Apologies if someone has already made a topic.
It's been a few years since I've had the opportunity to see Mr. H with all the band (last show was the unplugged one in York, last band show was Liverpool on Hollow Meadows tour), and the first time in Bristol.
The academy was a good little venue, felt really intimate - the balcony at the top made it feel a bit like being in TFI Friday. Great crowd as well, nobody talking through the set, trying to barge to the front, holding phones up for entire songs, it just struck me as a load of fans wanting to watch the show and listen to the music, it was really refreshing.
As for the show itself, I think it was the best I've seen the band play since I first started going to see them (Lady's Bridge tour). The set list was, for me, pretty near perfect, absolute killer, and the band were really tight. What stood out for me is that Mr. H has such a broad range of styles to choose from in the back catalogue now, the result is that the set is really balanced, whereas previously it's always leaned more towards either the ballad or rocky side of things.
Galley Girl was as great live as I thought it would be, as was Is there a pill. Time Is unexpectedly blew my head off (Clive was absolutely fantastic), hope it stays in the set in the future, it was great. Midnight Train was lovely too. It's always good to hear a song that hasn't had an airing in a while, and I was absolutely made up that we got I'm looking for someone to find me, haven't heard it live for a long, long time. It reminded me of going to my first shows, one in particular was Parr Hall in Warrington, a tiny little venue. Watching tonight centre front, in a similarly small venue, it was a flashback to my early 20's on a personal level, and an opportunity to take stock of how Mr H has continued changing musically, without ever losing his way.
No outing for The Ocean tonight, which I do love, but I can't really complain. For me, an opportunity to see Mr. H and the boys live is an opportunity to smile, to cry, to heal, to feel like part of a cool little club, and ultimately an opportunity to feel really happy. In such divided times, I think I needed that more than usual, and last night delivered, in spades.
Thanks Mr. H, you're the best.