Belle and Sebastian

Date:  Monday 30th May 2011

Venue:  Roundhouse

All pics by @pmhigham

Heading up to Camden on a drizzly Monday evening after a very busy Bank Holiday weekend, I was feeling just a teeny bit jaded and hoping a pit stop at Chalk Farm Nando's would do the trick.  I was also feeling a little underprepared to see Belle and Sebastian, as, despite playing Tigermilk, If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With the Arab Strap a ridiculous amount back in the 1990s (argh!) I haven't really engaged as much with their later stuff, and this was to be the first time I'd seen them live. The band hadn't played London for years and this was the second night of a three night run at the Roundhouse, all of which had sold out.

Support on this occasion was provided by the Woodentops, whose powerful and upbeat show seemed a little too loud for some B & S aficionados.  You certainly couldn't fault the band's commitment, but for me they hadn't dated too well, had a rather confused mixed of styles, and also had quite a patronising sounding front man ("So these songs are new to some of you - how sweet").  I wouldn't go as far as Lilly, who made me laugh by tweeting that she was being 'tortured by the Woodentops', but I was resolutely unmoved by their set.

Medal ceremony

Belle and Sebastian took the stage to as riotous a reception as a B & S crowd can provide, and launched straight into the first song off the new album Write About Love, "I Didn't See It Coming". When Stuart Murdoch took centre stage the screams were sufficient to make me wonder if knickers would be flying up to the stage next, but I don't think that happened!  Murdoch was a much more charismatic and active stage presence than I was expecting, and had a really great line in banter with the crowd.  During "Lord Anthony" he even got someone in the crowd to apply mascara, and there was a nice moment when some randoms he'd invited to dance on stage during "The Boy With The Arab Strap" were awarded medals for their efforts.

A fair number of the songs tonight were from the new album and from Dear Catastrophe Waitress, with "I'm A Cuckoo" getting one of the best receptions.  There were a fews oldies too, including "Dog on Wheels", and, my favourite moment, "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying".  I was a bit gutted to see on Setlist FM they'd played a few more oldies the previous night (including "Fox In The Snow") but I guess that's just one of those things.  All in all, a very enjoyable performance and a great atmosphere.

http://www.setlist.fm/search?query=belle+and+sebastian+roundhouse