SKUNK ANANSIE, MORGANWAY & HOLOCENE
Rescheduled twice and delayed by two years – for obvious reasons – tonight sees SKUNK ANANSIE’s belated 25th anniversary celebrations.
Opening the show, we have solo artist HOLOCENE. Singing and playing both guitar and keys, tonight she is backed up by a drummer and a reel-to-reel tape. This is early 90s style Britrock and, whilst Holocene has a great voice and the drumming is great, the songs are rather pedestrian. The take on Duran Duran’s Rio could be used for an advert for John Lewis or a bank. That said, closing song Kiss Me In The Dark is a goth-metal mini-epic that recalls mid-period Paradise Lost and suggests further investigation is required.
Playing heavy country-folk-rock, MORGANWAY are an interesting but far from obvious choice of opener. Twin brothers Callum (bass, guitar,) and Kieran Morgan (guitar, bass), SJ Mortimer (soaring, gutsy blues/soul vocals), Nicole Terry (fiddle), Matt Brocklehurst (keys) and Ed Bullinger (drums) play a British take on the (mighty) Drive-By Truckers or Copperhead Road-era Steve Earle with extra fiddle and lush six part vocal harmonies. Despite their Norfolk connections, this is the first time I have caught Morganway and I am an instant convert. They pass my patented how-long-into-the-set-before-I-check-the-time test with flying colours - I didn’t check my watch once during their set and I can’t remember when that last happened.
And so to SKUNK ANANSIE. After what seems like an interminable wait and some proper arena show level checks from the road crew, the band take to the stage with thunderous opener Yes It's Fucking Political. From the off, the audience are well up for it and intense moshpits break out regularly.
Initially resplendent in immense headgear, Skin stalks the stage like a barely caged tiger. Guitarist Ace and bassist Cass are hardly immobile, regularly switching sides and prowling with almost as much effortless cool as Skin. Behind them, drummer Mark Richardson is an absolute powerhouse. There is also (so far as I could hear, unnamed) fifth member of the band adding backing vocals, percussionist, keys and occasional co-lead vocals.
During the eighteen song main set, the energy levels barely let up, even on the gentler numbers. Between songs, Skin’s patter is of course (fucking) political, calling out Brexit and the response to refugees. Highlights include Twisted (Everyday Hurts), Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) - dedicated to local hero Rick Lennox (of Epic Studios) who signed the band to their first record deal – and a storming Intellectualise My Blackness.
All in all, as good as Skunk Anansie are, as enjoyable as it is, it all becomes a bit of bludgeoning assault on the senses after an hour and a half. Maybe it is too much of a good thing or maybe the maxim if it is too loud, you’re too old holds true but I need air and don’t stay for the encore. Instead, I head for home, clutching my newly purchased Morganway vinyl, listening to Skin being interviewed about Record Store Day on 5Live
