WORDS BY JANET HARDING / IMAGES WARREN MILLAR
‘All Hail The Mighty Shed Seven, Thank You For One Of The Best Gigs Of My Lifetime’
I’m very happy, not only is tonight another trip down the 90s indie scene lane (Yessss) with the legends that are Shed Seven, but we have none other than the Lottery Winners supporting. We’re at Warrington’s Parr Hall for this event, so somewhat of a homecoming for the Lottery Winners (hailing from Leigh, just down the road)… and it’s a return visit to this brilliant venue for our headliners, Shed Seven, tonight too. Anyone who knows me will know, the 90s indie is one of my favourite eras for music; I’ve been loving all the anniversary and greatest hits tours, so this tonight is a gift from the music gods.
The historic Parr Hall is a great venue, one of my favourites in fact. Some great bands have played here over the years…I mean who could forget that Stone Roses gig and of course Starsailor more recently. It’s always a really great atmosphere and well organised. It’s perfect for a gig like this, we still have crowd feels but so big you feel distant from the band.
So in the pouring rain and driving wind we make our way to the stunning Parr Hall, where we can already see a fair sized queue of eager fans waiting to enter. It’s great, I love it, it’s real ‘gig feel’…the excitement mounting, the anticipation, everyone is chatting away happily, someone is singing ‘Disco down’. I can already tell the energy in here tonight is going to be something quite special – I’m not wrong either!
Support – the Lottery Winners
Thom Rylance – vocals/guitar
Robert Lally – guitar/backing vocals
Katie Lloyd-bass/backing vocals
Joe Singleton – drums
I’m a huge fan of the Lottery Winners, so to be seeing them tonight is a huge bonus. They really are something a bit different. Being from Leigh, there’s a gritty, northern wit to their songs – very tongue in cheek themes set to exquisite, effervescent sounds. It goes off when they arrive on stage, fresh from their own headline US tour, and Thom announces this is like a homecoming so he wants to hear some noise…opening with ‘Headlock’…yep, it goes off…the bottle of shaken musical fizz has been uncorked! Big time. So much energy comes from this band; it’s absorbed and returned… as a crowd, we love it. Tight, well played and so much fun to watch. Bloody brilliant! All band members are smiling, dancing… it’s a real happy making performance.
Thom (Rylance) as a front man oozes ‘cheeky chappy’ northern charm. Between songs it’s like being at a stand up comedy store event. He interacts with the crowd, banters with band members and even involves our very own Warren Millar (All Music photographer) asking can he see his pics, has he got any good ones and will he tag him in them,…remarking “Oooh, not bad, I’ll use them on my only fans page”. Any hecklers are cut down with razor sharp wit! The Lottery Winners have a sound of their own: it’s an iridescent, shimmering feel, its feel good highs with a witty reportoire. It feels indie, but it’s poppy sounding too, with a slight alt rock too. Very commercial and listenable…the skippy, light drumbeats, multi dimensional guitars, clever riffs and real ‘earworm’ tunes. Katie’s unusual high vocals back Thom’s lead exceptionally, blending with his fuller, smooth and rich tones, with that unmistakeable northern accent sound, which we indie fans just love! Laid back on stage, it’s such a feel good set, the band members bounce off each other and joke with the crowd about ‘tour laundry’ mix ups, and Thom announces that he’s convinced he’s wearing someone else’s knickers and it ain’t great and he s feeling very self conscious. Underwear malfunction or not, it didn’t affect tonight’s performance one bit, it’s been must see stuff from beginning to end.
A great set list with everyone joining in, encouraged by the band, who before songs had Robert (Lally) teaching us the chorus then practicing ready for when signalled during the song to belt it out back to them – a concept that worked spectacularly. These guys (and gal) are on fire tonight, so likeable, relatable and incredibly talented. Selling out tours in their own right this really was a cherry on top tonight to have such a stellar band on first. Thoroughly enjoyable, an abundance of energy, with comedy thrown in. All too soon the set has ended to deafening cheers and thundering applause. Local legends, you done good, smashed it!! Thanks, Lottery Winners.
Set List:
1/ Headlock
2/ Favourite Flavour.
3/ Much Better.
4/ Meaning of Life.
5/ Start Again.
Shed Seven – Headliner
Rick Witter – vocals
Paul Banks – guitar
Tom Gladwin – bass
Formed in York back in 1990, Shed Seven ARE legends. They were a huge part of that ‘post Smiths’ emerging scene, and were hailed by press at the time as being something different. A real sound of their own, although all songs differ and are original, you can easily identify that Shed Seven sound, that brass undertone, the organ sections and that driving guitar sound. and of course the unmistakeable vocals – smooth, cheery at times wailing but always smooth and ‘of their sound’. I’m not kidding anyone, I’m giddy for this. I first saw them in 96, it’s been way too long and I can’t wait. Just hearing a Shed Seven song conjures up that feeling of a decade where finally main stream music wasn’t just manufactured pop. It’s a feel of new energy, home-grown British talent, guitar based with grit, but with an upbeat vibe and just the hint of late 60s with that Hammond sound.
It’s a real opener tonight, a stage set full of flashing light bulbs, very retro; we’ve certainly got that disco in every town feel already. As the guys arrive on stage and start to play, the crowd erupts… Our front man Rick (Witters) is dancing around, swinging the mic stand; guitarists are at stage edge, playing like their lives depend on it, swinging guitars. Wow – already blown away, it’s hit like a musical hurricane. The energy, passion and feeling being put into this is on another level. Announcing after the first track that it’s ‘gonna be a trip to the 90s’ the hits come flying, each one as brilliant as the last. It’s a full list and it’s going down superbly well. Moshpit is alive, the entire venue is bouncing; musical vibes have taken over; no butts are on seats, everyone’s on their feet and it’s amazing.
A real mixed crowd of all ages, but in the front row to the right of me, is a particularly young fan, a young man with his parents, singing every song word for word, and the band spot him straight away. Rick involves him, and chats to him throughout tonight’s entire event, but after the first song asks his name. “Shout out for Deacon, who’s 9”. His dad lifts him up onto the barrier, facing the crowd and the response is out of this world. This little guy is going to remember this for the rest of his life!
It’s on with the set, the performance is beyond all expectations, it’s adrenaline fuelled, it’s nostalgia feels, driving rip roaring guitars – musical medicine for the soul. It’s fascinating; genuinely we can’t (and don’t want to) keep our eyes off that stage for a second. The musicality comes crashing toward us like a tidal wave of wahwah, brass and organ sounds, drenching us in the best feels and reminiscence…Shed Seven always had a penchant for live performance and have made a point of giving their all on tours. Certainly standing the test of time and remaining current, relevant and cool decades on, it’s testament to this style/sound/genre.
The debut album ‘Change giver’ reached gold and the band went on to make a further 20 top 40 albums and 15 top 40 hits in the UK alone, amassing greater success in Australia and the far East. Anthems like ‘She left me on a Friday’ and ‘Getting better’ are eagerly awaited and devoured by a hungry for more crowd. This is a gig to remember. The guys aren’t still for a minute, posing for photographers, lifting guitars up high, high kicking. Rick is charismatic and quite fascinating to watch (we’ve all seen the videos… they can all so pull off that cool but slightly geeky, in a rock star kind of way, thing). He commands that stage, dancing around during instrumentals in that iconic 90s manner, mic in the air, arm up, head nodding in time, or he’s ‘losing his shit,’ mic in his back pocket, bouncing around swinging the mic stand. Its gig gold. Often times lead guitarist Paul (Banks) is back to back with him, dancing together, whilst still playing/singing. Utter legends! A 2 song acoustic mid set, it’s stripped back and it really shows the genuine talent Shed Seven have. Performing “Speakeasy’ the vocals are on point, this the song that Shed Seven became synonymous with, it being used in (at the time) the massive ad campaign for a certain mobile phone network. As ever, time flies when you’re at a kick-ass gig, and it’s the end of the set.
Returning on stage for a 2 song encore, it’s what we’d been waiting for – ‘Disco down’ and ‘Chasing rainbows’. Well the crowd are beyond wild now, it’s complete madness. This band sure can play, and play they do, bloody amazingly. It’s been relentless, nonstop, jaw dropping from beginning to end. Everyone’s singing along to these last 2 anthems, it’s electric, we have goose pimples. Fascinating, mesmerising, hats off to you Shed Seven; you guys have still got it…in multitudes.
Deacon was given drumsticks and maracas and a set list by the band and I’m guessing had the time of his life! A small gesture from a huge band, but such a thoughtful and genuine thing to do, it’s made memories for a 9 year old Deacon that will last a lifetime. Here’s to Shed Seven, not only for being legends of the British music industry, not only for being excellent musicians and creatives and one of the best live bands you’ll ever see, but for being all round good eggs! and also the kings of cool…and seemingly ageless!!
All hail the mighty Shed Seven, thank you for one of the best gigs of my lifetime, and also one of the best gigs photographer Warren and myself have covered for All Music Magazine so far. And a final shout out to Deacon. What an absolute star you are too!
Set List:
1/ Room in my House.
2/ Casino Girl.
3/ High Hopes.
4/ She left me on Friday.
5/ Devil in your Shoes.
6/ Dolphin.
7/ Ocean Pie.
8/ Speakeasy.
9/ Where have you been tonight?
10/ On Standby.
11/ Bully Boy.
12/ Better Days.
13/ Going for Gold/Suspicious Minds.
14/ Getting Better.
15/ The Heroes.
16/ Disco Down.
17/ Chasing Rainbows.
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Warren is a live music and festival photographer based in Cheshire and covers gigs/festivals mostly in the North West of England. He has been photographing live music for over 10 years and has covered major artists and festivals
