Bellowhead – 20th Anniversary Tour: Live Review

By Mike Ainscoe on 27th November 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

We’re on a little run with Bellowhead as they celebrate ten years of this and twenty years of that…

Two years on and here we are again – happy as can be – all good friends and jolly good companeeee. The band of eleven folksters is back on the road to deliver lashings of joy and goodwill to their loyal supporters.

Before a note has been played, first observations see the new stage set note the end of the broadside themed construction, complete with nautical backdrop and ships wheel. The wooden cladding has been removed, its place taken with what I’m calling the ‘pier’ design. Strings of lights, steel rails and platforms and a ruched backdrop. Lots of backlighting is set for firing into the auditorium. The front of stage ‘ego platforms’ are still there and ropes of lights trail from the stage to the upper part of the hall above the audience. Very classy.

City Hall, Sheffield

Show #10 of 19 on the tour. Exactly halfway through the tour and Bellowhead arrive in South Yorkshire for a bit of a hometown gig for the Sheffield/Hudson Records/friends and family massif.

It’s “twenty years of us!” Jon Boden informs us at the start of his ringmaster’s performance, whilst also ten years since their last album, Revival so a bunch of tracks from that set are anticipated and delivered. It’s also two years since their last tour – the comeback that many thought would never happen after the finality of That’s All Folks, but judging by the sell outs on this tour in particular, many thousands (or more…) are glad it did. Although the 2022 tour carried a bittersweet tinge with in the wake of the loss of key member Paul Sartin, 2024 sees a rejuvenated set that confirms the party is back on. Possibly more so than ever.

Much jollity is evident early doors with shapes being thrown during Gosport Nancy and then the Hudson’s Hornpipe/Parson’s Farewell tunes giving the enthusiasts more than enough of an excuse to be on their feet. That’s after the Yorkshire gauntlet is thrown down by Sam Sweeney who bigs up last night’s crowd in Harrogate. The challenge is on!

A (personal) highlight comes in the mid set E.P.Onymous section with four of the five songs from their first recordings played together. Most have been in storage for some time. After all it is twenty years since release should we need an excuse for celebration. Seven of the players on that EP still onstage with the band on this tour as Prickle Eye Bush jogs the memory banks of being the last song at the last gig of the farewell tour in Oxford. This time it kick starts a tremendous rush of nostalgia (and dance moves) tunes with Jack Robinson and the Rochdale Coconut Dance sandwiching young Johnson, the rambling sailor.

Over in Team Strings, Rachael McShane spends a hefty portion of the set on cello, along with fellow stringer (and more) Sally Hawkins, content to let Sam hog the spotlight and use every inch of the stage as his playground, more often than not testing his knees (ouch!). His shenanigans almost see him missing his cue on the intro to Roll Alabama and he even launches himself into the crowd, breaking the fourth wall, dashing around the stalls before being hauled back onstage at the Team Brass side. The epitome of the advice to ‘never return to a lit firework’ – he could go off at any moment, across the front of the stage, in the crowd or when he gets to the top of the platforms, you know he’s going to spring off. When he was little, I bet he always wanted to walk on top of walls and jump in puddles…

Aside from poor Pete Flood who’s fixed behind his drum kit and array of percussion, the line up is spectacularly fluid. Three song sin and Ed Neuhauser and helicon are centre platform for the start of Fire Marengo; even Squeezy John has a tentative step onto the dizzy heights of the front of stage platform at the end of Haul Away and Sally finds a slack moment to creep across the stage to join the brass guys for a little shimmy on their platforms and join in the general melee in the therapeutic primal scream release given by Little Sally Racket.

There’s a significant special guest in town too as John Spiers introduces Will Sartin who appears for The March Past. There’s a genuine warmth as he fits seamlessly into the ensemble. He knows his cues (apart from appearing from the unexpected stage left…must be an endearing family trait) even heading atop the platforms to throw his dad’s famous Saturday Night Fever shapes. Maybe an indication of things to come? Paul is remembered too in one of his signature pieces and the the “up to the jigs, down to the rigs” of London Town. Audience participation and the Boden extended “riiiiiiiiiiiiigs!” as standard as the not set in stone, but hugely expected finale rolls on.

Sheffield, I hope and certainly feel, has topped Harrogate and as a reward, the band and crew get their only day off tomorrow as they head down to the London Palladium. Live recording anyone??

Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

Having monitored setlistfm and with one show under the belt, the conclusion is that Bellowhead have put together a brilliant set for this tour. We’re told that it’s Sam Sweeney who’s shaped the list, reminding me of when they played the Garforth Playground Party back in 2013 – an hour of ‘all killer no filler’. The latter part of the set in particular is a non-stop jamboree

Things seem to be settled as the baton is taken up for the final leg of the run. There’s a lot to take in on the intro as the band emerge (what’s Brendan got in his carrier bag?) accompanied by soundbites from various points of the career. It makes for an aural collage before the eleven – well ten plus Pete Flood on his drum riser – line up and ease into a new arrangement to the beginning of Let Her Run that soon picks up its more familiar punky pace.

Across The Line and Greenwood Side provide the only (mid-set) breathers in a non-stop onslaught. There’s an absence of unnecessary inbetween song banter; just the occasional dash from the stage right shadows for the tech guys swapping instruments especially with the arsenal of stringed things Benji Kirkpatrick has at his disposal. No Captain Wedderburn induced toilet break opportunities in this set (sorry Jon – just read an interview in a 2012 Properganda where this was quoted as ‘favourite Bellowhead track’…).

The Liverpool audience sits politely and takes it all in until just over the halfway mark when Bellowhead launch into Haul Away, inducing everyone onto their feet (“this one’s more fun if you stand up!” encourages Jon Boden. Ahem, cough, another call from the repeat offenders for standing gigs….). It sees Sam drawing out the intro fiddle line as long as he can and Boden also drawing out the start of the first vocal line, as they belt out the shanty that’s prime Bellowhead. The five minute carnival that sums up what Bellowhead are about. If anyone ever asks – show them a clip of Haul Away on Youtube that encapsulates the exuberance of their live set. They give no excuses for sitting back down again.

An underlit Jon Boden comes across all sinister in the gory tale he unravels on Greenwood Side. Like Sam he’s all wide legged stances not unlike Slash knocking out a solo in the desert in the G’n’R November Rain video. By this stage of the tour he still has plenty of sparkles left in his jacket pockets to toss during the sweet romantic part of Rosemary Lane. Gazing lovingly across at a sparkly bobble hatted Sam (playing the part of “the finest boy there” – certainly the sparkliest). Clearly the Health & Safety rep for the band, trumpteer Jim Bulger sweeps away any possibly slip hazards before JB dismounts the podium.

Brass star Brendan pops up across the stage at various points when the shackles are off, jiving with Team Strings or centre stage with shades and two instruments protruding from his lips in the style of Dave Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator. In Liverpool, Roll Alabama gets a rousing approval at its close, but instead of wallowing, it’s straight into the old farmer who in Sussex does dwell, Lilibulero and a mental note is made to listen out for the Death Metal vocal that seemed to be emerge from deep within John Spiers in days past. (update – from close observation in Manchester it is indeed Squeezy who’s responsible for the deep rumble of the song title that sounds like he’s casting some sort of demonic enchantment during a calmer section).

Rolling the whole world round, it’s been another tremendous night at the Philharmonic. It ends with Benji Kirkpatrick making an attempt at the long distance leap offstage record. His landing, measured roundabout row C/D in the stall aisles is yet to be ratified…..

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

The penultimate date of the tour finds us all gathered in another plush venue. The scene of one of the band’s pair of tenth anniversary gigs (the other was the Royal Albert Hall…) and Bellowhead sweep on, their sails filled by a second wind.

It turns out to be arguably the best show of the tour. Certainly the pick of the three we’ve encountered, but others who’ve been on a more comprehensive touring cycle, many of whom are in the front portion of the stalls, may beg to differ…but first…

Addressing the burning issue of ‘but what did they wear?!’ naturally, the trend setting fashionistas of the folk juggernaut always dress for the occasion. The theme, if there were one, seems to err towards flowers, flares and sparkles. Benji’s heavily, some would say dangerously given his athletic presence, flared black and red striped pants might have gone nicely with the black and red hooped shirt he used to wear. With the sleeveless Hendrix shirt, there’s also a gentle nudge to trip back and have a listen to his Bendrix album.

