Music > Live Reviews

Elbow

Thetford Forest Live

30/06/17

The last time I saw Elbow it was when they headlined Latitude, five summers ago. On that night singer Guy Garvey embraced both the audience and the venue - “I like your attitude, Latitude!”, charming birds out of the trees with his engagement, as well as with his magnificent voice and the band's much-loved repertoire of songs.

Tonight, at High Lodge in the middle of Thetford Forest, the atmosphere seems even that bit more special. Not only do we have an audience that has come specifically to see Garvey and the band, but the venue, basically just a bit clearing in the woods, is even more intimate despite the thousands present. As well as checking that we are alright at the end of almost every song, Guy refers to us as his 'beautiful creatures', and seems invigorated by his arborial surroundings. After encouraging us to breathe in the air (I think we were doing that already) he composes a spontaneous refrain about 'believing in trees', which somehow morphs into Wandrin' Star. No matter. He has the audience singing along anyway.

And that is basically what Elbow do for almost two hours – Garvey orchestrates us into a mass of swaying, hand-clapping, sing-along bodies, following his every instruction and command. We wave to the sound man, the lighting man, the girl who brings his beer on stage, and anyone else remotely connected with the show. We sing happy birthday to a 13 year old girl in the audience, and we show our appreciation to the late Mike Taylor, who back in 2006 organised the first ever music gig at High Lodge. Even a bunch of lads' persistent rowdy outbursts of Andy Williams' I Love You Baby is met with a bemused 'Normal for Norfolk?' tolerance.

But it is the songs that maketh the night, and what a back catalogue of material from which to construct a setlist. Obviously we hear a selection from Elbow's seventh album, this year's Little Fictions, the first to be completed without contribution from former drummer Richard Jupp. Romantic outings like Head For Supplies, and the aptly titled Magnificent (She Says) show that the band's creative spark is still very much engaged, whilst classics going all the way back to their very first album build a timeline that keep the fans' personal memories alive. In fact it is Any Day Now, from 2001's Asleep In The Back, which opens tonight's show.

Even though a mass unaccompanied audience sing-along to 2008's Olympic song One Day Like This brings the set to a suitably emotional climax, there are still two more songs that we are desperate to hear. And after what seems like an interminable delay, the band return and deliver an epic encore of Lippy Kids followed by Grounds For Divorce.

No confetti cannons. No unicorns. No zorbing. Just quality music on a beautifully atmospheric summer evening.

Elbow came. Elbow sang. Elbow conquered.