Merrymouth - Stirling - Tolbooth - Saturday 10 May 2014
For me personally the majority of musical highlights in Stirling over the last 20 years have revolved around one of my favourite groups Ocean Colour Scene. In recent years the special relationship Ocean Colour Scene has enjoyed with Stirling has taken a different path with Steve Cradock bringing his own band to the Tolbooth on the ‘Peace City West’ Tour with tonight being the turn of Simon ‘Foxy’ Fowler and Dan Sealey and their band ‘Merrymouth’.
Needless to say when this particular gig was announced in support of the recent release of Merrymouth’s second album ‘Wenlock Hill’ I was delighted and Stirling being my hometown this was a gig I was not going to miss. To add to the occasion, in the lead up to the tour kicking off fans attending the Scottish dates could not believe their luck when Scotland’s own sensation or as I like to refer to him Scotland’s new prince Pete MacLeod was announced as the support (for a review of Pete MacLeod’s set click here).
So onto the gig and tonight’s headliner…Merrymouth! Since the debut album, Adam Barry (piano, organ & vocals) has joined Simon and Dan in the Merrymouth line-up whilst Stirling receives another bonus with John McCusker joining tonight’s live show on violin. Wow! What with the fantastic set by Pete MacLeod and John McCusker, Stirling/Scotland has won a watch as we say up north!
Taking the stage in a relaxed manner it is visibly evident the band are looking forward to tonight’s gig with Simon, Dan, Adam and John all appearing to be up for the occasion. ’Foxy’ Fowler instantly connects with the crowd and the band get the show underway with the title track to the new album ‘Wenlock Hill’. As always, Simon sounds terrific vocally and from outset I also become very aware the other musicians on stage will be making significant contributions of their own in making this a night to remember. The instantly infectious ‘Salt Breeze’ follows the opener before the band return to their debut album with the beautiful ‘Sweetest Words’ sounding goose-bumps immense.
It is fair to say the setting of the Tolbooth is perfect for this acoustic gig and the talented quartet treat those in attendance to a mixture of songs from both Merrymouth albums as well as the odd bit of story-telling from the somewhat eventful two dates prior to Stirling. Simon recounts the previous night with a tale about a madman with an axe in Glenrothes and sets himself up nicely for Dan to destroy him with joke about ‘Madness’ at one point.
Having purchased the debut album when it was released I am hoping to hear a few of my personal favourites and Merrymouth did not disappoint with both ‘Midst of Summertime’ and ‘Shadow Knows’ sounding even better live! ‘Midst of Summertime’ with Simon and Dan sharing vocals is catchy cheerful number whilst tonight Simon reveals ‘Shadow Knows’ was inspired by an old Liam Gallagher saying (a connection I had previously wondered about when listening to the lyrics). Hearing ‘Teaside Serenade’ for the first time was another stand-out and the performance of this song reminded me of ‘Split Enz’ from my days growing up in Australia.
At the set progresses Dan and Adam switch in and out of seats and instruments and the audience are left in no doubt about the abundance of musical talent the quartet on-stage tonight possess. To be honest the full-set (well actually full night) is one big highlight but I feel there has to be special mention to the Stone Roses cover ‘I am the Resurrection’. When this cover was revealed by Gigslutz last month I thought to myself what an interesting song to choose to cover. Admittedly, as a Roses fan I was somewhat skeptical when I read about this but instantly loved the version when checking it out on Soundcloud. To be honest, to refer to it as version is a somewhat ‘dis-service’ to what Merrymouth have done with the song. The arrangement itself along with the vocal arrangement is chilling and was one of many moments where I was taken aback by the musicianship of Dan Sealey.
Following ‘Resurrection’ Simon announced there would be no encore but delighted the crowd by revealing ‘Merrymouth’ would play three more songs. From ‘Wenlock Hill’, ‘If You Follow’, and ‘The Ragged Spiral’ brought the set towards it close with the final track ‘Mr Marshall’ from the debut album bringing this memorable night to fitting end.
For fans of OCS and Simon Fowler’s vocal this was a treat of something else with Simon returning to his folk routes and taking Merrymouth in a different direction to OCS. Quite frankly the Merrymouth material sounded great and for fans of music itself how could anyone in attendance not be impressed with the range of talent on stage honing their skills on guitar, piano, organ, mandolin and ukelele. Who knows I am guessing I missed at least one instrument and perhaps the instrument know as a Dube retired footballer Dion Dublin invented made an appearance.
For me personally, this is what the Tolbooth is all about and I would love to see some more acts of this stature in the near future. With 11 more dates on the tour I would expect there is more fun and stories to be had for the ‘Merrymouth’ lads and would suggest getting yourself along to one of their gigs for a great night of live music.
