The Modfather never goes out of fashion
– but latest album tracks such as Woo Se MamaanditsrousingR’n’Btonesblended seamlessly in his set list which plucked its way through the genres.
Weller’s a man of few words when it comes to audience interaction, he lets the musicspeakforitself,butheknowshowto captivate a crowd with his ever-changing tempo, from the punky Eton Rifles of The Jam days to the soulful pop of Shout to the Top from the slick The Style Council era, andontothehauntingly-beautifulBritpop anthem You Do Something To Me and the wistful blues of Wild Wood.
I hadn’t expected him to do quite so much of his old material, such as the classiclamentofEnglishRose,buthecertainly gavehisdevoteestheirmoney’sworthwith a two hours and 45-minute set of his kaleidoscopic sound.
Thecrowdsoakeditallupanditwasrefreshing to be at a gig where the audience weren’t watching it through a phone: they were appreciating the music too much to be distracted by technology.
Particular highlights were, of course, classicsfromTheJamera.Fromthe1980’s Sound Affects album, That’s Entertainment, which had the bulk of the mature crowd feeling they were 20 again, and the infectiously upbeat Town Called Maliceforhisfinalnumber,takenfrom 1982’s The Gift.
He was backed by a fivepiece band, including longtermguitaristSteveCradock of Ocean Colour Scene fame, who put in a flawless, tight performance with a level of musicianship way above your average arena gig. Now, that’s entertainment – from an artist who will turn 60 in three months time.
AKindRevolutiontourareatManchester, Birmingham and London.
For more information on this and other live Paul Weller dates, visit www. paulweller.com