November 26, 2007
Before we get started I have confession to make: I just moved over from the States a year and a half ago and therefore knew zilch about Deacon Blue before I saw them last night at the New Theatre - except that they had been a big ole success on this side of the pond at the end of the 80s and into the early 90s.
When the prospect of reviewing the gig first came up I thought that maybe the tickets should go to a die-hard fan or someone who knew at least one of their songs, but my partner appeared frankly a little too keen on the prospect of seeing them for a 30-something male, which more than piqued my curiosity. A wee bit of research also revealed that the group had 18 top 40 hits in their heyday, proving they were obviously quite a British pop landmark. This reminded me of how when I moved over I kept seeing exclusively British stars in the media ('Who are all these ugly people and what have they done to deserve all this attention?'). As well as being able to put the whole 'national celebrity' thing in perspective once again, I definitely didn't want to miss out on the chance to hear some good live music.
When the show got started I had only about as much of an emotional investment in the proceedings as when watching a fake band in a film or on TV, but the crowd's genuine love for the group was so tangible it was eventually infectious. The set list comprised hit after hit, for all it mattered to a Deacon Blue naif like me, and all were delivered with a refreshing honesty, but the first song I personally connected with was 'Raintown'. However, I enjoyed watching Lorraine McIntyre dance about like a whirling dervish throughout, envious of her free spiritedness and clear voice that perfectly complemented Ricky Ross' scratchy, blues inflected tones.
The whole band were nothing if not professional. Indeed, they were hardly phased when the lights crashed in the middle of a song. They kept on playing through the dark, and Ross' came back after the song with a few quips about the power out but no signs of stress.
I was impressed by the fact that large numbers of people – English people! – got up and danced during the show and I was especially touched by the energy in the room and how happy everyone seemed whenever they got to sing out loud and proud. This was particularly true for 'Dignity', for which the audience provided the entire first verse alone and stuck with Ross, word for word, throughout the rest. Such a response has surely got to be the most gratifying thing to happen to any songwriter - he has truly written an anthem.
At the end of the night I couldn't help but wonder: if I had moved over in the Deacon Blue days, would I have been a fan? I am certainly a kind of fan now.
When the prospect of reviewing the gig first came up I thought that maybe the tickets should go to a die-hard fan or someone who knew at least one of their songs, but my partner appeared frankly a little too keen on the prospect of seeing them for a 30-something male, which more than piqued my curiosity. A wee bit of research also revealed that the group had 18 top 40 hits in their heyday, proving they were obviously quite a British pop landmark. This reminded me of how when I moved over I kept seeing exclusively British stars in the media ('Who are all these ugly people and what have they done to deserve all this attention?'). As well as being able to put the whole 'national celebrity' thing in perspective once again, I definitely didn't want to miss out on the chance to hear some good live music.
When the show got started I had only about as much of an emotional investment in the proceedings as when watching a fake band in a film or on TV, but the crowd's genuine love for the group was so tangible it was eventually infectious. The set list comprised hit after hit, for all it mattered to a Deacon Blue naif like me, and all were delivered with a refreshing honesty, but the first song I personally connected with was 'Raintown'. However, I enjoyed watching Lorraine McIntyre dance about like a whirling dervish throughout, envious of her free spiritedness and clear voice that perfectly complemented Ricky Ross' scratchy, blues inflected tones.
The whole band were nothing if not professional. Indeed, they were hardly phased when the lights crashed in the middle of a song. They kept on playing through the dark, and Ross' came back after the song with a few quips about the power out but no signs of stress.
I was impressed by the fact that large numbers of people – English people! – got up and danced during the show and I was especially touched by the energy in the room and how happy everyone seemed whenever they got to sing out loud and proud. This was particularly true for 'Dignity', for which the audience provided the entire first verse alone and stuck with Ross, word for word, throughout the rest. Such a response has surely got to be the most gratifying thing to happen to any songwriter - he has truly written an anthem.
At the end of the night I couldn't help but wonder: if I had moved over in the Deacon Blue days, would I have been a fan? I am certainly a kind of fan now.