This show was a Sunday matinee performance at the Betsey Trotwood, that I turned up fashionably late for, so late that I'd missed both support acts Jess Cope and Anton Barbeau, arriving just as Matthew Edwards and his trio were just starting their headline set with the John Betjeman Blues, set up in the main bar rather than either the basement or first floor rooms they have previously played in. The song featured some cool bass guitar from David Rosen that weaved behind Matthews rich lyrics. One Minute Fifty Seconds lasted a bit longer than that and had some incisive guitar from Craigus Barry.
Matthew was joking about how they had only one rehearsal before this show before telling us about his old neighbour who would cry out about The Redgraves while being extremely drunk, this had David playing keyboards, that had enough of a blue drunken morbid edge to fit the songs sentiments. She Left Me For Experimental Theatre almost lived up to its title, with Matthews sardonic memories of an ex who went on to greater things. Ted got rather self-reverential on Matthew Edwards Versus Himself that felt like a proper session with his therapist while Craigus let rip with some nicely fuzzy guitar.
Small Heath Book Of The Dead seemed slightly more episodic than when it is the title song of his latest album, the piano lines adding to the memories of Ted's childhood home, having thanked a childhood friend who was in the audience. Old Albion was reminiscences for the auld country written from the emigre's point of view, from Matthews current home of San Francisco. For The English Blues David played melodica for most of the song before adding some nicely folky piano towards the end of this reflective song.
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There was plenty of banter between songs especially before Mountain, that was full of delicate keyboards and Craigus ever inventive guitar, working well behind the solid rhythms Matthew was playing.
Ungainly was how Ted was feeling even if it they never sounded Ungainly at all, a bit moribund perhaps. They closed with Matthews hymn to his hometown Birmingham, that featured some wonderfully wafting melodica from David, ensuring they got a good ovation from the packed pub, that called last orders just before they finished, so they could close by 7.15pm.
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