For me personally the majority of musical highlights in Stirling over the last 20 years have revolved around one of my favourite groups Ocean Colour Scene. In recent years the special relationship Ocean Colour Scene has enjoyed with Stirling has taken a different path with Steve Cradock bringing his own band to the Tolbooth on the ‘Peace City West’ Tour with tonight being the turn of Simon ‘Foxy’ Fowler and Dan Sealey and their band ‘Merrymouth’.
Needless to say when this particular gig was announced in support of the recent release of Merrymouth’s second album ‘Wenlock Hill’ I was delighted and Stirling being my hometown this was a gig I was not going to miss. To add to the occasion, in the lead up to the tour kicking off fans attending the Scottish dates could not believe their luck when Scotland’s own sensation or as I like to refer to him Scotland’s new prince Pete MacLeod was announced as the support (for a review of Pete MacLeod’s set click here).
So onto the gig and tonight’s headliner…Merrymouth! Since the debut album, Adam Barry (piano, organ & vocals) has joined Simon and Dan in the Merrymouth line-up whilst Stirling receives another bonus with John McCusker joining tonight’s live show on violin. Wow! What with the fantastic set by Pete MacLeod and John McCusker, Stirling/Scotland has won a watch as we say up north!
Taking the stage in a relaxed manner it is visibly evident the band are looking forward to tonight’s gig with Simon, Dan, Adam and John all appearing to be up for the occasion. ’Foxy’ Fowler instantly connects with the crowd and the band get the show underway with the title track to the new album ‘Wenlock Hill’. As always, Simon sounds terrific vocally and from outset I also become very aware the other musicians on stage will be making significant contributions of their own in making this a night to remember. The instantly infectious ‘Salt Breeze’ follows the opener before the band return to their debut album with the beautiful ‘Sweetest Words’ sounding goose-bumps immense.
It is fair to say the setting of the Tolbooth is perfect for this acoustic gig and the talented quartet treat those in attendance to a mixture of songs from both Merrymouth albums as well as the odd bit of story-telling from the somewhat eventful two dates prior to Stirling. Simon recounts the previous night with a tale about a madman with an axe in Glenrothes and sets himself up nicely for Dan to destroy him with joke about ‘Madness’ at one point.
Having purchased the debut album when it was released I am hoping to hear a few of my personal favourites and Merrymouth did not disappoint with both ‘Midst of Summertime’ and ‘Shadow Knows’ sounding even better live! ‘Midst of Summertime’ with Simon and Dan sharing vocals is catchy cheerful number whilst tonight Simon reveals ‘Shadow Knows’ was inspired by an old Liam Gallagher saying (a connection I had previously wondered about when listening to the lyrics). Hearing ‘Teaside Serenade’ for the first time was another stand-out and the performance of this song reminded me of ‘Split Enz’ from my days growing up in Australia.
At the set progresses Dan and Adam switch in and out of seats and instruments and the audience are left in no doubt about the abundance of musical talent the quartet on-stage tonight possess. To be honest the full-set (well actually full night) is one big highlight but I feel there has to be special mention to the Stone Roses cover ‘I am the Resurrection’. When this cover was revealed by Gigslutz last month I thought to myself what an interesting song to choose to cover. Admittedly, as a Roses fan I was somewhat skeptical when I read about this but instantly loved the version when checking it out on Soundcloud. To be honest, to refer to it as version is a somewhat ‘dis-service’ to what Merrymouth have done with the song. The arrangement itself along with the vocal arrangement is chilling and was one of many moments where I was taken aback by the musicianship of Dan Sealey.
Following ‘Resurrection’ Simon announced there would be no encore but delighted the crowd by revealing ‘Merrymouth’ would play three more songs. From ‘Wenlock Hill’, ‘If You Follow’, and ‘The Ragged Spiral’ brought the set towards it close with the final track ‘Mr Marshall’ from the debut album bringing this memorable night to fitting end.
For fans of OCS and Simon Fowler’s vocal this was a treat of something else with Simon returning to his folk routes and taking Merrymouth in a different direction to OCS. Quite frankly the Merrymouth material sounded great and for fans of music itself how could anyone in attendance not be impressed with the range of talent on stage honing their skills on guitar, piano, organ, mandolin and ukelele. Who knows I am guessing I missed at least one instrument and perhaps the instrument know as a Dube retired footballer Dion Dublin invented made an appearance.
For me personally, this is what the Tolbooth is all about and I would love to see some more acts of this stature in the near future. With 11 more dates on the tour I would expect there is more fun and stories to be had for the ‘Merrymouth’ lads and would suggest getting yourself along to one of their gigs for a great night of live music.