LIGHTNING SEEDS ARE BACK WITH NEW ALBUM AND GREATEST HITS SHOW
Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds are back out on tour, promoting their latest record See You In The Stars, followed by a set of hits, covers and other album tracks. Some of the tracks may seem fairly recent but scary to think they are actually mid 90s and over 25 years old now! Still, you cant beat a good tune!
Opening on the tour is Badly Drawn Boy, who would warm the crowd up nicely with his trusty acoustic guitar. Playing tracks such as A Journey From A to B, The Shining, A Minor Incident and possibly his most well know hit Once Around The Block, his music and anecdotes were a pleasure to listen to, a very talented musician, singer and songwriter. Great stuff from the Bolton man.
On taking to the stage theres no massive red strawberry hanging from the ceiling this time, as there was on his last tour for the Jollification album. No gimmicks, just the music and what great music it remains. Opening the evening with a track from the new album Sunshine, then prising the lid off the hits locker for the first time tonight with Ready or Not and Change. Sense and Perfect follow on before returning to the new stuff with Great to Be Alive. The new music slots in well with the older tracks, similar catchy tunes and meaningful lyrics.
Joining Broudie on this tour are Martyn Campbell on bass, Adele Emmas on keyboards, Jim Sharrock on drums and son Riley Broudie, and what a terrific noise they make. The hit The Life Of Riley was written by Broudie about his son and would be a set closer later on in the evening. Broudie’s vocals are on point on this tour and he looks to be enjoying himself, tho it can be difficult to work that out at times! A cover of The Byrds You showed Me came next before returning to the new album for Losing You and Emily Smiles. Sugar Coated Iceberg, Lucky You and The Life of Riley nearly lifted the lid off the old venue, set in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City area.
The band would return for a two-track encore of Marvellous and Pure. On other dates from this tour, you would expect Broudie’s biggest hit to close the evening, but even he isn’t as daft as to play the England anthem Three Lions live in the middle of Glasgow!!!
This was a great evening of old-fashioned Brit Pop music. The Lightning Seeds are one of those bands you don’t really appreciate how many hits they’ve had until you run thru a set list like this, and there is more than a few. They still sound fresh today and the packed Glasgow audience loved every second. If you get the chance to see them live, then Lucky You, they are Pure Marvellous!!
Review and Photographs by Stephen Wilson
