Great Gigs - Gaslight Anthem and Magazine

I've been to two great gigs in the past couple of weeks - both at Manchester Academy. The first was The Gaslight Anthem supported by Frank Turner and Polar Bear Club.

Polar Bear Club were ok. They reminded me a bit of Gallows but I'm sure my elder son would disagree. Frank Turner I saw supporting The Levellers before Christmas and was impressed then. Since then I've listened to a lot of his stuff and got to like it a lot so it was even better to see him knowing most of the songs. He is obviously influenced by Billy Bragg, and like Bill he mixes politics and love to great effect. I recommend him highly and will be back to see him when he tours to promote his next album.

The Gaslight Anthem is a group I got into last year when their second album, The '59 Sound, came out. I've since got into the first, Sink Or Swim and can also recommend the EP Senor and the Queen. They played most of the second album and a good selection from the other two releases and they were extremely good. The crowd was very receptive and there were a number of crowdsurfers, including number one son. They are from New Jersey and have obviously taken a lot from that State's most famous modern musical legend, Bruce Springsteen. They have a punk ethic it seems, allied with an appreciation of classic rock and it's a winning combination. Another band I will be back to see.

Last night I went to see one of my favourite ever bands, the recently reformed (for a few dates only) Magazine. The line-up was one of the early classic ones with the exception of the deceased guitarist John McGeoch. His guitar sound was one of the key elements to Magazine's sound and I was interested to hear how his replacement Noko, late of Luxuria and Apollo 440, would handle it. I need have had no worries as the whole thing sounded incredible.

They started with what I would say is the best opener I've ever experienced - a stunning version of The Light Pours Out Of Me from the album Real Life. It really was that good and theey had a lot to live up to after such a start. Fortunately the whole gig kept up the quality and they all seemed to be really enjoying it, which transmitted itself to the audience. We will all quibble about what wasn't in the set - I would have liked to hear Feed The Enemy but it was all great material. The show finished with, what else, Shot By Both Sides, then they were back for a couple of encores finshing the whole set with a storming version of Beefheart's I Love You Big Dummy.

The performance took my breath away - it was worth the wait of nearly 30 years since I last saw them and they honestly sounded as good as, if not better than, ever. What a night.