Hope and Social
If Elvis was in town, it would be BIG chip fat news, but he isn’t as he died after some big chip fat burger years ago! Oh well, who cares as tonight the amazing Hope & Social are in this manor for the very first time ever.
To be honest with you, even if Elvis had been down the Norwich Lanes (unlikely?) and turned right, left or even gone just plain straight down the road, I would’ve still been down St Benedict’s this Tuesday evening watching these most understated and underrated of souls that is the almighty Hope & Social.
Somehow, there is just 63 of us in attendance! Maybe Elvis is playing locally after all? But do you know what, it just makes it even more special witnessing this amazing band, such is the intimacy of the occasion.
But may I ask you where you indeed were tonight as I struggle in my thinking that you really had something better to do!
As a band they have never played our fine city before, so they look happy to see us - maybe it was the pre-gig vegan chilli? They have a very close afficionado with their followers, there is such a mutual respect between the two that is quite unique to witness.
The NAC is the most perfect venue for the band, no better confirmed than when Simon Wainwright alone with his acoustic guitar on the NAC floor most beautifully sings Looking For Answers, it is a perfect moment and a perfect song in my favourite venue in Norwich and a moment that I have longed for since I first got absorbed in that track some eight years ago. It really is just quite a beautiful and brilliant moment.
We are soon told that there will be no King Of Spain this evening! It has not been rehearsed and it was forgotten a long time ago. It would’ve been fitting but those in the know of the significance of that particular track and a certain Norwich City legend can live with the consequences I guess?
Either way, it starts the evening with the regular show banter, anyway.
They kick off with Family Man and it really could’ve been anything from the past eight years back catalogue. To be honest Hope & Social are a band that when you go and see them you really don’t care what they play, you really don’t. It’s all just so down to earth rock and roll, it’s 'in the moment' stuff as Wainwright decides what song is coming next as Dust, One Way Home, Ripples Rock My Boat, Sleep Sound and even Buzzer Goes all get an airing tonight.
So Hope & Social. What do you mean you have never heard of them until now?
Well if you have got this far in reading my review may I request that you go and see them sometime soon, go and have a listen and chuck some of your hard earned cash into their coffers, because they deserve it and you have now earned the rightful opportunity to enjoy them having got this far. Lecture over!
It has been a magical evening as those in attendance will vouch for, we look forward to seeing them next time as we drift off home into the dark of the night with big smiling happy faces.
Just a truly perfect evening.
