(in)Glorious

It could have been a sadly nostalgic look back. It could have been a harsh lesson on how we are all aging. It could have been a desperate attempt to love something which meant something too long ago.

But this was not to be. Earth Vs The Wildhearts 15th Anniversary retrospective was a blindingly energetic and celebratory romp through the album. The band and audience equally awed, excited and euphoric about hearing old favourites, album tracks and b sides. 

The pretty pretty grandeur of the Empire slightly at odds and yet completely at home with the fast-paced and volume heavy tones.

If anything this proved that while we may all now be working our sensible jobs with sensible hair cuts and conceding tattoo and piercing to the grind 9-5 tonight we were all young again and equally giddy and angry on the fumes of youth. There was no bitterness that time has passed. These songs still reach and touch. They still lift. They still mean...and by fuck can we all, adored and adoring, still rock.

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So, official review filed a few more personal notes about the night. A night which saw me chip further away at my ridiculous paranoia about That London. A night which saw us somehow make it back to the provinces in time to scoff kebab while watching drunks fight. A night I loved.

The Empire is impressive. Yes, I came over a bit yokel and probably some of my open-mouthed wonder was just because I was in the big city....I mean, yes, it is a wonderful work of once-great grandeur but down at ground level it works the sticky floor and over-powering BO decor of every other gig venue ever. But you sort of forgive it because you look up and ooohhh, pretty pretty lights! And seeing a band on a proper stage-shaped stage is kinda thrilling too....

It will definitely now be topping my top five (I'm tired alright? Forgive my limited vocab) list of stunning venues and is also contending for a place in my top five venues (overall) list as well. More of that some other time though.

The other thing that was decided last night was that I will happily join the campaign to bring back smoking inside. I would so rather take the evils and shortened life span of a passive smoker than the stench of your average group of rock moshers (what is the collective noun here?).

And if you get a chance to see the DVD of this gig ever then check it out...M will probably be heavily featured throwing up the devil horns and finally working his hair somewhere it fits.