GIG NUMBER TWENTY-NINE
Who
However, despite Skinny's efforts, this was most definitely the night of The Supernaturals. It was obvious that they meant business and, although focusing on the aceness of their tunes rather than their showmanship, they pulled it off brilliantly. We got all the greats - bar Everest and a few minor omissions - plus some new songs. The Day Before Yesterday's Man was outstanding, probably rocking more than any other tune I heard all year. The energy was also massively pumped up for I Don't Think So, and I finally saw what an excellent b-side it was thanks to the great stage presence of Derek! Smile and I Wasn't Built To Get Up were delivered back-to-back and were both incredible, and Submarine Song along with Sheffield Song provided two more excellent numbers. Lazy Lover was also accompanied by a hilarious story of some guy having it played at his wife's funeral. Remind me if I ever get to run Glastonbury to make sure these guys are made to reform and headline, as no-one else made pop songs like these! Life Is A Motorway was the astounding highlight of the new numbers, and it could definitely claim to be catchier than YMCA! Rounding proceedings off, Trees was a touching closer.
At this point though, I must draw attention to the crowd, as we had a bunch clearly intent on winning the award for the WORST CROWD EVER. Whilst the band were delivering this perfect rock/pop show, everyone just stood like statues, only offering moderate applause whenever the music stopped. Anywhere else this show would be greeted with hysteria but not in Birmingham! I just wanted to slap everyone in the face and tell them to enjoy themselves as most of them were unlikely to ever witness a show this good again. The band also hinted at this lameness by saying that on an earlier night of the tour everyone had been jumping on each others shoulders and generally having fun! Seeing something so perfect being greeted by such indifference was quite distressing and a possible plan of action is to ban Birmingham from hosting gigs, as the locals just don't deserve them. Worst of all was the guy who heckled for the band to play Smile again which, as everyone had totally ignored it the first time around, seemed downright offensive! But anyway, this was an amazing long-awaited gig in a small venue and I'm happy to report that The Supernaturals later returned with a pleasing (but surprisingly subtle) third album! I suggest you find out about the most underrated band on Earth and give them the royalties they deserve for the greatest unappreciated pop songs of our time. They since split up, and everyone who didn't support them should hang their head in shame. In many years time I expect they'll have a quite enormous cult following anyway though, as bands this good cannot be just forgotten!
Mark: 8.5/10
The Supernaturals
Support
Skinny
Myst
Where
Birmingham Academy 2
When
3rd September 2001
Price
£8.00
Who with
Nick
Position
At the front, in the middle!
Comments
At last! I'd waited ages to see The Supernaturals, after missing a chance to see them in 1998 due to someone I know being foolish enough to say no to the show on the basis that they sing about tea cosies! They'd also vanished for a few years and I thought they'd split up and had long ceased to expect a return. However, they were back, minus two original members, and I knew this time I couldn't miss it. I was a bit sceptical beforehand though as a band with such a pop approach made for a fairly unpredictable live show: I'd watched them doing Sheffield Song on TFI Friday and it was terrible! We arrived early and the band walked past us to get into the venue, which was quite surreal and left me too awestruck to say anything to them! The venue itself was a stage wedged up against a corner of a bar, which was strange. Myst opened the night and as I recall they were OK. However, their performance was overshadowed by Skinny: a brilliant slot that included Moby-like dance and great pop music. I also discovered after that the singer wrote Thank You by Dido so they can genuinely claim to be of unsung fame, although maybe not for the right reasons! They also wrote Failure which is quite popular, and it seemed highly appropriate for another brilliant but unappreciated band to be providing support!
Setlist
Late For The World
Monday Mornings
The Day Before Yesterday's Man
Elle
I Don't Think So
Summertime
Sheffield Song
What We Did Last Summer
Life Is A Motorway
Smile
I Wasn't Built To Get Up
Everything
Submarine Song
Lazy Lover
Finishing Credits
Trees
