British Sea Power, Bath Komedia
Even an average BSP gig is an Everest away from any of the latest NME indie poppers.
British Sea Power are a quintessential British band, much like their name. They pride themselves on their ancestry, the Great British country side and even enjoy the odd real ale. A perfect band to represent England for the world cup. Sadly, they have not been asked to invent their own ‘Jerusalem’ for this years summer football extravaganza. Instead they're heading out on an ‘intimate’ tour of the UK, and tonight I feel blessed to be in their attendance.
Performing in front of a near full Komedia in Bath, BSP again provide us with a show that only they can do. A backdrop much like an amateur dramatics version of ‘Midsummer Nights Dream’, with greenery and flags constricting the stage, all that's missing are the fairies. The sextet, gowned in the usual display of “Gents meets grounds men”, treat us to the best of their Mercury prize nominated ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’ with a few new bees and rarities - a much welcomed 'Childhood Memories’ - thrown in to up the ante of interest to their cult followers. Starting off with where it all began, ‘Apologies For Insect Life’, and ending with the now legendary set closer ‘Spirit Of St Louis’, BSP still seem to be enjoying themselves, even though they have been touring the same album for nearly three years now. When they attract a more energetic crowd to match their on stage capabilities, this band can produce some mind boggling scenes. Bears, fighting monkeys, guitar players dangling on the shoulders of fans, beating drums whilst marching through the crowd; but tonight they are rather inactive, other than the trademark last hurrah of ‘St Louis’. I’m not sure why they attract the older bookish gentlemen, they seem more new wave than old prog, I guess the ‘Country File’ is a better place to attract a fan base than the Zane Lowe show these days.
They put on a musically fantastic show, ‘The Great Skua’ sounding as beautiful as the theatre itself. The two new songs (‘Zeus’ and ‘Pyrex’) on offer, in the same post punk swagger as the last album, it doesn’t seem as if BSP are going to do a ‘Kid A’ for their forthcoming fifth album. I left with a feeling of great optimism. The band seemed happy if not enthralled by the gig, not their best, but even an average BSP gig is an Everest away from any of the latest NME indie poppers.
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