Review: The Good the Bad and the Queen, Warrington Parr Hall

Feb 5 2007

Paddy Hoey is enveloped by an atmosphere of foggy pessimism

by Paddy Hoey, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WAS perhaps fitting that a Dickensian fog enveloped the North West as Damon Albarn brought his latest Victorian-influenced band to Warrington.   The Good the Bad and the Queen is an eclectic affair, bringing music hall and fun fair inflections to music derived from a variety of other exotic influences.   Put together by Blur and Gorillaz leader Albarn and former Clash bassist Paul Simonon, it also features the talents of legendary Afro-beat drummer Tony Allen and Verve guitarist Simon Tong, TGTBATQ is an ambitious and intelligent project.   Taking to the stage after an ill- advised bout of faux-Victorian music hall support presented by stand-up comedian Justin Edwards, there was a brooding menace about Albarn and chums as they got ready to rock in an authentic Victorian hall, perfect for the pre-occupations of the band.   History Song set the pessimistic tone for the evening, with its references to Sundays lost in melancholy. As he did all night, Simonon prowled the stage, leather pork pie hat at a jaunty angle and the low-slung bass sending out deep, throbbing, reggae grooves felt through the feet of those of us at the back.   There is a pessimism about the course of modern society at play throughout the songs, and perhaps it is this gloom which held the band back live. Much of the set could have been described as pedestrian, with the less charitable calling it pretentious. But when they hit the right groove, TGTBATQ showed why they are one of the best acts around today. A tremendous mid-set triumvirate of Kingdom of Doom, Herculean and Bunting Song, were magnificent, while the song which bears their name and that of their album closed the one- hour set and was easily the pick of the night.   Allen's poly-rhythmic drumming defined the sound of the band and was perhaps the outstanding feature of the evening, with only the spectacle of Simonon's cocksure, cool strutting running him close.   They finished with Mr Whippy - an Arabic rap from the B-side of Herculean, delivered by Syrian guest vocalist Eslam Jarwaad.   It was an optimistic call for religious unity and an uplifting tone with which we could all depart back into the fog.