Murdo McLeod
Speaking politically is impossible to avoid when discussing Billy Bragg.
He makes no bones about being a political songwriter and never has done, it’s enabled him to carve out a niche all for himself over his near forty-year career. Whilst the debate about politics and music rages on, Bragg continues to tread the road less-travelled, that being his unique blend of folk and punk.
Fresh from his usual role at Glastonbury (having been curating the Leftfield Stage for nearly a decade), Bragg is now moving onto his next project, a series of residencies consisting of three nights at particular venues across the UK for the remainder of the year. Having done the first in Portsmouth last week, the Bard Of Barking (the moniker is compulsory) has now pitched his tent in Bristol which, aside from London, is as close as he’s likely to get to a homecoming gig, politically speaking.
The residency is divided into three separate nights; the first a greatest hits set, the second choice cuts from his first three albums and the third consisting of tracks from his second three albums. Endearingly, Bragg simply refers to the albums as colours (‘the blue one’ etc). Once again doing things his own way, it’s a remodelled version of the celebratory album tours that have become a fixture of the live circuit. Tonight (July 10th) it’s one man, three guitars and the songs that have defined his career.
Opening with Sexuality, tweaking the lyrics to make them more apposite (‘don’t threaten me with Morrissey’) which he will do throughout the set, the crowd are in fine voice, Bragg himself commenting that ‘it’s like playing to a convention of Billy Bragg impressionists’. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Bragg refers to certain songs as ‘bangers’ and he’s got a few: the roof is also raised for The Milkman Of Human Kindness, Greetings To The New Brunette and arguably his finest hour, the wonderful A New England.
Yet it’s the deeper cuts that have the most resonance, including his reinterpreted version of Ode To Joy, unsurprisingly included tonight. He addresses toxic masculinity on Handyman Blues and To Have And To Have Not and There Is A Power In A Union require little explanation in 2019. Full explanations are always provided though, despite preaching to the choir. Bragg is a raconteur at heart and one suspects he’s equally as comfortable eulogising through the medium of song or speech.
A genial host, he regales us with tales from his past and seems genuinely upset when discussing Morrissey’s current travails. It’s rarely mentioned but he’s also a cracking guitarist, the electric strumming on Why We Build The Wall giving it a sinister undertone. Holding the attention of an audience for two hours as one man is no small feat, and the musicianship deserves equal credit.
Less of a national treasure than an institution, Billy Bragg shows no signs of slowing down. Or more accurately, the world shows no inclination for him to have to do so, as his updated version of The Times They Are A-Changing (with added ‘Back’) demonstrates. For that we should be thankful, as no other artist can hold a candle to his eloquence and lucidity.
Long may he fight the good fight.