The Wedding Present - The Fleece, Friday 3rd May

Way back in 1992, British guitar music was going through a dark age.  Grunge and gawdy euro-pop had usurped the baggy scene and a bruising recession had bankrupted Rough Trade and many other prominent indie champions.  Before Suede’s debut album and the early stirrings of Brit-pop, Leeds band The Wedding Present were about to secure an impressive record once held by Elvis of securing 12 consecutive top 40 hits in a year.  This was a fairly typical move from a band that seemed to have always done things on their own terms.  Initially rejecting the advances of major labels to retain creative control and shunning the limelight in favour of gratifying their adoring fanbase they were able to create two bona fide low-fi classics in debut album ‘George Best’ and ‘Seamonsters’. 

A sell-out crowd greets evergreen front-man David Gedge and co as they kick off with punk-pop pleaser ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’.  Shuffling drums and brooding bass are tethered by stoic guitars throughout the early tracks and without much of a change in tempo it can all sound a little one-dimensional until you account for Gedge’s well-crafted bittersweet lyrics of jealousy, love-turned-sour and loss.  In a Smith’s-like fashion it’s often fairly downbeat content delivered in a triumphant way and the audience are enjoying every minute.

With no fewer than 18 different line-ups for a career that has so far only spanned 8 albums it’s no surprise that on-stage chemistry and banter is fairly non-existent throughout the 90 minute set.  New bassist Katherine Wallinger is almost catatonic throughout tonight’s set, new to the line-up she looks like she’d rather be anywhere else than alongside the living legend to her right.  It doesn’t seem to matter though as Gedge has more than enough charisma for the whole group, passionately gesticulating with eyes firmly shut he looks like he’s trying to strangle someone.  Bounding around the stage isn’t really his style but he’s able to hold the crowd well throughout what is a greatest hits set with most albums fairly represented.



The only new song tonight is ‘Two Bridges’ which stands up pretty well alongside the tried and tested but there’s nothing to suggest a new sound or direction.  The real melancholic essence of the band comes through on mid-weight tunes like ‘Give My Love To Kevin’ and the superb ‘My Favourite Dress’ which sees Gedge at his most resigned as he laments "a stranger's hand on my favourite dress."  The sonic thrust of ‘Dalliance’ is still as powerful ever with the guitar thrashing overload reminiscent of a 747 leaving the runway.  Starting innocuously enough it sounds anything but an anthem but it’s the one everyone is calling for as Gedge’s husky drawl moves through the gears to a frantic finish lapped up joyously by a gang of fat-headed builders at the front. 

Perhaps they never got the credit they deserved commercially but their influence as legends of British indie will always be celebrated by their adoring fans and they’re still a great draw live.

Kindly published by Venue:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-w/20571-the-wedding-present-

Best Track:
The Wedding Present - 'Dalliance'

Setlist: To follow

Best albums available here: