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Bellowhead

Venue: The Barbican
Town: York
Date: 12/11/14
Website: http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/

Bellowhead seem to be big business these days. What with their 'Revival' album getting an Island Records release and with impressive looking tour buses and a large articulated truck parked up at the back of the venues carrying lighting rigs and stage sets, it's almost like a full on rock show arriving in town. Half a dozen dates into their Autumn tour has seen a conquest of the northern territories as well as going back to their roots with aftershow sessions in the community in local pubs where, if you're lucky, the Bellowhead Revival ale has taken a battering. Yet the fact remains, whether it's in a rustic pub or plush concert hall, Bellowhead continue to be a thrilling and addictive live act.

Having seen a few of the opening dates, the band now seems to be settling on a setlist and sequencing which is starting to take shape and allowing the new material to find and fall into its rightful place alongside a healthy portion from the Bellowhead back catalogue. Alternating an impressive rapid fire 'Let Her Run' alternating with 'Roll Alabama' as the opener, tonight was the turn of the former with a similarly impressive 'curtain drop' (some might even call it showbiz, or maybe they now even have a set and stage designer) to reveal the band all in place, lights ablaze and swirling with the brass section blasts punctuating the breakneck drum fire. The multi-levelled staging which the band are carrying allows for all sorts of movement around the set which as the night wore on, became much more of a playground for the musical japes and larks which accompany the associated highly spirited mood.

As usual, there was hardly a moment to draw breath although some of the slower tempo pieces gave the chance for a break in between the carefully placed sets of tunes - 'Cross Eyed & Chinless', 'Trip To Bucharest' (great hilarity as Benji Kirkpatrick worked out the right key) and 'Jack Lintel' all getting first half outings and a chance for the full ensemble to let rip, which seems to happen when Jon Boden downs the vocal mic and picks up his fiddle to make up the full eleven piece band of instruments.

The more ominous tone of the mid set run in 'Black Beetle Pies' and the plodding plucked string water torture of 'Captain Wedderburn', accompanied by some sombre and shadowy stage lighting was the perfect opportunity to sit back, admire the visuals and gird the loins for a frantic finish which seems to be starting even earlier these days. While the expected rabble rousing and chance to indulge in a little approved bawdiness of 'Whiskey Is The Life Of Man' and 'London Town' still get the essential reactions, the new material which has slotted into the last chunk of the show works just as well. The ska circus swing of 'Rosemary Lane', combined with a brand new set of tunes which sounded strangely bizarre yet totally Bellowhead ('The March Past' plus something like 'Jack/Jock Wilson Of Fenton' and 'Bonny Kate Of Motown') - sent the crowd into frenzied Highland flings and provided an absolute killer twenty minute run to the end of the main set.

With the second wind comes with the encore featuring an extended 'Woodpile' (possibly available as a 12" remix for anyone who remembers those?), the main theme getting a bit of what appears like an improvised coda and chance to chant along and even point in the air with the "rolling!" part of the chorus. Amidst all the celebratory bouncing and folk punk pogo-ing both on and off stage don't forget to look up (not that you can do much else at the towering figure of ringleader Jon Boden) and before the show ends, share a thought for Pete Flood behind his battery of percussion as one on the unsung heroes of the band whose arranging and rhythmic skills don't always see him in the spotlight capering about to 'Frogs Legs And Dragon's Teeth'. In fact, it's just part of what goes into the mix to earn Bellowhead the folk equivalent status of Led Zeppelin. Much admired, occasionally imitated but hardly bettered.

Mike Ainscoe

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