Live Review
Morcheeba – The Roundhouse, London
Morcheeba struck back this year with their latest album “Blood Like Lemonade,” we have heard mixed views on it from Morcheeba fans, but we were pretty impressed by what it had to say, along with the fact that returning Skye Edwards was back onboard.
A quick note of interest for anyone working as press or industry and manage to find themselves with a pass to the VIP bar. If you are actually interested in hearing the band properly and even “seeing” them, then give the bar a miss. The view is highly obscured, and the sound isn’t pointed i your direction so you get a very diminished quality of sound (Could barely hear Skye!!) – plus you’ll get surrounded by self important people who think they have the right to stand there and talk over every song in a loud voice, as apparently what they have to say is much more important that what the band do (Like people who obstruct the viewing pleasure of a film, these people need to be marched outside and shot).
Having moved downstairs to the standing area I was much happier in the company of people who were actually into the music and wanting to appreciate the value of it all. Skye likes to entertain her guests and gets chatty in between songs along with solo Godfrey Brother, Ross. They set they play takes a few songs from the new album which they play beautifully and wrap them up in the classics. There is perhaps much more mellow material being played here which lets their lead only go so far with her impressive voice. But Ross Godfrey on guitar is more than capable of mastering the solo and did so a couple of years ago with many numbers when they played Shepherd’s bush Empire. In fact if memory serves well that whole show was executed with greater passion and even a part time singer who put in a hugely impressive vocal display.
Here it seems a bit light on its feet, but we do still get to hear some of their best material – opening with “The Sea” and ending the main set with “Blindfold” (which to be honest was rushed). But a three song encore starts slowly and ends with Skye crooning the opening of “From Russia With Love” which then turns into a crowd pleasing “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day” which gives the singer, Guitarist and the rest of the band a chance to go out on a bang. And like that they are gone again.
It’s nice to see the new material going down well with the public as well as being played seamlessly with their better known music. They may not have been on their most kick ass mode this night, instead it was more of a large gathering of friends in a comfortable atmosphere and singing a few friendly tunes and keeping the vibe warm and inviting – which is apt as the weather out there at this time of year sends chills down your spine. Morcheeba then are the perfect cure.