Posts Tagged ‘post punk’
‘Thanks for keeping playing’
“Yorkshire!” someone yelled in the crowd.
“Allston!” countered David Gedge, indefatigable leader of Leeds-born, post-punk/indie rock mainstays The Wedding Present. “Where is Allston, anyway?” he added before launching into the rest of the band’s set Friday at Brighton Music Hall in Boston.
The “semi-legendary” Wedding Present, as Gedge put it, rolled into town to showcase new songs from their latest record, Valentina. But the main draw was 1991′s Steve Albini-produced Seamonsters, which they played in its entirety.
Far from a nostalgia trip, the songs still seemed fresh to Gedge, perhaps due to the energy of his younger bandmates, particularly ace drummer Charles Layton. The record’s shifting dynamics came to life with this current lineup rounded out by guitarist Graeme Ramsay and bassist Pepe le Moko.
The 51-year-old Gedge looked agile and trim, still breaking strings with his trademark rapid strumming. When they ended the show with a raucous version of 1988′s “You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends,” it was clear that looking back is no sin, when such strong flashes remain of the original spark.
It was great to see “the boy Gedge” still at it. Or as I nervously gushed to him in a ridiculous fanboy moment after the show, “thanks for keeping playing.”
Indeed.
