...but
fast forward to the present day and the Inspirals' place as a great
indie singles band seems assured if their sold-out Brixton gig was
anything to go by.
The band's recent UK dates have been billed as a greatest hits tour
- and their south London performance didn't disappoint.
"At
times the band love their Hammond organ sound a tad too much..."
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Taking
the stage to a chorus of moos - but minus their trademark bowlhead
haircuts and carrying a few extra pounds - they kicked off with
Joe, their driving homage to a tramp.
This was quickly followed by Directing Traffic and This
Is How It Feels, the latter touching a real chord with the mostly
thirty-something audience.
passion
There may have been a fair bit of nostalgia surrounding the gig,
but this didn't seem to quench the band or the crowd's passion.
Although, when someone at the front lost their specs, the audience
not only cleared a space around the hapless fan, but stopped dancing
and helped him look for them as well.
Not the sort of thing likely to happen at a Slipknot show!
Always a singles band, the Inspirals hit the high notes with She
Comes In The Fall, Find Out Why, Dragging Me Down
and the heavenly Saturn 5.
Their new single, Come Back Tomorrow, also showed that they
haven't lost their pop
showcase
But
tracks such as Weakness and Commercial Reign illustrated
how at times the band love their Hammond organ sound a tad too much.
And their decision to cover Doves' Pounding had a faint whiff
of tribute band about it.
This was not really a gig for someone without at least a passing
acquaintance with the Inspirals, but it was a fantastic showcase
by one of the most overlooked and idiosyncratic bands of the 80s
and early 90s.
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