Duke Special is (are?) better live than they are on record for my money, and once again they proved it with a great opening show. And don't you just love The Temperance Society Chip Bailey? True they lost the suprise element that had made their Gemma Hayes support slot such a wonderful moment but they are still a class act live. And Salvation Tambourine is a bloody brilliant song.
Then onto the main course and as ever it was a delightful main course. The Divine Comedy may not be selling as many records these days (sad, but true) but they're still a great live act. This show was a lot less "Victory For The Comic Muse" driven than the one earlier in the year and, for the most part, was the better for it. It is true though that some of the more obscure tracks left certain parts of the audience chatting into their pints.
Still, for those down with the Divine, there was no complaints. Most of the classics were there, with Alfie, Something For The Weekend and National Express gaining the most raptuous applause. There was also a class version of Raspberry Beret and Neil even opened the floor to requests (even if he did appear to be hearing what he wanted to when people shouted out suggestions ;-D) which gave us Lucy and Frog Princess. Neil forgot the words to Frog Princess at one point, but was quickly helped out by a large section of the crowd.
The abiding memory of the evening was of a band having fun, even when Neil was complaining, tonguie in cheek, that, London and Newcastle aside, the crowds had been "shit" during the tour. If they really have been then I don't know why because Neil and the crew are on top form...and long may it continue.
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