20.08.02
The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
KKKK
There must have been much discussion within the Feeder ranks about how to approach this gig. It's the band's first show since original drummer Jon Lee hung himself at the start of the year, and as such they could hardly come bounding out of the blocks as if nothing had happened. But by the same token, there's no point them carrying on at all if they can't do the job properly - and in Feeder's case, the job involves giving their fans a damn good time. It could be argued that Grant Nicholas and Taka Hirose have wasted little time writing a new album and hitting the big circuit once again, but what else could they do? Whatever Lee's reasons, he chose not to be part of Feeder's (or his family's) future, but that doesn't mean Grant and Taka should be forced to bail on their careers, too.
It helps, of course, that Feeder have such a supportive, loyal fan-base. They have not been the most cerebral of bands in recent years, Nicholas seemingly having run out of decent lyrics after their debut album, but they are truly a band of the people. The way in which they always seem genuinely overwhelmed by a crowd's reaction generates huge waves of goodwill, and tonight is no different. This is a semi-secret warm-up show for Feeder's Carling Weekend dates, and Portsmouth welcomes them with open-arms - understandably so, given the circumstances. The smiles on the band's faces as they walk out to chants of 'Feeder! Feeder!' are equal parts gratitude and relief, and there is a sense that far from being a Jon Lee rememberence concert, this is the first stage of moving on.
So, it is with a collective strangeness that Feeder enter the post-Jon Lee era. Former Skunk Anansie/Little Angels man Mark Richardson sensibly keeps himself to himself tonight, but he's a fine drummer and fits into the line-up well. It is, as yet, undecided whether he will join the band permanently, but there's no musical reason why he shouldn't, and the opening blast through 'We Can't Rewind' and 'Insomnia' is reasurringly solid.
'Godzilla' is the first of the new songs to be showcased, and it is also worst by a long way, a rather juvenile take on 'In Utero'-style edginess that just reeks of desperation to write 'a heavy-one'. Thankfully it gets much better from thereon in, with the Foo Fighters-esque new single 'Come Back Around' sounding like it could well be the best song Feeder have ever written. 'Helium' is considered and sparkling, while 'Quickfade', dedicated to 'absent friends' - Grant's only verbal reference to Jon all night - is a powerfully melodic slow burner. The rest of the main set is made up of crowd-pleasers like 'Buck Rogers' ("Sing along-it's dead simple! quips Nicholas), 'High' and 'Just A Day'. Noticeably there is no 'Seven Days In The Sun' - perhaps the 'Feels Like Heaven' refrain was deemed inappropriate under the circumstances.
Two more newies are wheeled out in the three-song encore. 'Summer's Gone' sounds like The Beatles being put through a grunge filter (the verse is odd, but the chorus is a stormer), while 'Moonshine' is the most ambitious song Nicholas has penned since the likes of 'Descent' back in the early days of the band. It's emotionally and musically weighty with an epic feel - and it sounds great. "Don't worry, that is the longest song on the new album," grins Nicholas, before finishing the set with mosh-friendly B-side 'Slowburn'.
"That was amazing, 10 out of 10. The atmosphere was great and the drummer was brilliant," gushes punter Dave from Southsea post-gig, while exhausted fans Steve and Sarah are similarly chuffed as they try to cool down by the venue's exit. "They didn't need to talk lot's about Jon," says Sarah. "Everyone was thinking about him anyway."
While Jon Lee will never be forgotten, Feeder are picking up the pieces and moving on. Tongiht's show was not about promoting a new album, but neither was it about forgetting the past. More than anything else, it was about regaining a sense of what this band is all abou, and that particular mission was accomplished in style. There are smiles on a few hundred Portsmouth faces, and there are also smiles back on the faces of Grant Nicholas and Taka Hirose. It's good to see.