THE LOVELY EGGS, ROB AUTON & THE BUG CLUB
Let’s get something clear from the start, THE LOVELY EGGS are, what Memorial Device would refer to as, Alternative National Treasures. Truly a DIY cottage industry, Holly and Dave play some of the catchiest, most joyous garage-psych-punk-rock-‘n’-roll known to humankind. I am a FAN.
Yet somehow this is only the second time that I have seen them. Last time out was at the (much missed) OPEN Club Room four and a half years ago. Where does the time go? That night, complete with an audience member in a light-up jellyfish costume, was great but tonight was something else entirely. From opener This Decision to closer Return of Witchcraft, the Eggs are on fire. There is no let-up in the energy coming from the stage. The audience – possibly the most enthusiastic I have seen in this room – take that energy and gave it back to the band in spades. The seventeen-song set was chockfull of classics with Still Second Rate, Magic Onion, I Like Birds But I Like Other Animals Too and Wiggy Giggy warranting particular attention. And can there be anything more life-affirming and uplifting than being in a mass crowd singalong of Eggs anthem **** It?
Compared to the headliners, any support is gonna struggle but THE BUG CLUB do a damned fine job of opening the show. Due to bad planning on my part, I miss the first couple of songs of their set but what I do see is thoroughly enjoyable, combining garage rock with country and 60s Francophone pop. The trio play at a fair old pace, a couple of songs being rapid enough to give The Ramones pause for thought. Theirs’ is an upbeat set and I definitely wanna hear and see more of them.
Between The Bug Club and The Lovely Eggs, ROB AUTON delivers a set of quirky, slightly surreal spoken word-stand up-poetry. I was initially sceptical but after a couple of minutes I’d tuned into his wavelength and he definitely won me over.
A cracking set from one of our best bands with decent supports. What more can I ask for on a Tuesday night?
