Pennie Smith
There are supergroups and then there are supergroups; as The Good The Bad & The Queen take to the stage, one is immediately reminded of the amount of history that each of these individuals have. Simon Tong played on Urban Hymns and was part of The Verve during their most successful period, Paul Simonon was a member of one of the most important groups of all time, we haven’t got time to list Damon Albarn’s achievements, and Tony Allen is Tony Allen. The fact that not one of them relies on past glories or presumption of recognition makes it all the more remarkable.
Not only that, but not any of the music played tonight would be recognisable from any other musical avenue they may have frequented. The winding lament that is Merrie Land gets more tragic each time, but when contrasted to the pomp of Gun To The Head it could be a different band. Meanwhile, the heartbreak of simplicity of The Poison Tree is a welcome respite following the funk chaos of Last Man To Leave. Merrie Land the album definitely grows on you, but when everything is given space to breathe in the live arena it highlights what an impressive feat it is.
Playing it in full, in order, it’s interesting to get an insight into the foursome’s chemistry. Their laconic, shuffling style seems casual but actually requires the attention to detail that only experienced musicians can bring. Specifically, Allen and Simonon are in perfect sync. Allen comes from the same school as Charlie Watts; perhaps oblivious to his talent, he has the air of a man bemused by finding himself in this situation. He doesn’t miss a beat. Simonon, meanwhile, never stops moving and carries the air of authority that suggests he’s the one really in charge, despite Albarn conducting matters as he often does.
And what of Damon Albarn? We know of his genius, but as a stage performer for this outfit it’s a tricky balance which he never quite pulls off. The music doesn’t lend itself well to the confrontational style he uses when with Blur, but he still tries. Other times, when he chooses to hide behind a performance as he does for The Truce Of Twilight, he seems more comfortable. Although he does shoehorn his location (‘in the dancefloors of England…and Wales’) which as a crowd pleasing tactic isn’t worthy of him. At another point he tries to encourage the crowd to a singalong but Simonon, pulling rank, cuts the idea down in its prime. Above everything else he’s a musician, therefore he is at his best when he’s sat at the piano or behind the comfort of the acoustic guitar. His voice has aged beautifully and when the intense noise is stripped back for Ribbons you could hear a pin drop.
The encore consists of a healthy chunk of songs from their first album. Simon Tong adds real spike via his guitar for 80s Life, and his frenzied introduction to Kingdom Of Doom is a sight to behold before it becomes a full on stomper. The added strings provided by a quartet ensure Herculean ascends and somehow make Green Fields even more gut-wrenching. Perhaps Albarn’s masterpiece, the track gets the biggest response of the night and is bolstered by a majestic full band performance. Displaying remarkable restrain, perhaps aware that they could go on all night, The Good, The Bad & The Queen (the song) is cut short but loses none of its music hall madness.
A majestic end to an astonishing set.