Over on the brass side Brendan makes up for Justin’s subtly plain selection with an outfit which will give him endless value for money at Seventies themed parties, although in Manchester Jim’s orange patterned shirt is a stern rival. Scanning stage right to left, the flower and sparkle count soars. We’re more Laura Ashley on acid flowery prints in the dubiously named law firm of Boden, Spiers & Sweeney, whilst Rachael and Sally opt for a combo of the two. The likes of Sally’s purple sequinned Converse High tops haven’t been seen in Manchester since Kirk Hammett wore similar in the rain when Metallica played the Etihad in 2019.

views from the front (row) by Amy Ainscoe (first Bellowhead show since Oxford Town Hall 1.5.16)

There’s some music too! The ‘oldies’ (songs…) section is once again an inspired choice. With Boden as the the Rambling Sailor visiting a variety of locales/ports and testing his geographical nous night after night, he finds a better choice of lasses in Manchester rather than Stockport on his visit to the North West. And what a joy it is to hear them working up a flok groove on those tunes for back in bellowhead history. It gets kicked off by the ‘almost’ oldie with disco leanings, Fire Marengo. Not for the first time in the set, the funk goes into overdrive and there’s a distinct nod to his purple Prince-ness minus the ‘MF’s and ‘git down y’alls’. Perhaps the clues lie in Brendan’s trews…

As with Liverpool, it takes Haul Away to haul Manchester onto its collective feet but then there’s no sitting down, bar the riotous free for all in Sally Racket when it might be dangerous to be within striking distance of the front of the stage. Having said that, the chances of losing an eye are quite high when Benji brandishes his bouzouki in phallic intent during the wild reeling section in Haul Away.

The tune sets have been strategically placed for a series of peaks sharper than a serpent’s tooth. Parson;s Farewell is an early sign of things to come. At the business end of the set, March Past is all highland flinging themselves about and throw some funky disco moves and even what in some circles might be regarded as a drum solo. Frogs Legs And Dragon’s Teeth is the tried and trusted final. The disco Bagpipes are out again (sequinned green for the record) and by this stage in proceedings, Sam Sweeney is looking like he’s given his all and back to back for a fiddle-off with Jon Boden, you feel they’re keeping each other upright. Squeezy John has to resort to simply hoisting up the melodeon on the big jump moments. Anyone with energy left

It’s been an exhausting gig and tour. The one thing that’s really clear from tonight’s gig is how the interaction between an audience on its feet and bopping away lifts both the band’s performance and the enjoyment and intensity of the gig. The shapes thrown in their dance moves become increasingly exotic too as they attempt to outdo one another and match the dizzying heights of silliness achieved by Brendan Kelly. Feeling sorry for John Spiers whose melodeon lead is too short to let him roam too far from his spot, his mates come across to make sure he’s included in the shenanigans.

The broad smiles and delight on the faces of the band at the response during, and particularly at the end of the songs in the ‘standing’ part of the set, are testament to the effect. From the front of the stalls, looking back, up and around the auditorium, the place is packed literally up to the rafters; just a cursory glance gives goosebumps. Even without Sam Sweeney flying offstage and darting around the stalls, the fourth wall can be broken; lo and behold the secrets of art of alchemy are within grasp.

As in the old theatrical adage, always leave them wanting more. And thoughts on the next tour… “We’ll see you again,” sounds good. Some Summer festivals? New music? A new album? Seats or standing? Whatever. Enjoy the moment.

Always see the support – The Longest Johns

Bellowhead have had some top class support acts in the recent past. Sam Sweeney and his own band on the last outing, Mawkin, Keston Cobblers Club. Best not mention The Moulettes as one friend had the first Bellowhead live experience tainted by a sour taste of Moulette (“couldn’t stand them!!!“), so each to their own.

Not the case with The Longest Johns though. Andy, JD and Robbie are already on our radar with a couple of festival paths crossed of late. A pile of drinking songs and shanties is just what’s needed before a prime dose of Bellowhead. The trio swing rapidly twixt unaccompanied shanties and drinking songs and string/banjo/guitar accompanied songs – all in the lively/animated vein – as they stalk the stage and in finest public transport fashion, fill every space. They even have a ‘hit’ of sorts in The Wellerman. They’re going to make the most of their half hour “before the real musicians come on.”

that’s not port

They have the nous to launch straight into an unaccompanied and vigorous Byker Hill. One that’s familiar to the majority of the audience no doubt so immediately the three Johns are onside. Armed with an assortment of things to hit, their amuse bouche of a set really takes off when the stringed instruments come out and they sing about trees (“all shout out the name of your favourite tree!”) in Oak & Ash & Thorn (“who said ‘Christmas’/’family’?“…) or Hoist Up The Thing as a rousing finale. “A song about inadequacy,” they say. Singing about sailing but they can’t sail. They’re ok with the drinking bit though, although we only get Beer Is Great at one of the shows we see and there’s no Got No Beard for us to hear either (“you can’t sing shanties if you’ve got no beard...etc”). For all their self deprecation and songs of incompetent sailors, The Longest Johns are far from lacking in any way.

They’re great fun, love the big stages and they work at engaging with their audience. Their half hour is done – they like half hours. The audiences like the Longest Johns.