Belle and Sebastian - Colston Hall, Bristol

Posted in SHOFT on Wednesday 1st February 2006 at 11:59pm

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Just like all the best shows, I started out thinking I couldn't be bothered and ended up being blown away. On leaving work tonight, the slog up to Bristol in freezing weather and the inevitable long cold wait for 1C59 on the way home was not inviting. It was very tempting just to stay in the pub at Weston station. But of course I wouldn't have. The last two experiences of seeing Belle and Sebastian in concert have been truly amazing, and I wouldn't miss this - practically a home town show for me at last - for the world!

So, arrived a little late to avoid a wait outside the Colston Hall and found a seat just behind the stalls to relax and enjoy support act Brakes featuring ex-British Sea Power members. Really enjoyed their abrupt punky sound, punctuated by little bursts of pop and country. On occasions they reminded me of Wire with Black Francis on lead vocals, but that could only be a good thing! A nice long set too - early starts and respectable finish times at the Colston Hall always seem to persuade bands to pack lots into their sets, and they finished with an exemplary Comma, Comma, Comma, Full Stop.

Following the strangely anachronistic Colston Hall tradition of ice cream selling girls parading their wares in the interval, the lights went down for the main event. Found myself feeling strangely excitied, despite my reservations earlier. Every time I see Belle & Sebastian I manage to rekindle a little of the feeling of childish expectation and mystery that accompanied the trip to Shepherds Bush almost ten years ago. Need not have worried - the band were on fine form. Lots of new stuff, including Suki in the Graveyard which I've grown to love over the past couple of months, alongside the should-be-hit Funny Little Frog and the could-be-hit White Collar Boy.

Lots of older things thrown in too, including Electronic Renaissance which they stopped short of playing at Somerset House two summers back. The set ended with a stunning Judy and the Dream of Horses. For an encore we got a celebratory If You Find Yourself Caught In Love which turned the ususally reserved Bristol audience into something resembling an evangelical TV preacher's flock! Once again, the band were spot on - strings, brass and all manner of strange instruments swapped around quickly. Stevie Jackson, once again the most relaxed man on stage by a mile, slipping effortlessly from the pristine jangle of the older hits into the seventies-style riffing of the new material. Mention must also be made of a swirling and mesmerising Lonliness of the Middle Distance Runner - first 'officially' heard at the Shepherds Bush show, and still spine-tinglingly fresh today thanks to Beans' hammond playing!

Things always finish at a 'respectable' hour at the Colston Hall, so I hammered across town in an effort to catch to 22:55 home. Missed it by seconds, and predictably waited for a long time for a late 1C59. I didn't mind too much in the circumstances.