Secret Meeting score: 84
by Philip Moss
After the release of their debut album, Tigermilk, Belle and Sebastian released a series of EPs – a format they’ve since shied away from until late last year. Last night, they returned to Manchester as part of a full UK tour, promoting How to Solve Our Human Problems – a new collection of three EPs.
Turning back the clocks, the band opened with debut EP title track, 1997’s Dog on Wheels before launching into a career spanning set that allowed ringleader and groover-in-chief, Stuart Murdoch, to get his dancing shoes (a pair of Doc Marten boots to be precise) on and coax the all-seated Bridgewater Hall crowd onto their feet to have a good ol’ boogie.
Centrepieces Fox in the Snow and If You’re Feeling Sinister commanded reverent moments, while The Boy with the Arab Strap saw Murdoch open up the stage to those revellers who really wanted to let loose – much to the annoyance of the security staff as over 50 fans spreading three generations flooded the stage.
Of the new tracks, Sweet Dew Lee was a highlight and along with the excellent 2004 b-side, I Believe In Travellin’ Light, it presented the opportunity for Stevie Jackson to open up his lungs on lead vocals.
In the lead up to the encore, an unexpected twist saw Murdoch wield a megaphone as the band covered The Fall classic, Mr Pharmacist, in tribute to the late, great Mark E. Smith. What he would think of Belle and Sebastian, however, is another question entirely.
After closing the main set with the Tigermilk cut, My Wandering Days Are Over, they returned to play the title track from their best album, Dear Catasrophe Waitress, and the Pet Shop Boy-evoking, Party Line – performed by Murdoch from the top tier as he took full advantage of his radio mic. So while it may be over 20 years since this band of twee indie popsters first made the jaunt down from their native Glasgow, on this performance they showed there’s certainly no slowing down and, for many, all human problems were seemingly forgotten during this memorable hour and a half set.
