With ex-members of The Royal We and Sexy Kids at work, you’d expect a level of song-writing a notch above the average new-start. Expectations are met: from doo-wop to C86, Raveonettes to Breeders, Veronica Falls are evocative without being defined by their influences, and promise a heck of a lot.
Teenage Fanclub have one of the finest musical portfolios compiled in living memory. It’s a bold claim, but re-visit anything from Bandwagonesque to Howdy and you’ll search in vain for evidence to the contrary. So why does tonight feel pedestrian? Fickle affections don’t help, as large sections of the crowd eagerly clap conclusions when moments earlier their focus was conversation (the hope that this was a fringe-only phenomenon is dashed when careful repositioning brings fresh voices but zero respite). While sympathetic to relative disinterest towards the new material (though not the smashing Baby Lee), it isn’t as simple as sticking to the hits - even The Concept can’t command full attention for more than a verse. But a relatively weak showing from Teenage Fanclub still features magic - Sparky’s Dream closes the main-set wonderfully, while a second encore of Star Sign confirms the band’s own enthusiasm is unquestioningly strong.
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