The Webb Brothers - London Shepherd's Bush Empire - 3/11/00
4/5
By: Toby L
Living up to fellow family members must be a nightmare. Jimmy Webb is the not-very-secret father of Justin and Christian - the main men behind this combo, hence the name - but who cares? Just imagine for their half hour set, a support slot to The Bluetones and their last show of a tiresome UK tour, that they didn't have a famous father that has written some timeless classics and then evaluate their sound. You'll find that it makes no difference whatsoever.
On hearing the epic and mournful 'I'm Over and I Know It' (tragically omitted tonight from the show), the big chorus is evident as is the tick off the list for swooping melody and large arrangements. So, it's only fitting that the brothers Webb fill the stage with their own competent fellow band-members (who they introduce one by one to an appreciative audience) in order to let their sound be fulfilled to its stunning potential. Their stage performance is also refreshingly full of movement: the sight of either one of the brothers skipping to the drumkit and jumping off on the closing notes of a number can be an expected sight and the shaking of their quite dazzlingly well kept hairdos reveals that they don't move as much as you'd expect. These guys can afford some good hairspray.
The crowd gets even more interested once former single 'Summer People' bounces merrily around a venue that is currently shivering in the UK Autumn climate. They follow it up with 'a song that we did on the TV recently,' (OK, so they may not be the best at self-promoting) and launch into the swooning 'In A Fashion', before revealing that they're leaving us. In fact, the only disadvantage of the set tonight was the fact that they weren't granted a long enough play-time. However, with tracks bearing varying speeds of distinctly US pop and rock, heavy keyboards and traditional Gibson guitar with enough verve to liven it up from the mundane, the Webb Brothers in concert will probably always put on a show that just seems too short.
And by the time it's over, you may remember who their father is again, and feel blessed that they've inherited his gift.
Artists in this article: The Webb Brothers
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