Stereophonics - Hull Arena - 7/11/03
3/5
By: Matt Tomiak
Back in 1997, three mates from a small South Wales town called Cwmaman
released their debut album, entitled 'Word Gets Around'. A superbly candid,
evocative record about the everyday lives of gravel-voiced frontman Kelly
Jones and the people he and his bandmates (bassist Richard Jones - no relation
to Kelly - and drummer Stuart Cable) grew up with, it catapulted the trio to
international stardom.
Then it all went a bit pear-shaped. Their next records would replace the timeless songwriting and intelligent lyricism of 'WGA' with burly stadium rock and plodding conservatism. There was also an ever-increasing petulance on show; they called their third album 'JEEP', an acronym for 'Just Enough Education To Perform', encapsulating the band's feelings about their supposedly dim-witted peers. The first single from 'JEEP' was 'Mr Writer', a moody reply by Jones directed at music journalists who didn't appreciate the band's new direction.
Not that all this affected the band's popularity. These days, playing massive arena shows are a routine exercise for the Stereophonics. However, this is their first
UK tour without drummer and founder member Stuart Cable. Steve Gorman (on loan from defunct, ol' time Atlanta sleaze-rockers The Black Crowes) is sitting in.
Despite the trauma of the past, rockfeedback is attending tonight's gig with an open mind, taking a diplomatic 'as long as they play some old stuff' kinda stance. Taking the stage at a surprisingly earlier 8.35pm, the 'Phonics tear into a rollicking but stilted 'Madame Helga' and then proceed to indulge in another half hour of material from their most recent two albums. Frustrating, yes - but in a smile-cracking sort of way it just makes the mid-gig glut of the cherished 'Word Gets Around' stuff all the sweeter.
Soon enough, we're eased into the selection of classics via a trio of hits from 1999; 'The Bartender & The Thief', 'I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio' and 'Just Looking'. Then we can really party: it's just a shame that a run featuring the ever-fantastic 'Thousand Trees' , 'More Life In A Tramp's Vest' and 'Last Of The Big Time Drinkers' has to be interrupted by the interminably dull, downbeat 'Step On My Old Size Nines'.
Back to the beer queue for many it is then, and we eagerly await 'Local Boy...' and 'Traffic'. Both do indeed follow: and next to the sour 'Mr Writer', they sound better than ever.
Another 30 minutes of the stuff, and a 'See you on Monday' (the band play again in Hull after the weekend) farewell from Kelly. A very difficult night to summarise, therefore. The Stereophonics' early work remains as compelling, as momentous as ever; their new stuff is often simply lacklustre. 'Infuriatingly inconsistent'? Not half.
Artists in this article: Stereophonics
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment