PAUL WELLER LIVE AT DUNFERMLINE’S ALHAMBRA THEATRE

★★★★★ (5/5)

PAUL WELLER LIVE AT DUNFERMLINE’S ALHAMBRA THEATRE
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN

Before saying anything about Paul and his support act Barbara, I need to start by saying what a fantastic venue the Alhambra is. It was my first time there and it’s a brilliant venue. Why there are not more gigs on there I don’t know as it’s not far from Edinburgh. It’s got great acoustics and it’s really easy to get to. I don’t know who to ask about this but please more gigs on there, I would love to be back.

The support act was a band called Barbara, a brand new band to me and boy were they a revelation. Coming across as a mix of Mika, Bread, Fleetwood Mac and the Kinks they are true entertainers. It’s never easy as a support band to get the audience going and I can imagine this has been a tough tour for them at times but they infectious good nature, sheer showmanship and obvious musicianship started to win over more and more of the audience as there set progressed. Throwing some shapes, clearly loving every second of being on stage and generally just bring joy and happiness to the crowd meant by the time they left the stage they had surely won some new admirers. I don’t know much about them but if you’re a festival booker looking to add some bands to the bill, I would strongly recommend this band. They put a smile on my face, and I suspect they are going to become big.

The support act was on about 7.45, the Modfather himself walked on to stage about 8.45 and proceeded to play, with breaks for two encores, until about 10.45. If age is slowing Paul Weller down at all it certainly didn’t show here. This was a blistering set mixing songs from his forthcoming album 66, due out soon, many of his other solo albums, the Style Council and the Jam. He even took the time to dedicate one song to someone he considered a friend, Stuart Adamson. We were treated to a new song cowritten with Noel Gallagher and the new material was as strong as Paul has released in some time.

There was banter and, very unusually, a request for a particular song was adhered to treating us to an unexpected rendition of Pebbles on a Beach, which wet down really well although he declined to tell us who had requested the song, just that they had asked so nicely he felt he had to play it.

The quality of Paul’s music has never been in doubt and his sheer love of what he does was on show. What was great to see her was that there despite his long career and his various changes in approach there has been no dip in the quality of the songs or the musicianship on show. It was clear as songs seamlessly blended that his back catalogue is a rich source of music.

Given my own age I particularly enjoyed when he played songs from the Jam and Style Council, taking me back to my youth. Start and That’s Entertainment have lost none of their power. The Style Council songs were reworked and sounded as good as I’ve ever heard them and the whole thing was finished with Town Called Malice, one of the greatest songs ever in my book.

Throughout the crowd sang, danced, bounced and had a fantastic time. Having said he didn’t think he’d ever been to Dunfermline before the man himself said he was definitely up for coming back, whoever owns the Alhambra take note, you need to bring him back!

The tour is rolling on for most of the rest of this year on and off. If you haven’t gone to see Paul Weller live what’s stopping you, live music doesn’t get better than this. If you have and just haven’t bought your ticket yet again what’s wrong with you. I need to go back as he didn’t play changingman last night which he has done at other shows on this tour.

Paul Weller may be one of the best live artists in the UK right now and the new album sounds amazing. Go hear him play it as soon as you can!