Graham Parker & The Rumour @Sheperd´s Bush Empire, London

Graham Parker & The Rumour @Sheperd´s Bush Empire, London

Courtesy of David Osler

The good news is that the music of Graham Parker & The Rumour – born of the mid-1970s marriage of a notably gifted songwriter and a bunch of all star pub rock alumni – holds up better than most output of the New Wave period. The bad news is that the decades have clearly taken their toll. Parker’s once snarling voice lacks much of the sheer vitriol most of those present at two gigs at Shepherd’s Bush Empire probably still keep preserved on vinyl, while the musicians at times seemed slightly bored with note-perfect reproductions of the old arrangements.

Back for their first European tour in 35 years, they did plenty of the old stuff and let’s not get snotty here. There can be no dispute that they ran through this material supremely well. Those in the mosh pit back in the day will have enjoyed “Fool’s Gold”, “Hotel Chambermaid”, “White Honey”, a jazzy rendition of “Lady Doctor”, “Local Girls”, “Discovering Japan”, and the cod reggae of “Howlin’ Wind” and “Don’t Ask Me Questions”, with “Soul Shoes” saved for the second encore.

Despite these tracks were interspersed with newer material from 2012’s comeback CD, Three Chords Good and an as-yet-untitled album, still in the process of being recorded, think of it as an excellent live performance of the Best of compilation. And yes, I’ll be checking out the new product. And not just for nostalgia’s sake, either.

It’s clear that Graham Parker & The  Rumour – now all sixty somethings –  are not on the brink of embarking on bold new musical directions. But some of the stuff – most notably “Snake Oil Capital of the World” and a rocker that saw guitarists Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont bounce riffs off each other – proved that there are still sparks to squeeze out of these guys.

Graham Parker & The Rumour don’t need a tribute act, because they can handle that function all by themselves.

Setlist

1. Fool’s Gold
2. Hotel Chambermaid
3. White Honey
4. Snake Oil Capital of the World
5. Flying In To London
   (New song, first live performance)
6. Coathangers
7. No Holding Back
8. Howlin’ Wind
9. Wall Of Grace
   (Unreleased new song)
10. Live in Shadows
11. Lady Doctor
12. Love Gets You Twisted
13. Stick to Me
14. Watch the Moon Come Down
15. Get Started, Start a Fire
16. Discovering Japan
17. Nobody Hurts You
18. Pourin’ It All Out
19. Local Girls
20. Encore:
20. You Can’t Be Too Strong
21. Don’t Ask Me Questions
22. Encore 2:
22. Chain of Fools
    (Aretha Franklin cover) (with Glenn Tilbrook)
23. Encore 3:
23. Soul Shoes