It’s a busy night at The New Roscoe. Local boy David Gedge is making a start to the latest Cinerama outing in the less than salubrious locale of the New Roscoe, but it seems to have paid off. For those that don’t know, the Roscoe is basically a pub with a stage and some strange and varied décor – too strange to go in to here really!
It’s a nice surprise when I get there to interview David (to be included in next week’s update) that I find him by the entrance – texting through to someone on his mobile as he now tour manages the band as well – a busy chap! He proves to be wonderfully affable and droll in our chat – more of which in the interview next week.
Another nice surprise on trolling through the venue during soundcheck is that W&H faves Being 747 have been drafted in as last minute support. Nice one! "
The crowd swells to silly levels meaning a trip to the bar is peppered with excuse me’s" and "sorry’s" and fraught with the risk of a spilled pint. Being 747 take the stage, dressed all in red, and ready to rock. They begin with a combined aerobic group leg stretch (really!), which sure beats a group hug for band morale.
The twanging intro to "Strangers have Never been Stranger" begins proceedings, showing the audience what pop nuggets they are capable of. This is followed in rapid succession bu gems like "Communist Prince", "Weather Girl" and "Use Your Friends" Our single will be available afterwards they tell us, "You can get it from us, we’re the ones in RED!" The other entertainment of the night is the faintly disturbing lone dancer at the front of the crowd, I hope he’s their mate or else he’s a rum bugger!
Most bands confronted by such lunacy would stare out into the crowd like startled bunnies, but not Being 747, they’re made of sterner stuff! They produce, for those who don’t know, songs like "Use Your Friends" jolly pop bass-line , mixed with cynical lyrics and loads of noise in the chorus.
They are playing to a familiar audience in many of the Leeds regular gig goers, and, when there’s a break of silence in a song, it’s held momentarily longer than normal, and Steve’s wry smile plays to the audience before the song is relaunched. What a pro!
"Mind of a 12 Year Old Child" and other faves are played and the band show the confidence to finish on a quieter number. Soon they won’t be a last minute addition to the bill but a sought after act for support and then – who knows?!
Cinerama arrive shortly after to an excited crowd, packed close to the barrier and ready to exchange amusing heckles and putdowns with David, who knows many of them by name from previous tours.
Most are clearly fans from his days of the Wedding Present who've stayed loyal over the years. There's a few old indie t-shirts out there, House Of Love, anyone?
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As the band take the stage there's a cry for "My Favourite Dress", but the band start with "Bewitched" which is a great opener, rocky but intricate. This is followed by "146 Degrees" with poppy, twangy, Shadows style guitars, probably influenced by Davids interest in John Barry and his past in a Shadows style band. This stuff has more depth and maturity the The Wedding Present, but retains the same feel and sense of humour.
"The barman says, 'Can you bring your glasses back to the bar?'" says David, "You can tell this is Leeds...all the glamour!" He confesses to a "complete mental block" during the song, forgetting the chorus, telling us that this is a one off, the audiences amused response to this statement tells a different story!
This is followed by "Careless" which recieves a cheer. It tells the story of an unfainthful relationship, a recurring theme in the songs, this man been done wronged by a woman, it's a surprise he's not a blues singer!
What follows is a mix of songs familiar to the crowd from previous Cinerama and Wedding Present albums, but is, by the main, comprised of songs from the new album, Torino.
David spouts amusing between song banter, while the band show themselves to be excellent players, the drumming from Kari Paavola especially powering the songs with deft touches in the likes of "Your Time Starts Now"
Keyboardsfrom Sally Murrell add gentle touches and Simon Cleave's guitar adds texture to David's louder thrashing. Indeed, he never has to swap his guitar while David changes his between most songs. This doesn't mean, however that his playing is less impassioned - just that he adds amazing twangs and other noises to complement the songs. The bass playing from LA girl Terry de Castro is by turns pounding and melodic.
"Is it hot in here, or is it just me?" asks Dave. It's so crowded here - he tells us he wishes he'd booked the Irish Centre, but the last time he played there, no-one turned up. He does a quick hands up survey of the audience to find out who went to various gigs on the last tour - quite a few must follow him round!
The band leave us, with no encore as is their tradition, and we squeeze our way out, sweaty and happy. I'm glad I've got a walk to the car to cool down, but for Cinerama, things are just starting to hot up - keep an eye out for them playing somewhere near you - just prepare to sweat!
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