Set
List:
Breakdown, All Roads Lead to You, Some People are more equal than others, Young Gods, Slipping through Your Fingers, Inside Out, Forgiveness, Don't Pray For Me, Unwind, Radical Your Lover, I won't be with you, Womankind, Refresh Yourself, Too much Too Young, Harder all the time, The Way that I live (encore)
I have just had the pleasure of following Scarborough’s finest – Toby Jepson – around the country on his first tour for over 7 years. The shows came and went, and we’re now left with just the memories, a slight ringing in the ears, and doubtless the Refresh EP permanently on play!
The set comprised mainly of the rockier tracks from Jepson’s repertoire. Following “Breakdown” with “All Roads Lead to You” and “Some people are more equal than others”, Toby and his band were on to a winner right from the start.
It wasn’t just old material that was played and Toby took every opportunity to remind the crowds that “this tour is about the future”. To that end, we were given a sneak preview of a new track “Inside Out”. Thumbs up from me, and looking around I didn’t see any thumbs down! I think we can look forward to seeing that track appear on an album sometime soon…
A third of the way into the set, things slowed down for the classic Angels song “Don’t Pray for Me” in which Toby proves his vocals have lost none of their haunting power. Also included in the set was the crowd-pleaser, “Too Much, Too Young”, and boy did the crowds go nuts each night when those familiar chords and drum claps started. In Manchester, I was dragged on stage to sing with Toby. Christ knows, I wouldn’t wish my singing voice on my worst enemy, but fuck me, I enjoyed it and what a privilege. It meant a lot, and will be 5 minutes of my life I’ll never forget, thanks Toby!
Without any doubt, the old Angels’ classics proved to be popular, dauntlessly put across, and as good as ever before.
Often at London gigs, audiences lack enthusiasm; indeed I’ve been to several gigs in town where I swear most people were asleep. Not so at the Garage on 28th March. The crowd with me down at the front were great, moshing and head-banging away.
The title-track of the EP, “Refresh Yourself” was shown to be made for the stage and in time, as people become more familiar with it, will be one of those songs where you just have to punch the sky.
Each night, Toby was the charismatic front man he has always been, encouraging the crowds to sing along. Nick Dunne plays to the crowd (well the girls anyway), and just revels and comes to life when he’s in the spotlight. Matt - in the boiler room at the back - plays with a vengeance, if he played any harder, his sticks would surely break!
In a set that was all too short Toby Jepson has put British rock back on the right tracks. Full of life and energy the lads gave it their all each and every night in a brilliant performance that covered material from the Refresh EP, from the Toby and the Whole Truth era, and generously interspersed with the material from the Angels’ days.
The last night in Liverpool had a party atmosphere, with banter and streamers, and I think everyone had a blast. Hands-up if you saw Roger pouring the glass of water down Dave’s neck during the final bow?
By the time the band closed the set with an ear-splitting, head-bang with “The way that I live” the crowds down at the front were begging for more Toby’s vocals soared, Nick’s guitar screamed, and Dave Kemp’s sax hit all the right spots. But alas, the house lights came on.
Toby will tell you he has no favourite gig, that they all were good for different reasons. I’ll second that opinion – each gig was very different, each had its own highlights. Toby has proved once again that he can provide an enthralling live show and write strong, memorable material.
For those of you who, for some reason or another, could not make it to any of the gigs this time (shame on you), Toby and his fine new band kicked ass!
Iain Roy