Paul Weller on stage.
PICTURE GALLERY
MUSICAFTER the sheer fun of the Nutty Boys last year, Paul Weller had big shoes to step into at this year’s Summer Madness.
Musically, he undoubtedly stepped up to the plate but I wonder whether punters would have felt a little short-changed by the Bard of Woking’s taciturn stage demeanour, which left me feeling it was just another gig in any town, any time.
That gripe aside, you have to say Weller still has the bite to his voice I first witnessed watching The Jam back in the late 70s.
Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler may not be around him any more, but his musically talented band were superb and as they worked their way through a hugely varied set the crowd certainly got behind them,
New stuff, Weller solo favourites, three Jam classics and even a Style Council moment (Shout to the Top) demonstrated Weller’s long musical journey that has maintained him as one of the nation’s favourites.
He started with a rousing Peacock Suit and other solo classics such as Changing Man and a memorable You Do Something to Me followed.
The Jam memories were a singalong That’s Entertain-ment, Pretty Green and Start!, or where they just all singalongs to blokes of a certain age, like me at 51, who played them over and over in their bedrooms as a soundtrack to teenage angst.
On first inspection of the line-up I wasn’t as impressed as last year but cometh the hour, cometh the bands and after the openers The Moons and St Jude, it was left to Island favourites The Bees to get the party started with their tight, brassy brand of pop, which contained new material and Bees’ favourites in a set that seemed far too short.
Songstress Imelda May kept things going nicely with a great blend of soulful, jazzy tunes, including the classic Tainted Love (not bearing great comparison, though, with the Gloria Jones version played between sets earlier in the afternoon).
My personal favourites on the undercard were Brand New Heavies, who funked things up with a set including Midnight at the Oasis, and laid the foundations for a polished pop-rock set from The Coral, who will hopefully get back into Britain’s good books with their new album.
These all paved the way for a great Weller set and, all in all, another triumphant Summer Madness at Carisbrooke. Shame it wasn’t a sell out, it really did deserve to be.
• Pictures from our online gallery www.iwcpgallery.co.uk below.
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