Although he’s often tagged as a grumpy dad-rocker, this
gig showcased what a multi-faceted performer Weller has been over his lengthy career.
Without a new album to promote, he filtered through his back catalogue to produce an eclectic mix of material from aggressive rock to ballads to the inevitable acoustic section. A strident Shout To The Top, from his Style Council days, was an early standout but the easygoing guitar pop of Seaspray and the spacious, soaring Dust And Rocks also impressed.
Weller, dressed casually in black, still cuts enough of a stylish figure to receive several wolf whistles from female audience members. It’s a shame the sensibilities which have ensured he remains iconic did not tell him to eliminate a tedious mid-set sequence, in which he played the piano on a series of drippy, lovelorn numbers that ground the gig’s momentum down.
Rockier numbers, like new track Fast Car, seemed to fit both the Barrowlands vibe and the style of his efficient backing band better, and the trio of old Jam songs was exemplary, from the teenage confusion of Strange Town to a brutal Pretty Green and a euphoric Start! Such punchiness also resonated in Come On/Lets Go, while Whirlpool’s End and the Changingman were barked out by Weller and made for a ferocious climax.
Out in the merchandise section, a curious piece of album artwork was on offer for £75. It seemed unlikely to attract any buyers, but Weller’s actual concerts remain worth the investment.
Star rating: ****
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article