Elbow at the Hammersmith Apollo

I am struggling with doing reviews of seeing Elbow. I can only wax lyrical every time I see them which can get boring to write.

First up I went with a mate who had only just got back from a 9 month spell in Aberdeen. Genuinely lovely chap who anyone would like, so just having the chance to catch up with him was a pleasure in itself.

We saw much of the support act Black Rivers. Now we both said that we loved the music they played, but rather disliked the vocals. The songs almost had to be stopped to let in the rather insipid singing. I commented to James that I was rather surprised in a way that a band that was obviously not in the first flush of youth was still trying to make a go of it supporting Elbow.

Later research on my part revealed why. Not really a new band at all, but half of Doves (who I liked), minus front man Jimi Goodwin, leaving the Williams brothers to form Black Rivers. So that explains a lot. Really mature music well played, but uninspiring vocals.

Enough of them. Onto the main act. I am not surprised that every time I see Elbow I think they are wonderful. What I am surprised by is that I think I enjoy them more every time I see them. They are getting better.

This was a neat mix for the fans here, several songs from their latest album, The Take off and Landing of Everything, but also a lot of their much less well known songs from early albums. Even their real signature tune, One Day Like This, neatly fitted slightly anonymously into the middle of the set rather than was used as an ending. Its nice not to be defined by one anthem.

I always end up saying what a wonderful frontman Guy Garvey is, because its true. Every time you see him you think just what a great guy he is. Just the sort of bloke you would like as a friend down a pub. He has a rapport with the audience that has genuine warmth. When he gets the crowd involved, well they really get involved (and an Elbow crowd can really sing harmonies. We are good.)

He tells us that he will tell us the best story we will ever hear. but later, And eventually, he does tell us, And if maybe not the best ever, it really was very good. (Too long for this blog, but it involved French maids and poo. Great ingredients.)

As a singer he has an exceptional voice, strong, sweet and rough all at the same time. And the unglamorous beardy band behind him, with a large string and brass section, are all perfect too. The sound is just amazing. Always.

They truly do have a brilliant back catalogue of songs to call upon, but perhaps here I might take the chance to highlight what a terrific lyricist Guy is. Some of his lesser known songs exemplify this. A couple that they played that don't normally get an airing but did tonight, and which I adore are, Any Day Now which opens their first album Asleep in the Back and Fugitive Motel from their second, Cast of Thousands.

Song lyrics can't really be extracted from the music - that's what adds to the poetry, so repeating them her will not do them justice. But And day Now has a superb little insistent rhythm over which there is that call to escape crap towns that can be a theme amongst the young (see the Enemy for example)

"Any day now how's about getting out of this place? Any ways. Got lots of spare time, some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive."

Or the haunting romantic wistful Fugitive Motel

"I blow you a kiss
It should reach you tomorrow
As it flies from the other side of the world
From my room in my fugitive motel
Somewhere in the dust bowl
It flies from the other side of the world"

Or from Switching Off - "You, the only sense the world has ever made"

Their latest album has a rather melancholic feel and lacks perhaps some of the stand out stuff from their earlier work, but with the notable exception (for me)  of My Sad Captains, with which they closed the show, following a raucous rendition of Grounds for Divorce .

"And if its so we only pass this way but once, what a perfect waste of time." Perfect here not being sarcastic, but just perfect, in the way that one can enjoy a waste of time. And of course one hasn't improved the world by going to see Elbow. A waste of time in a way, but a perfect one. I loved it. Look forward to doing it again. And again.

How is that for an arty photograph of Guy Garvey?