The Quireboys/Delirium –
Corporation, Sheffield, Saturday 22nd December, 2018
Well this was the last gig of the year for me and I can't think of a better way to end 2018 on than a party filled show with some of the UK's finest who tonight in Steel City's Corporation were supported by local lads, Delirium. An off the wall trio made up of Marc Bernard (Lead Vocals/Guitar); Matt Talbot (Drums/Vocals) and Jack Northward (Bass/Vocals) who is also known to crank up trumpet and harmonica.
They truly are a hard band to categorise and I guess that really is the idea of it all to be perfectly honest with you. They have elements of acts like Mr. Bungle, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention all rolled into one with their own bizarre crazy notions thrown into the melting pot too.
It's madcap and altogether not normal with their effed up bi-polar like musical calamities that made up their supporting set in here tonight plus the visions that you can't erase from your head of Mr. Bernard in his dodgy onesie – does he wear that at all shows or is that just a one-off? Anyways, they baffled and bewildered many of the crowd who wondered what they had just witnessed but they gave the claps and cheers regardless.
You'll be hard pushed to find a more avante-garde act in these parts that amber up on this Sheffield stage for sure. Delirium certainly deliver what your ears are certainly not expecting.
6.5/10
When it comes to the Quireboys, a band who I've seen many times and covered over the years, there's a distinct danger of sub-consciously repeating yourself and rewriting what's already been said. In a way that ain't nothing but a good thing because these boys give you nothing but a good time at every one of their shows. Some bands never seem to ever do a bad show with this well-oiled lot totally falling into that category.
So being Christmas all you really need is a barrel-load of fun and an ample amount of alcohol which comes both on and off-stage tonight at the Corporation since this well-packed house have the time of their lives – me included I must say, lapping up hit after hit from their colourful rock and roll career that spans right back to the late 80's – though in all that time, frontman Spike has never seemed to age – if only we all had that gift – plus he has the gab to go part and parcel with it too.
With plenty of years practise at a skill that the Quireboys make look easy, they as Spike says, play us songs that span something from every album released and tells us that Guy Griffin wrote tonight's set list that included everyone's faves such as 'There She Goes Again'; 'Mary Anne' (with a guy saying his name was just this in the crowd) – too funny!
The sound from the stage was exceptional proving a lot of time had been put into it being spot on with everything coming through clear even the those quieter lower octave vocal moments that were never at any point muffled by the instrumentation at all.
Everyone shines in this band since every single thing is vital to make up that true wall of debaucharian 70's retro country, rock and blues sound that the 'Boys are so famous for. They've a new album out on February 8th called 'Amazing Disgrace' that'll we'll be getting our mits on and if memory serves me right even played a cut or two from it tonight.
It's the same line-up that we saw at Stonedeaf too (okay since 2014 – my bad) – a superb unit of Spike Gray (Lead Vocals), Guy Griffin (Guitar), Paul Guerin (Guitar), Keith Weir (Keys), Dave McCluskey (Drums) and Nick Mailing (Bass) who deliver a fine barrage of number like 'Sex Party'; 'Misled'; 'Hey You'; 'White Trash Blues' by Taj Mahal from the 2017 album of the same name and much more.
This year marked the 10th Anniversary of 'Homewreckers & Heartbreakers' so we were treated to the now classic 'Mona Lisa Smiled' with its killer singalong chorus. Let's face it, that's what many of their songs have and why the band are loved so much – not to mention the joyous hooks too.
We are entertained with supersonic slide-work, soaring solo's, expertly conceived ebony and ivory tinkling, top-dollar bass-throbbing with the icing on the cake being those dry and passionate but at the same time whisky soaked vocals with the occasional bit of harp wailing when needed.
The show is even presented while Monty Python's 'The Life Of Brian' plays on the screen at the back near the merch stand – quite fitting really since Biggus Dickus has just been knighted! Hahaha – I had to pop that in right, Steve Froggatt?
Anyway's the band wished us a Merry Christmas and came out to meet the fans after. Be sure to see them here on April 6th too alongside FM, Bad Touch and Vega! Like this gig it'll be mega no doubt!
10/10
By Glenn Milligan
