The Delines – Thurs 14Th July 2022
Is it possible to subjectively review a live show of a band that you already consider to be rather excellent ? Possibly not, but here goes.
BBC6 Music’s Gideon Coe had been my gateway into this particular drug, he had championed
The Delines, Jumpin’ Hot Club gig at Gosforth Civic Theatre had been rescheduled a couple of times so as I was waiting to buy ‘The Sea Drift’ at the gig; I had very little idea what to expect.
The Delines took to the stage, and went straight into ‘Ain’t no Getaway’ – new to me, but familiar; like an old friend you haven’t seen for a while.
I had anticipated hearing, more or less the whole of The Sea Drift, but I was soon into my comfort zone – Eddie and Polly, He Don’t Burn For Me and Roll Back My Life; one after the other; and all lifted from The Imperial.
I wasn’t not the only one singing along.
You feel Amy Boone lives inside these songs, inhabits them, her voice the perfect vehicle for the stories penned by her sidekick Willy V. I wonder to myself how it’s possible to pour so much emotion into a performance night after night without feeling absolutely drained.
The lights were clearly bothering Amy and a number of times she asked politely for them to be adjusted,it took a while, but they got it sorted, just as [ironically] the band played ‘I Got my Shadows.‘
Then an unrecorded song called ‘Left Hook Like Frazier‘. Maybe a hint of things to come? It’s more upbeat, almost danceable.
Crowd pleaser ‘The Imperial’ is followed by only the second track taken from The Sea Drift, ‘Surfers in Paradise‘ and for me the stand out tune of the evening.
It’s sparse, and atmospheric and the music just swirls around the auditorium – Amy poured everything into the song and the crowd respond with their most sustained applause of the evening.
Then it’s into the title track from Colfax, followed by an instrumental,’ Daybreak’, designed I guess, to allow Amy some time to leave the stage and draw breath.
Then from the final seven tunes (4 of which constitute their encore) 4 were lifted from The Sea Drift; Little Earl, Drowning in Plain Sight, Hold Me Slow and Saved from the Sea.
To close they play Oil Rigs at Night from Colfax and Lets Be Us Again from The Imperial.
Willy and Cory did the meet and greet duties but there’s no Amy Boone.
I’m not surprised, she must be wrung out.
Music for people who love music.
Review courtesy William Graham.
Proper pic – Alan Harrison
Pic from camcorder – Shippy