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Britpop swaps park life for Pudstock
Louis Pattison, London Lite 22 Jan 2007
A decade ago, you rather imagine the great and good of Britpop spent their Saturday afternoons trying to shake a hangover with a fry-up and a kick-about down the local park. Seems the years have instilled a certain social conscience.
Organised by homeless charity Crisis, the second Pudstock fundraiser saw two generations of Britpoppers take the stage before an invite-only crowd who won their tickets by finding a lucky sixpence in Crisis's special charity Christmas puddings. Ed Harcourt's set picked out morbid blues numbers and looped his soulful croon into a chorus of voices on the exceptional I've Become Misguided.
Graham Coxon was certainly a Harcourt fan: "Like an angel living in the body of an Anglo-Saxon warrior", was the ex-Blur guitarist's judgement as he took the stage.
But Coxon's solo performance was the day's highlight. Leafing through pages of hand-scrawled lyrics, he ignored shouts for Parklife in favour of an acoustic ramble through Scottish folk standards, picks from his solo back catalogue, and a cover of Talulah Gosh's My World's Ending that drew titters every time Coxon forgot the words. Far from seeming unrehearsed, though, it felt like a treat - a real one-off.
If only we could say the same about Dirty Pretty Things. Carl Barat's post-Libertines outfit barrelled gamely through, but this pub-rock and white reggae strut offered few truly memorable moments. Say what you want about Doherty, but at least he can write songs.
Athlete closed the night with a set that saw them debut tracks from their forthcoming third album. If Pudstock should be judged on good spirit, going on the raucous crowd chorus that met Wires, they certainly struck the right chord.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (4)
Supergrass were amazing as usual but Razorlight didn't show untill after 11.30pm so I had to leave before they came on and get the last tube back to south London – (wasn’t the only one either!) Absolutely GUTTED as they were the band I paid £25.00 to see. The organisation was poor!
- Clare, Clapham, London, 26/03/2007 16:30
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Supergrass were on top form as always with a string of hits dating back to their debut album, plus a new song that went down well. DPT were also very good, contrary to the review.
- Lenny, St Petersburg, 23/01/2007 20:37
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Graham Coxon was amazing, but so were Dirty Pretty Things, energizing the audience with their tight brand of rock and roll songs performed with passion. DPT played a blinding sequence of their songs, demonstrating again their ability to create a distinctive sound, great tunes and lyrics which are passionate, sad and straight from the soul. The band is tight and managed to consistently put on a good show. The Pudstock audience, having arrived to see different performers, lapped it up - the young woman next to me, unfamiliar with the band, kept saying how great they were! Having seen the Doherty solo and Babyshambles shows in Whitechapel earlier in the week, it seems amazing that two such fantastic (and different) bands should have emerged from The Libertines.
- Alice, London, UK, 22/01/2007 19:43
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Having been there on Saturday, all I can say is 'If Dirty Pretty Things' play pub rock, they can play MY local every night!'
- Jo, London, 22/01/2007 19:26
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