Monday night gigs are notoriously difficult occasions with some of the atmosphere lost through a sensible drinking policy taken up by the crowd, many of whom are still recovering from their weekend manoeuvres. Because of this, tonight’s support, The Parlotones have their work cut out to get the crowd in the mood for the night ahead. The South African foursome are definitely a band whose music translates better in a live environment and the reaction from the crowd to their sound was very positive. I did spend a large portion of their set though, asking the questions 'Would they be as successful if the lead singer shaved his head?' and 'How much does the bass player look like Matt Willis from Busted!'
Having seen tonight’s headliners on four previous occasions I knew that I would be entertained but also not too surprised if I wasn’t overly excited by their performance. However, it had been well over three years since Starsailor last ventured into the Pool and I always get the sense that they raise their game when they play in the city. James Walsh’s stage presence is second to none while the rest of the band fit in unassumingly around him. They have struggled to maintain the hype and subsequent success of their first two albums 'Love is Here’ and 'Silence is Easy’. But this is no bad thing as gone are some of the pressures that come with the 'new cool band’ tag and with their fourth studio album 'All The Plans’, it seems, they have finally found their place.
Of the new material, three tracks stood out, 'Stars and Stripes’, 'All the Plans’ and 'Tell me it’s not over’ and it was this, the current single which repeated to fade when I lay in bed later that night. Walsh’s knack of crafting great sing-a-long anthems was apparent throughout a set awash with classic crowd pleasers. 'Alcoholic’, 'Poor Misguided Fool’ and 'Four to the Floor’ all getting a great reception along with the powerfully spine tingling vocal on 'Love is Here’
Very much the frontman, Walsh loves to throw a cover version in to his performance and as he took centre stage, while the rest of the band took a well deserved rest, he picked out an old favourite with an acoustic rendition of Abba’s 'Dancing Queen’. Looking around me, people didn’t know whether to laugh, sing or throw their best disco moves so I like most, attempted badly to try all three.
Wrapping up the show with 'Good Souls’ arguably their finest work, the band leave the stage to a rapturous ovation from a crowd who are all wishing it could have been a Friday.
James Walsh appears on the Hillsborough memorial charity single. 'Fields of Anfield Road’ alongside John Power (Cast) and Pete Hooton (The Farm) which is available now.
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