Entertainment For Lively Minds
Eels
Posted by ritchie45 on 26 August 2010 - 8:31pm.
When:
25th August 2010
Where:
The Picturehouse, Edinburgh
Comments:
Following the understated E and Chet “book” tour 2 years back, this was a brilliant return to the hard rocking Eels. Resplendent in white jump suit and tight bandana, E was joined on facial hair and shades by the rest of the band including “Bass Player Magazine’s Bass Player of the Year for 1979”, Koool G Murder. Numerous highlights included seasonal covers (Summer in the City and the knees bent, vocal tour-de-force that was Summertime with added ice lollies!), re-writes (a mad jazz funk Monster, a death metal Birds and the affectionate Beatles pastiche of Beautiful Blues), feedback drenched rockers (the Hombre tunes like Fresh Blood and awesomely LOUD versions of Dog Faced Boy and Souljacker Pt1) and, of course, the inevitable heartbreakers (an angst-ridden End Times and the wondrous second encore of I’m Going To Stop Pretending). The set rattled along and E’s guitar tech should win an award for speed swapping still feeding back guitars for newly tuned ones!
The Audience:
The full range of ages was present and correct and venue was packed to the rafters. A surprise considering they played Glasgow the night before but, since most of the south east of England crams into the capital for three weeks in August, maybe not.
Food & Drink:
Like all bars in Edinburgh at this time of year, it was going like a three ring circus but being mid-recovery from a bout of gastroenteritis meant that water was unfortunately all I could sample. Strangely flimsy plastic glasses, though.
It Made Me Think...:
Thank the Lord there is plenty of room for weird, troubled genius rockers like E in the X-Factor world.
Ooh goody!
Going to Brixton Academy next week and you have well and truly whetted my appetite. Have an uppy.
Just caught a brief interview and live clip on The Culture Show tonight, and Mr Everett was at his deadpan best. And his facial hair was looking particularly resplendent. Enough so for my daughter to remark: "Mummy, that man is very beardy, isn't he?".
I'll be seeing them
...in just over a week's time.
Appetite duly whetted.
Eels at V
I saw their set last Sunday at the V festival, pretty entertaining, but they seemed mis-cast amongst the current crop of pop hopefuls. It was a respite from the usual festival fayre and gave an opportunity to get close to the stage. No doubt a rather curtailed set at c 45 minutes, but good to see nonetheless.
At the Academy, Brixton
I saw them here last Wednesday,courtesy of my daughter, returning the favour after I bought us tickets to see the 2008 Royal Festival Hall gig. This gig made a nice counterpoint to that - very different but equally representative of the Mark Everett world-view.
This was the first time I've been to the Academy, which I was generally impressed with (friendly staff, sight lines good enough for my 5' 0" daughter to see the stage from our chosen position behind the sound desk). It's always nice to have a 1920s Hacienda-style cinema interior to gawp at while waiting. I don't know whose choice of pre-performance music it was but I'd love to know the artist responsible for the rather unique jazz-tinged cover of "Happiness is a Warm Gun" (Bobby Bryant perhaps,though I'm still researching).
Set list pretty much as above, though absolutely no "Blinking Lights" material, unless I'm mistaken. Some audience members were a bit nonplussed by the hits-but-not-as-you-know-them approach to the well-known numbers - my daughter overheard the comment "That used to be a good song" after the aforementioned mad jazz funk Monster rework. The wonderful integration of Twist and Shout with Mr E's Beautiful Blues brought a broad smile to my face, as it had to other members of the audience, when I looked around.
3 encores, the last of which was "Oh So Lovely" from Tomorrow Morning, which is rapidly becoming a personal favourite. A very good evening.
Highlight not mentioned above: Chet's pedal steel playing very early in the set, before the band started the sonic assault.
Saw them in Nottingham.....
...and they were great. Sounds like the sets with covers (and ice creams) are pretty similar.
I wouldn't worry though, they were truly brilliant. E started on his own with Daisies of the Galaxy and he nearly made me cry when he sang "I thought some daisies might cheer you up".....well, I don't mind saying I nearly wept.
His new look doesn't allow any exposure of facial expression and you realise how emotive and wonderful a voice the man has.