Quite often you go along to a gig these days and there is very little in the way of banter between band and audience ....which is absolutely fine as most of them probably would not have much worthwhile to say.... however the same could not be said of Billy Bragg and right now is almost the perfect time for Bragg to get everything off his chest as the ConLib coalition start the process of dismantling the very fabric of our society bit by bit....it really is a pleasure and privilege to spend a couple of hours being entertained by Bragg....
There is an honesty and decency about Bragg that is so refreshing and so needed today...he quite openly apologises for tactically voting Liberal at the election...I have a feeling there may have been quite a few others in the audience who did likewise...but the main focus of Bragg's words tonight was on trying to get us to shake off our cynicism and reflect on how we can as individuals fight for a better world and how with the best will in the world singer song-writers cannot change the world....all Bragg's arguments were presented with his customary wit and intelligence as if we would expect anything less from the great man....including a great story about how activists campaigned to get rid of the B.N.P. from Barking council and succeeded and his pride in what they had achieved was rightly justified....
And yes in case you were wondering he did play some music as well....highlights for me were Greetings to The New Brunette,The Saturday Boy, Sexuality and the song of the evening,Tank Park Salute....all reminding us,as if we needed reminding,that Billy Bragg is a brilliant songwriter and a thoroughly decent man....
The show finished with an Arches singalong to A New England that included one of the verses from the wonderful and very much missed Kirsty MacColl....hard to believe that it was almost 30 years ago that I bought my "Pay No More Than £2.99" copy of Life's A Riot...time to dust down my vinyl copy and take myself back to '83....
The man never fails to come up with the goods. I have to admit I had a tear in my eye during Tank Park Salute.
ReplyDeleteIt was the highlight of a great show...glad I turned up earlier than I normally do for gigs right enough...still coming up with the goods after almost 30 years...could not agree more with you about the dickheads talking throughout...it does make you wonder why they bother paying good money to go to the gig...
ReplyDeleteTank Park salute is one of those songs that always has me complaining that somethign has got into my eye
ReplyDeleteIt is one of those songs that has that effect on men of a certain age...certainly one of Bragg's finest moments....
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