Tonight’s show is the first of a four-night residency at Clwb Ifor Bach for Super Furry Animals. Tickets, as you would expect, for these tiny shows were snapped up within minutes. So for fans lucky enough to get their mits on them this was a very special treat indeed – a rare chance to hear new material and old favourites in such an intimate venue. The audience, as you might expect, lapped it up.
Curious opener Slow Life is instantly forgettable but ends with Gruff, who is already clad in a garish green cowboy shirt, donning a red power ranger’s helmet. The party promptly begins with the Beach Boys ‘inspired’ (ahem) Rings around The World – for which the helmet remains intact. It is dispensed with for a workmanlike Golden Retriever before the first new songs of the evening are given an airing.
There is much to like about the newbies. Varied and instant, they feel reassuringly familiar (a good thing) alongside more recognised hits. There are a couple of standouts that deserve a mention. Forthcoming single Show Your Hand, which Gruff introduces as “a song about gambling, you know- poker?” - Is a wonderfully endearing country lilt, moments of which recall prime era Kinks. Its melody is wholesome and engaging and it just might signify a commercial revival for the band. It is preceded by a knowingly dumb (in parts), satisfying heavy rock number – think early manics, but with less shouty vocals and added subtlety. This is unexpected but welcome.
In between song quips about Myspace (damning) and Christmas singles (tongue in cheek) reveal front man Gruff Rhys to be quite the comic. His amiable nature is most appropriate for tonight’s proceedings, also – bridging the gap between band and audience perfectly. The sample intro for fan favourite Hello Sunshine is greeted with rapturous cheers and Gruff treats us too a few extra ‘whoops’ in what is a lovely rendition.
The set ends with a mini Greatest Hits run through, prompting mass sing-a-long and pogo-ing. An almost grungy at first, virtually unrecognisable Northern Lites is a joy. There are blistering versions of God! Show me magic, Do Or Die and Ice Hockey Hair before traditional set closer The Man Don’t Give A Fuck brings the curtain down on a near faultless performance.
