Music
Paul Weller
SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Jonathan Geddes
Three stars
When Paul Weller drily introduced a new track by mentioning that it was on an album most people didn’t have, you wonder if he knew he was fighting a losing battle. For all Weller remains both a great songwriter and a fierce live performer, not even he could solve some of the atmosphere problems at this arena showcase.
That new album, Saturn’s Pattern, delivered several cuts, and there was a decent portion of material from his other recent records too. These were obvious to spot, given how muted and immobile the crowd went for them, which was a shame. The title track offered souped-up soul and White Sky was a throaty voiced rocker that made full use of Weller being backed by two drummers, a state that also boosted the brooding rumble of Paper Chase and the spry melody of Style Council oldie My Ever Changing Moods.
It was one of a handful of tracks from his old bands that he dipped into, with an impressive reworking of In The Crowd utilizing more rhythm to stand out. Others, however, fared less well. Weller is not a flashy showman, and in a big arena those tricks are sometimes needed. Instead there were lengthy numbers like Porcelain Gods, which saw a proliferation in selfies being taken around the room, or the sluggish start to the encore that saw both Pick It Up and These City Streets fix themselves to the middle of the road.
These tracks were an uneasy fit in such surroundings, dragging their heels instead of upping the tempo. A show-closing A Town Called Malice offered the danceable nostalgia fans craved, but the lack of such connections earlier hindered the night.
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