Went to the Cardiff CIA tonight to watch The Stereophonics and had a terrific night.
Having just released a Greatest Hits album showcasing their 21 hit singles over 10 years, The Stereos naturally performed a Greatest Hits set. The gig probably featured all of them and a couple of extras too in a set lasting over 2 hours and which saw some punters leave before its finale for the last buses and trains home.
It had a fantastic opening with legendary boxing commentator Michael Buffer (a recording, not in person) introducing the lads on-stage with a blistering opening of Vegas Two Times and A Thousand Trees which had the full house crowd jumping and pumping.
Musically, they were spot-on, very professional and as tight as anything but as a group who have produced all types of hits over the years from power anthems such as Local Boy In The Photograph to sweet sickly(?) ballads such as Handbags & Gladrags (which the girls loved) and Maybe Tomorrow and a number of other pleasant tunes which are good listening but don't send the pulse racing live, their set as a consequence was up and down in terms of the experience.
One minute the place was bouncing, the next it was a simple listen and a chat to your mates. Even the encore started with the two slowest dourest tunes in their armoury. Add in at least a minute's delay between songs and not the greatest amount of banter or rapport between Kelly Jones and the crowd although more than there used to be and it all made for an excellent if not always thrilling night.
However it's always worth it, for me, to hear some of those tunes mentioned above and other classic such as Just Looking, Bartender & The Thief, Traffic, Dakota and more.
Stereophonics just happen to be one of those rare groups who serve up something for everyone and you have to dissect through those you least love to enjoy those that 'float yer boat'. Some groups are like that and they're ahead of most if not all of them.
Having just released a Greatest Hits album showcasing their 21 hit singles over 10 years, The Stereos naturally performed a Greatest Hits set. The gig probably featured all of them and a couple of extras too in a set lasting over 2 hours and which saw some punters leave before its finale for the last buses and trains home.
It had a fantastic opening with legendary boxing commentator Michael Buffer (a recording, not in person) introducing the lads on-stage with a blistering opening of Vegas Two Times and A Thousand Trees which had the full house crowd jumping and pumping.
Musically, they were spot-on, very professional and as tight as anything but as a group who have produced all types of hits over the years from power anthems such as Local Boy In The Photograph to sweet sickly(?) ballads such as Handbags & Gladrags (which the girls loved) and Maybe Tomorrow and a number of other pleasant tunes which are good listening but don't send the pulse racing live, their set as a consequence was up and down in terms of the experience.
One minute the place was bouncing, the next it was a simple listen and a chat to your mates. Even the encore started with the two slowest dourest tunes in their armoury. Add in at least a minute's delay between songs and not the greatest amount of banter or rapport between Kelly Jones and the crowd although more than there used to be and it all made for an excellent if not always thrilling night.
However it's always worth it, for me, to hear some of those tunes mentioned above and other classic such as Just Looking, Bartender & The Thief, Traffic, Dakota and more.
Stereophonics just happen to be one of those rare groups who serve up something for everyone and you have to dissect through those you least love to enjoy those that 'float yer boat'. Some groups are like that and they're ahead of most if not all of them.
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