Live Review
Elbow – Mountford Hall Liverpool
Okay, confession time. The first two Elbow albums, “Asleep at the Back” and “Cast of Thousands” did little to move me beyond a knowing smile and nod of the head. 2004’s “Leaders of the Free World” again warranted note by its very existence, but there was just something sadly lacking. Maybe it was Salisbury without the steak, or maybe it was that this reviewer was still a care free student at the time. Four years on this year’s unashamedly grownup album “The Seldom Seen Kid” made me laugh, weep, and dance like a lad of nineteen anew.
Tonight “Elbow” take stage to rapturous applause. The much lauded Northern underdogs reek of Mercury and are in predictably high spirits. The atmosphere at the Liverpool Mountford Hall is palpable, the audience ranging from moustachioed old scousers avec trophy wife to fresh faced student enthusiasts. But in a way that’s what makes this gig so edgy and exciting. More than once we’re jostled out of our place by a Bruce Grobellar look-a-like conveying 3 Stellas and hollering the words to his favourite Elbow opus aloud.
To say that Elbow mesmerize and subdue in equal measure is an understatement, from soul shredding opener “Starlings” to the final encore of “Some Riot” Guy Garvey and co have the crowd eating from the palm of their hands.
Universal highlights include “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver” a sweeping heartfelt epic that lulls the crowd into an almost tearful sense of submission, and “Grounds for Divorce” that drips with more funk, rattle, and spunk than a laundry basket full of Tennessee rattle snakes.
The onstage banter throughout shrinks this two thousand capacity gig to a close knit gathering in a matter of moments, with copper topped front man Garvey oozing boozy sexuality and confidence like a British Josh Homme. The rest of the band play immaculately throughout, with Garvey’s only lyrical guff being highlighted (by himself) to great aplomb.
Our encore, however, is held ransom until all assembled woo the band with a song of local relevance. Being Liverpool during the Capital of Culture, we treat Elbow to a high-speed, hand-clapping-heavy rendition of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and after five minutes of this intolerable caterwauling family man Guy and his troupe return to El-blow our minds, bleed our hearts, and leave us glassy eyed at the prospect of a return tour and another night of heartfelt northern soul.