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It's the hottest ticket in town tonight. Mind you, ten years ago a tour like this would probably have sold the Met out twice over. It's a sad indication of the way rock's been since about 1996 that only now are bands like this starting to make some headway again thanks to the Darkness' much-needed slaying of the evil nu-metal beast.
Actually, if the Wildhearts can make a Top 30 comeback then surely it isn't too much to ask that Therapy? should get similar treatment. Currently back to being a three-piece with the departure of guitarist/cellist Martin McCarrick, at least their sound hasn't suffered as ferocious renditions of "Teethgrinder", "Stop It You're Killing Me" and "Rust" plus a newie "Shot To Pieces" which proves that the spark has anything but fizzled out here, prove. Just one complaint - why no stuff from any of the albums between 1994's "Troublegum" and last year's "High Anxiety"?
It's always a sign of a band on top form that they keep getting better every time you see them and the Wildhearts are proof positive of this. Sounding harder and tighter than ever before since their comeback, they pile on tonight with "I Wanna Go Where The People Go" and the place goes absolutely mental. Plucking stuff seemingly at random from their extensive back catalogue means we do get a few favourites omitted ("Caffeine Bomb", "My Baby Is A Headfuck", "Nita Nitro" and "Sick of Drugs" notably) but that's forgiven for a superb one-two blast through old B-side faves "Girlfriend Clothes" and "Beautiful Thing You" plus absolutely righteous renditions of "Drinking About Life", "Caprice" and "Someone That Won't Let Me Go" plus the group's now-infamous version of the "Cheers" theme which insinuates mass pogoing down the front.
This may be the last we see of them for a bit as Ginger announces that the group are off to the States for a few months (where they're finally starting to get the acclaim they deserve) but rest assured this performance should stick in enough minds to ensure that they'll have just as many fans waiting for them when they get back. Keep on rockin' in the free world guys.
Review and pic by Andy James
