particularly enjoyed. The screen visuals were brilliant - lots of sharp cutting, interference and interesting images. The best was saved for the encore when they brought on James Dean Bradfield to sing the song that he sings on the album. That just rounded off a brilliant set. They alluded to the break that the Manics gave them as a support act which is when we first saw them. They did the Everest track after that as a final flourish. They absolutely are different to most bands but they are very good at what they do. I expect there will be imitators.

Richard Thompson 14/10/2017

The support were Josienne Clark and Ben Walker, an excellent duo with her providing the folky and pure vocals and he providing the acoustic guitar. Right from the first few bars of guitar I was enjoying their set and when she started singing I knew the set was going to be too short for me. Definitely a hint of Sandy Denny in the vocals and a good line in chat as well. Richard Thompson does various types of gigs and this was one of his where he insouciently wanders on stage with an anonymous looking acoustic guitar and then delivers a set of classic songs and blistering guitar brilliance. The first two tracks were two from the back catalogue that have recently featured on his latest acoustic album, both outstanding songs, 'Gethsemane' and 'The Ghost of You Walks'. Shortly after he responded to an audience request and changed the planned set order to play a couple of Fairport songs, 'Meet on the Ledge' (which he said he wrote at 18 and that he has no idea what it means) and 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes?' It was pretty much highlights all the way through with the exquisite guitar playing - all subtlety, speed and surprising chords. He does it on a bog-standard acoustic with no guitar changes, guitar techs and not even much tuning - no-one else can do it like he does it. The set included 'Vincent Black Lightning 1952', 'Valerie', ' I want to see the Bright Lights Tonight', 'Down where the Drunkards Roll', 'Wall of Death' and for encores ,Beeswing', 'Devonside' and to finish 'From Galway to Graceland'. Now that's what I call a gig.