No long wait. I arrived at the door time on the ticket, grabbed a drink, walked up to the front and within half an hour the support act were out. The crowd quickly took notice, moving from the bar area with Hinckley a song or two in telling/gesturing everyone to move closer.
Tom Hingley’s voice sounded great over melodies long overdue to my ears. He took over singing duties in 1989 which was two years before I really took notice of the Inspiral Carpets, these songs were then regular players on cassette in the car. This was my Inspiral Carpets sound.
There’s a reason I/we go to see ‘LIVE’ music, recordings are our day to day via streaming in the car, via our phones or like many listening to an ever growing vinyl collection. Seeing songs ‘LIVE’ both old tracks and new is just better, an immersive musical moment. Hearing tracks like ‘This is how it feels’ and ‘She comes in the fall’ acting like musical time capsules making not only the present moment just feel euphorically better but transporting everyone back to a time of curtains and baggy clothes, a time of suede trainers and simple lives.
This was pure escapism. Tom Hingley obviously enjoyed every second, older, yes, any less enthusiastic definitely not. As i’ve already said he sounded great his band played the music to perfection with the psychedelic organ sound synonymous with them setting the tone start to finish. If you get the chance go, find your musical time capsule.
Words and images by John Whalvin
