Nostalgia's Not What It Used To Be

So, I'm standing there with L, front and centre in the ABC and who comes and stands next to me? The one and only Vinyl Villain, pleasantries were exchange and I was introduced to the rest of his gang, after which he said " well,  are you going to review this then .  . . "  I explained that gig reviews are not really my thing, as I never remember set lists, running orders,  band members etc. But I capitulated in the end as what with him being away and having other things to concentrate on, you people would miss out on hearing how the Boy Wonder's first outing in over a decade with a band turned out. So here is my gig review.

Roddy Frame at the ABC in Glasgow was absolutely fucking wonderful.

Somebody once said nostalgia isn't what it used to be, whoever that was was talking through their arse either that or they have never experienced a Roddy Frame gig. At one point, during Oblivious I was fourteen again, at the school disco, stomach full of butterflies asking the girl of my dreams to dance. During Killermont Street, I was transported to my cold flat in Aberdeen, winter of my first year of Uni, homesick and longing for the security and warmth of home in the west.

It was pretty easy to track my development from petulant teenager to married middle aged man through the music being played last night.

I always come out of a Roddy Frame gig elated but also a little angry that a musician and wordsmith of such prowess has never been given the recognition that he deserves when other numpties from the eighties, take your pick, it's easy, got lauded with praise and sold shed loads of albums. Not that Frame seems all that bothered judging by the performance last night. He looked as if he was loving every single minute and he even made a joke about being on "the fringes of the post punk indie scene".

I must mention that the backing band were brilliant and it looks as though he has stolen at least half of Edwyn Collins touring band. The guitarist and also the bass player, neither of whos' name I can remember, which incidently has nothing to do with their ability but more of me having the memory of a particulalry forgetful goldfish these days,  seem to have either been put out on loan or have decided to jump ship. The keyboard player I have seen play with Roddy before but the drummer was entirely new to me. They dealt with the tracks which spanned Frame's whole career with the exception of Dreamland with the respect such classics deserve.

I have only two gripes about the evening.

Firstly, that there was only one new song aired, so no new album anytime soon!

Also the gig was over far too quickly no sooner had he taken the stage than he was off again , okay that is a slight exaggeration, they did play for over an hour and a half but it felt like about ten minutes. Personally and I don't think I was alone in feeling this last night, that they could have played for three hours and it still would not have been long enough.

Oh, and while I'm at it, I'm sure Mr Frame has a portrait locked away in an attic somewhere as he looks no older now than he did in 1990, the bastard!

Nostalgia isn't what it once was, last night it was so much better than that.

Roddy Frame - Rock God