Supergrass – An Intimate Evening Indeed
From the moment Gaz Coombes walked onstage at the Troubadour, there was a roar of appreciation that rarely ceased during this dynamic performance.
In the most personal show that I’ve seen, Gaz alone opened the evening with an acoustic version of “St. Petersburg,” the first single off of the new Capitol Records release, Road to Rouen. It was the third time I’d seen it performed in just over 24 hours, and each time with a slightly different instrumentation; first, with the entire band at the Tonight Show taping, and then at the in-store event at Amoeba on Thursday.
Mick Quinn played through a small combo amp instead of his usual bass rig. Gaz’s amp was covered with a blanket, and probably most notable was Danny Goffey’s pared-down drum kit that included a suitcase used as a kick drum, which only added to the lamplight charm onstage. Talvin Singh, the artist well known for his work with Bjork and Massive Attack, along with his own layered projects, added percussive color and expertise to the experience, sounding as if he has played in the band from the beginning. Rob Coombes played a Fender Rhodes to embolden and harmonize the songs. In some ways, this performance somewhat mirrored the format of their new album, Road to Rouen. Two sets, (like the two distinct parts on the CD) separated by an intermission, like two sides of an album.
Mick then joined Gaz onstage for a lively version of “Wait for the Sun,” the excellent b-side from the “Lenny” single first released a decade ago, followed by “Caught by the Fuzz.” Played so early in the set, it was almost like a subtle reminder to me, that there’s far more to come tonight, besides just acoustic versions of favorites.
Highlights of the evening included the gorgeous instrumentation on “Low C” and especially “Tales of Endurance” with Gaz beginning the song with his acoustic and Mick playing slide on Gaz’s beautiful, lime green Burns guitar. Rob played smoothly on keys. Then, as Danny and Talvin also joined in, Mick handed back the Burns to Gaz and picked up his bass for a sexy and searing Zeppelin-esque groove that sang out of both guitars. Quite an arrival for a second set.
Also noteworthy was “Hyacinth House”-as Gaz pointed out-by “a local band,” The Doors, was expertly covered and received a welcome response. Rob and Gaz played alone onstage (both on keys) as the “brothers Coombes” for “Funniest Thing” and the memorable “Roxy,” in a moment that was as passionate as it was quiet. “Mary,” performed near the end of the second set, confirmed one of the night’s most energetic offerings-sped up and groovier than usual, it was possibly the most exciting performance of that tune I’ve ever heard live.
However, Supergrass gave us more than just different arrangements and tempo changeswell known for their intense, electric sets which speed and spank along their wide repertoire of singles-they’ve long since proven to their fans their adroitness at writing some of the hookiest pop songs around. But here in Los Angeles, at a legendary club, a revered band shared with its audience that they could carry the energy and drama in new ways to explore the linkages between their songs as well as the character and chemistry of their individual playing styles. This format left them more space to express their individual talents-we heard many more layers in Gaz’s guitar work and combined with Mick’s acrobatic bass lines, the two really did seem to orchestrate together. Both are fine singers-truly exciting to watch. Danny’s drumming pushed the band, as it always does. Rob’s playing was stand-alone and lyrical, lilting sweetly at times. They all conveyed a sense of grown-in comfort, something that is only earned after years of playing together.
So it was a new experience, and if you want to call it mature, that’s fine-it’s these types of musicians who show evidence of the unspoken communication between them. When they plugged in, one definitely yearned to hear the Supergrass we all knowalthough, in some ways, Road to Rouen has more in common musically with their self-titled album from ’99 (a.k.a. “The X-ray Album”). Listen to the two back to back and the similarities are undeniable.
From my experience at this show, I’m convinced that Supergrass is able to pull it off on the strength of their songs and abilities without all of the flash of an electric show. Lights went up and the fans were still screaming and stomping for more. It dawned on everyone that it was really over and for a moment, the crowd stood in place as if the band might come back downstairs. It was okay-Supergrass had put on an extraordinary performance not soon forgotten by the casual audience or their most loyal fans. If the Troubadour show was any indication of where this accomplished band is going, then we might yet see a new phase of the ‘Grass.
