StageFright, Farm Road Social Club, Barnsley 7 May 2007
It was nice to see a packed club welcome StageFright to Farm Road in May. The club has suffered from low attendance recently, so the following bank holiday Monday must have had a good effect on the crowd.
StageFright took to the stage accompanied by the concert party from It Ain't Half Hot Mum and their theme tune, Meet the Gang. These boys opened their own show with the little played Tie Your Mother Down before moving on to the equally played but excellently performed Vertigo from U2. In fact there was a refreshing variety of songs that aren't often played on the club circuit: Bad Company's Can't Get Enough of Your Love; U2's Beautiful Day; Crazy from Seal and Dakota from The Stereophonics. Whoever plays those? It was good to hear some different numbers from Bryan Adams - I was beginning to think he must have been a one hit wonder and I'd failed to notice - with the bluesy Can't Stop This Thing We Started being the penultimate song for part one and One Night Love Affair early on in the second half.
The stage at Farm Road is very small and cramped, especially for a five-piece, so I was surprised they didn't make more use of the dancefloor or walk the club. However, the lads did look as though they were enjoying themselves and having a laugh.
The Muppets introduced the guest stars for the second half before more Queen and excellent harmonies for We Will Rock You. Then more unusual tunes followed the second Bryan Adams: Hard to Handle from the Black Crowes; Are You Gonna Go My Way? from Lenny Kravitz, to which the guitarists Matt Bird and John Hardman had their own little dance on either side of the stage; and a very Cameo-esque Word Up. Then some old favourites came out of the woodwork - It's My Life and Here I Go Again - but back to the fresh, different material: Robbie Williams' Old Before I Die, a stroke of genius with Pulp's Disco 2000, and a fun and energetic Sit Down from James where lead singer Matt Cooper finally got to know his audience.
A second set finale of In These Arms showcased Matt's voice to its most powerful. He has a good set of lungs and a beautiful voice in development.
This band are still getting used to each other, so the stage show looked a bit untidy at times. Sound gremlins failed to faze the new - and best looking in the business - sound engineer. Already good, StageFright are going to get even better as they have capabilities still yet undiscovered. Very entertaining and a good choice of songs. See them soon. Diane Parkin |