having reformed for a one-off festival appearance last year, and the forum friendly warm up gig before the main event, it became apparent to the band known as that petrol emotion that there was still a demand to check out one of the best live acts of the late 80s.
fast forward 12 months, and ireallylovemusic gets word that despite the lack of backing from any record labels, no greatest hits on the shelves (in fact it has to be said that there is currently nothing of the bands archive available officially) the band are to do a uk wide tour.
a proper full on, get-in-the-van tour.
this time around, despite the usual mix of family chaos, work schedules, and concrete melting heatwaves, i had to go.
quite simply, that petrol emotion have since 1986 been a part of my life and there was no way i was going to miss out again.
the mix of indie guitars, underground noise, up and at’em melodies, and the odd dance groove meant that even with record label cash machine working overtime, the band never really fitted in with any particular scene. their glory years were a short distance memory during the whole madchester era, and in typical form the band had collapsed moments before britpop kicked the 90s into a new direction, and so to this day that petrol emotion remain unloved and misunderstood by the masses.
their loss.
as ireallylovemusic descended the stairs into the basement venue on this hotter than july day in july, my nerves were rattling. what happens if this totally kills my love and it’s a sad unwelcome rush of updated youthful memories as opposed to providing the all necessary funk?
upon entering the actual ballroom, i was concerned that the band had over played their hand, and this large beautiful room was going to be echoing the chants of a mere handful of believers.
oh, me of little faith.
by the time the band hit the decks at 9:30pm the room was stuffed to the max with people of a certain age (blur 2009 t-shirts were spotted) all eager to see if the surfer-chic steve mack could still jump around the stage and whip up the crowds in the same manner as when world dominating bands such as rem were handing over their producers to push the band into the charts as many people expected.
the band walked onto the twin peaks draped stage, wiped the already streaming sweat away, picked up their instruments, and let the music rip apart any concessions to the appearance of grey hair or expanded waistlines.
‘i’ve got a new lease of life’ : the opening lyric to the sets opener, catch a fire, never sounded so apt, but for yours truly, the whole hook of the song is about the tense build up prior to the deeper then hell bass line and the slow and low drums .
i waited patiently while the swamped up distorted guitar lines and steve’s time travelling vocals do their thing.
tingles up the spine, ok, here we go.
30 seconds in and ciaran (drums) and brendan (bass) drop the bomb.
fuck.
the sound is truly massive.
despite the logistical issues with steve being based in seattle, the lads have clearly been working hard getting their groove into check.
within seconds of the bass-n-drum power bomb, i find myself negotiating with the grinning hoards to get myself within sweating distance from the stage.
the song finishes, and the most joyous sense of belonging, acceptance and fandom appreciation overcomes me.
i can hardly believe that against the odds these timeless songs are getting aired over a proper pa system once again.
the band relax, smiles beam from all corners, and for 90 minutes it’s a full on dance-rock celebration, for which the soundtrack happens to be classics cherry picked from across all of the bands (deleted)albums.
surefire classics such as hey venus in a twisted hybrid version of the normal single and its remixed thatcher baiting sample-fest, sensitize, a blistering rendition of the preacher styled last of the true believers, it’s a good thing, mouthcrazy, abandon, detonate my dreams are given a new full aural force makeover (not though groove check which is requested throughout the show by certain sections of the front row making steve and raymond throw back all manner of good humoured abuse) with subtle samples and loops provided by a well balanced ipod.
i swear that several times damian looked positively thrilled and yet surprised with the crowd reaction, it’s as if he had temporarily forgotten the power of these songs.
someone needs to have a word.
two encores provide video footage for the keeper of the bands eternal flame fansite, and then following a jaw dropping rendition of under the sky with layers of guitars piled on top of each other, it’s all over to a deafening cacophony of believers.
my heart and head are rushing overflowing with words, images, melodies and guitar lines.
even as i head for the bar, i know i wont sleep for 48 hours such is the intensity of the evening.
how on earth have this brilliant brilliant band been left on the sidelines and not yet received the reappraisal/reissue treatment is a mystery of the modern world.
flame on.
more detail : here