Dr Feelgood

Live at the Morecambe Dome
Saturday 6 December 2003 £10

Reviewed by Meltdown DJ Doug Leece

Line Up:
Drums: Kevin Morris
Bass: Paul Mitchell
Guitar: Steve Walwyn
Vocal/Harmonica: Pete Gage

Set List: From Album
Roxette Down By the Jetty
She's a Wind Up Be Seeing You
Don't Start Me Talking Chess Masters
Baby Jane Be Seeing You
Milk and Alcohol Private Practice
I Can Tell Malpractice
Instinct to Survive On the Road Again
Down by the Jetty (Blues) Primo
Back in the Night Malpractice
See you Later Alligater Classic
Goin' Back Home Malpractice
Down at the Doctors Private Practice
Gimme One More Shot Speeding through Europe-2003
Mad Man Blues Wolfman Calling

Interesting how being asked to review a performance shifts one's perspective. I entered the Dome slightly detached and a bit analytic. This influenced our choice of seats; Marian and I sat at the back where we could survey the whole room. The first thing that struck me was how much the venue had changed since the manager Simon had asked my advice about sound and light.... about 8 years ago. These are now both superb: although Simon, if your listening, a few more parcans over the stage would make a big difference. This is just the sort of venue which Lancaster is crying out for. Few big name bands come to Lancaster since we don't have a venue for them. It would have been too expensive for us to see Dr. Feelgood in Morecambe had we not got in free; the taxi fare is about £6.50 each way.

There was seating for about 500, but unfortunately only about half of these seats were taken. The audience composed of a few aging punks and a lot of rock chicks between the age of 45 and 65 with their stay at home husbands. Without fuss or introduction the support band appeared on stage.

The support were very competent musicians, technically excellent in fact, and they covered a very good selection of R&B classics from Wilbert Harrison's Let's Work Together
[Covered by Roxy Music as Let's Stick Together] to Big Joe Williams' Baby Please Don't Go [Them, John Lee Hooker, and many others]. Although the band sounded good, I started to get bored and my imagination began to take over. I remembered other rousing performances of these classics which I'd seen live, including many of the original artists or artists who had done something special with these tunes. I've never seen a tribute band, but I wondered if the audience at these gigs often have the same type of imaginary experience.

I then thought that the Dr. Feelgood line up had almost completely changed since they started recording in the early 70's. Wasn't this going to be yet another cover band who had just kept their name. A bit like the old philosophical chestnut: if an old car has had every part renewed on it, except maybe the number plate, is it still the same car? This question can also be asked of people and bands. I drifted into thinking about the Drifters.

I sat thinking "Maybe I've just seen too many R&B bands." Marian, who used to work in a club where R&B bands would perform regularly commented, "I have never seen a bad R&B band but I've seen an awful lot who sound very much the same."

I also thought about context. If this band were playing down the John O'Gaunt the place would be rocking and we would probably be having a jolly good time. On the other hand, if this band were playing the main stage at Glastonbury, we would be milling about and generally ignoring them. The expectations I bring to a venue seem to make a difference to how I respond to the performance. If I've traveled a long way and paid a lot of money my expectations are a lot higher than if I happen upon a band down the local pub.

It then occurred to me that Dr. Feelgood were also going to play rhythm and blues and were likely to have a very similar line up of musicians: vocal / harmonica, guitars and drums. Would we get bored and leave early? Could Dr. Feelgood lift this well worn genre to another level? Surely Dr. Feelgood were just another constantly touring pub band who had only come into mainstream consciousness in the late 70's because they sounded a bit punk?

With all that detached reflection, you will understand that my expectations of what was to come were somewhat lowered when the support band finally finished. However, I had bought the single Roxette and still think it still sounds fresh and hard hitting.

With an explosion of energy Feelgood burst onto the stage. Their first number was Roxette. This band were already getting on the right side of me! "Not Bad" I shouted. [This actually means I'm delighted, but being English and all that I'm somewhat restrained]. I was thoroughly engaged all the way through and it wasn't until we were being driven home that I began to reflect on what I'd seen and heard.

As a D.J. I believe a record has to stand up on its own. I do not watch television and never read gossip columns or music magazines. I simply do not want to be influenced by how good a band is live, their latest video, what groovy advert they happen to be associated with or what their views are about the disappearing rain forests or whatever. I realised, however, that the same rules do not apply to a live performance. There is of course a lot more going on. The audience is not just a sea of ears. They want to be entertained.

The first thing that struck me about Feelgood was their vibrant energy. We felt it right at the back of the room. If Guitar bass and drums were giving 100 percent from beginning to end, vocalist [Gage] was giving a hundred and ten. It was difficult to take one's eyes off this man . Who is he? What a great suit! Look at the way he moves! The stage at the Dome is pretty big but this man seemed to be completely filling it on his own. He reminded me of a young Mick Jagger continually posturing and moving from one side of the stage to another. He must have been incredibly fit to keep this up for the whole of the performance as well as sing and play harmonica. He also worked the crowd and soon seduced half the audience out of their seats and down to the front. This 'older' crowd came alive, most of them danced continually for an hour and a half.

The material sounded fresh and original, the spark of genius was there which seemed to be missing from the support band. This was R&B but it had Feelgood's unique hard bop style stamped all over it. Then they played a slower number, Down by the Jetty (blues). Gage introduced the lead guitarist [Walwyn] as the greatest guitarist in Europe- whatever that means? But the rest of the band soon left the stage to leave Walwyn to solo. If you asked the question 'would this track stand up on its own' surely the answer would have to be yes. Walwyn held the audience spellbound for a while before being rejoined by the rest of the band. Here was a case of artistic genius and technical excellence reaching another level. The point where you feel yourself being transported.

The session was almost at an end, the audience were begging for more and Feelgood came back on for an encore and played Bad Man Blues. Although Gage had kept up the pace with his acrobatics, harmonica playing and gritty vocals for the past hour and a half, he still had a surprise up his sleeve. He treated the audience to a breathtaking 100 mile per hour harmonica solo.

If you decided not to see Dr. Feelgood for any of the reasons previously given, then you made a mistake. This band are almost always on tour. I'd recommend you go and see them. As for the DJ's choice: Dr. Feelgood have made over 30 albums but I think I'd go for Malpractice or especially for collectors, the Down On The Jetty EP would be a nice one to get hold of.

See you at Sold on Soul, Gregson Centre, Lancaster, December 20th. D.J. Doug Leece.