Good Old Indie Rock
Indie rock group The Wedding Present last played Cambridge in 1992, so there's a good deal of excitement about their return. The band seem just as excited as the crowd, claiming that the vibe is "like being 3-0 up in the first five minutes" as the crowd holler happily and banter with the band from beginning to end. The majority of the turn out tonight is fans who have followed the band through the years, but it's a good atmosphere.
The set starts with, 'Kennedy', which is met with great approval and anthemic tunes like, 'Don't Take Me Home Until I'm Drunk' are very much rousing with plenty of singing along in the front rows. Elsewhere furiously angsty love songs evoke some fierce guitar playing as the band seem to momentarily forget the crowd while caught up in the moment. With such a vast back catalogue there's plenty for the band to choose from and tracks like, 'Snake Eyes' and 'Love Nest' get a good response. While it's pleasant to have a long set, the tunes become a little repetitive after a while and it feels a little more like a football rally or fan reunion than a gig, but the fans are obviously lapping it up and the band deliver the tunes with a cheery, confident air. It's hard to fault the band's enthusiasm and if you like 80's indie rock then you'll probably love The Wedding Present's live show, especially it seems, if you loved them the first time around!