Many thanks to Pete aka The Eton Rifle
Paul Weller at Osborne House
Review From This Is Hampshire
QUEEN Victoria's Island holiday home made a fittingly regal setting for a performance by one of the kings of British rock.
Admittedly the sound of Establishment-baiting Jam classics ringing out across the manicured grounds must have had the empire-ruling monarch spinning in her grave.
But for the hundreds of music fans packed on to the stately pile's back lawn, the combination of glorious summer sunshine and one of pop's classiest back catalogues was irresistible.
Following a punchy warm-up by Walthamstow indie-rockers The Rifles, wearing their Jam and Clash influences with pride,Weller got stuck straight in with The Changingman - one of several numbers lifted from his 1995 solo album Stanley Road, an acknowledged career highpoint.
Looking good at 50 and still sporting his trademark feather cut barnet, the Modfather delivered a crowd-pleasing set made up of past glories and more recent material, including tracks from his new album 22 Dreams.
The audience's hardcore Weller fans stood out a mile in their drainpipes and Fred Perry T-shirts. But both they and the picnic hamper brigade lapped up a 90-minute performance spanning everything from late 70s guitar classics to his looser, more soulful material of the 90s.
Standouts included a beautifully chilled Wild Wood, wedding favourite You Do Something To Me and a cover of the Rose Royce song Wishing On A Star.
But for all the critical acclaim heaped on Weller's solo material, it's those Jam-era foot-stompers that really get the adrenaline pumping. So not entirely unpredictably, the thrilling crackle of The Eton Rifles blazing away over East Cowes provided the most memorable moment of an excellent show.
PAUL WELLER CONCERT:
ReplyDeletesat. 24th july 2008>>>>>>>>>
REALLY GOOD CONCERT, HAD A GREAT TIME, OSBOURNE HOUSE WOW!! WHAT A VENUE, HAD A TRULY GREAT WEEKEND ON THE IOW
CHRISTINA KEANE
What a fantatic gig! His energy was amazing and as always the crowd fed off it... it was a fully charged, rocking gig... brilliant. That, on top of a beautiful setting and amazingly glorious weather... it was a toptastic weekend for 4 ladies from Herts & Kent. AND he'd trimmed a bit off the length of his barnet.... it was getting way too long.
ReplyDeleteOnly downside was the queue for the portaloos... chaos... had to put all my English reserve to one side and stride (with fear of being lynched) to the front and straight in.
What a fantatic gig! His energy was amazing and as always the crowd fed off it... it was a fully charged, rocking gig... brilliant. That, on top of a beautiful setting and amazingly glorious weather... it was a toptastic weekend for 4 ladies from Herts & Kent. AND he'd trimmed a bit off the length of his barnet.... it was getting way too long.
ReplyDeleteOnly downside was the queue for the portaloos... chaos... had to put all my English reserve to one side and stride (with fear of being lynched) to the front and straight in.
Had a great time. I'm an ex-pat over from Australia and was grateful to see him as he's going to Oz while I am here! A top notch evening, fantastic tunes in a marvellous setting. Hard work sometimes as I was only 5 metres from the stage - most unusual for me but seeing as I've waited for a quarter of a century...
ReplyDeleteI don't reckon he played Empty Ring though, did anyone hear that one? I think he went straight from Invisible to You Do Something To Me.
I feel privileged to have been part of this great concert.
We had a fab time at the Weller Concert. Great setting, great atmosphere and Weller was the best I have seen him. "All you need is love" to finish......TOPPED OFF A MEMORABLE EVENING.
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