Keep On The Grass

Supergrass

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Review

Supergrass

Ask people to think of Supergrass and most folk’s minds will conjure up and image of those cheeky scamps with those sideburns who made that catchy single which had that video, sometime back in ’95. Times and musical fashions have changed, but the sideburns remain the same – and tonight the ‘Grass are in the Liquid Room playing an intimate gig to preview their sixth studio LP, Diamond Hoo Ha.

A flurry of tunes from that album opens the show, with forthcoming single Rebel in You being the pick of the bunch. The crowd are at first slow to react to the new material, but by the time that frontman Gaz Coombes strikes the first chords of Richard III , it’s obvious that the band’s seemingly endless energy has transferred to the audience. From here on it’s non stop: strobe lights provide an apt backdrop for the slick grooves of Kiss of Life; the duelling guitars of Gaz and his brother Charlie (making his debut on second guitar, tambourine and, er, cowbell) bring 345 and Brecon Beacons to life, and even the Beatles-esque strum of St Petersburg barely allows a pause for breath.

The biggest cheer of the night, however, is saved for Moving. A double whammy of Sun Hits the Sky and ubiquitous singalong Pumping on Your Stereo brings the main set to a sweaty close. Of course there’s an encore, and bassist Mick Quinn hobbles back on clutching a walking stick - a rather self-deprecating nod to the broken vertebrae he recently suffered after sleepwalking out of a hotel room window.

Despite the jokes, Supergrass show that they’re very much serious contenders in the live arena as they finish with an electrifying Caught by the Fuzz. Before his Telecaster has stopped feeding back, Gaz invites us to join them in Glasgow next month. On the basis of tonight’s performance, it’s hard not to be tempted.

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