If you can remember reading music news from a copy of NME or the Melody Maker or getting your new music fix from either John Peel or the Evening Sessions or waiting for the musical guests to appear on TFI Friday, then we can certainly relate. Each of these things brings a wistful smile to our faces during what was a much simpler time in our lives.
During those pre-internet days, you probably owned a copy of Pulp’s ‘Different Class’, Blur’s ‘Parklife’, ‘Definitely Maybe’ by Oasis and ‘I Should Coco’ by Supergrass. And whilst there has been somewhat of a Britpop resurgence in recent times, Supergrass, like their aforementioned peers, have been on a permanent hiatus during much of the last decade.
25 years on since the Britpop heyday of the mid-‘90s, Gaz Coombes and company are back on the road once again. But this time around, the group has nothing new to promote nor any intention to re-enter the studio.
A capacity crowd arrives at the O2 Academy to witness the return of the Britpop icons and, much like the rest of the dates on this run, tonight’s show has long been sold-out.
Old favourites like ‘Mary’, ‘Moving’ and the band’s beautifully mellow double a-side single ‘Time’ feature early in the set; that is before the group ups the ante somewhat with ‘I’d Like To Know’ and ‘Mansize Rooster’, which follow in quick succession. Each of these tracks has aged so well. And with very much a greatest hits set-list on the agenda tonight, the Tyneside audience intends to party like it’s 1995.
Tonight’s set-list ebbs and flows throughout, with top 5 single ‘Richard III’ followed by an acoustically-tinged rendition of ‘St Petersburg’ and the hard-hitting ‘Rebel In You’; the latter of which being one of a small smattering of tracks from the band’s last album ‘Diamond Hoo Ha’ – a release which is now 12 years old.
The final third of the set is nothing but back to back classics. Supergrass switches gears with ‘Going Out’, whilst the anthemic single ‘Alright’ and a thunderous airing of ‘Lenny’ closes out the main set in fine ‘90s fashion. But we aren’t done just yet. Red and blue lights illuminate the room to the sounds of ‘Caught By The Fuzz’ during what is an impressive three-song encore.
Tonight’s show was nostalgic – definitely. But most importantly, it was incredibly fun.
