This is an event that until recently seemed unlikely to ever happen again - The Wildhearts are back in town! However, 'It's the Wildhearts Jim, but not as we know it'. A lot of water has (been) passed under the bridge since they last toured in 2021. Much has changed in the band in the last three years or so. In fact the entire band lineup has changed - apart from Ginger. Well if Lemmy could do that and carry on with Motörhead then why can't Ginger? And Lemmy was one of Ginger's heroes and biggest influences, as well as becoming his friend in later years. 🂡
The Wildhearts - always one of the UK's most disfunctional bands appeared to have split up. Again. Ginger wanted to make another Wildhearts album and tour again, but apparently two band members declined to be involved, and another was sacked. Sacked by who exactly is a mystery as by this time even Ginger himself was apparently 'employed' by a management company called 'Wildhearts.com' and a lot of decisions taken weren't by him... Ginger was determined to carry on playing and writing new Wildhearts songs instead of returning to his career as a solo artist.
So an 'all new' (apart from Ginger) Wildhearts lineup was put together. This will no doubt displease some of the band's fans as the (arguably) 'classic' lineup of the band is no more. But to be fair, apart from Ginger every member of the band has already been replaced at least twice over the years! In place of the departed but highly popular CJ on guitar/vocals is Ben Marsden - former member of The Main Grains (with ex-Wildhearts bassist Danny McCormack), Grand Theft Audio, The Spangles, and recently seen playing with The Warner E. Hodges Band - Ben was already a big fan of The Wildhearts so this is a pretty big deal for him. Replacing Danny on bass is Jon 'Random' Poole - who will need no introduction to Wildhearts fans as he has already had previous stints in the band and quickly became a very popular figure. Taking the place of the Wildhearts longest serving drummer Ritch Battersby is the surprising choice of former Swedish band Bonafide singer/guitarist Pontus Snibb!
Like the previous lineup every one in the 'new' Wildhearts is an excellent musician. Naturally there are still one or two minor teething troubles during the show, but overall things fit together pretty well and will no doubt improve as everybody gets used to each other.
Tonight's set kicks off not with one of the much loved classics, but the brave choice of a song from the band's last album '21st Century Love Songs'. However, this song 'Sleepaway' is a bit of an epic and became an instant favourite with the fans when the album was released three years ago - it's certainly one of the best songs on the album. This certainly helps win over any fans unsure of the new band lineup - Ginger is the only current band member who played on that album.
The band take slightly safer ground by remaining with newer material, but going back to the previous 'comeback' album 'Renaissance Men' for probably it's biggest song - the AC/DC intro inspired monster that is 'Diagnosis'. This is another really strong and powerful song that gained 'instant classic' status with the fans on release. Something noticeable tonight is that some money has been spent (I assume by the record company) on putting on a big 'Rock Show' - there is a big and expensive looking light show, and also confetti cannons! Not the sort of stuff you expect at a Wildhearts show as normally the songs and band's performance and energy are more than enough to send the crowd home happy. 😍
Next it's back to the established fan favourites for the next three songs - 'Suckerpunch', 'I Wanna Go Where The People Go' and 'Caffiene Bomb' are usually saved for near the end of the set. Now the band have the crowd in the palm of their hand.
Next things take a bit of a dip with 'Slaughtered Authors', 'The Jackson Whites', and 'Mazel Tov Cocktail' from the 'White' eponymous and 'Chutzpah!' albums. Popular with some fans, but I felt the band were treading water around that time. Then the band raise the bar with ever popular singalong crowd pleaser 'Vanilla Radio' and things are back on course.
Next Ginger asks if we want to hear a
new song? The answer from the crowd is very much "YES!". So the band launch into 'Eventually' from the forthcoming album 'The Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts'. This is very well received - harking back to the epic long riff heavy songs of the band's earlier years. And in that vein, next is the crushingly heavy riff-tastic fan favourite 'Everlone'. To calm things down a bit next is another new song 'Hurt People Hurt People' - also from the forthcoming album. Followed by 'Chutzpah' from the album of the same name. Then the band leave the stage and we wait for the invitable (as there are always one or two songs remaing that
have to be played) encore.
We have to wait longer than usual for the encore. Although Ginger seemed in fine form tonight he was actually struggling with undisclosed illness and needed painkillers before he could return to the stage. However, it was all worth the wait when the band launched into crowd pleasing singalongs 'Greetings From Shitsville' LONDON!and 'My Baby Is A Headfuck' followed by an unexpected winding down with a long and winding 'Caprice'. Not a perfect show, but nothing ever is - and it showed that in whatever form the Wildhearts are definitely BACK! This show wasn't faultless, but it
was A TRIUMPH.
This was certainly a great show, and should do a lot to convince the doubters that The Wildhearts are still a force to be reckoned with.
It was interesting to see how the setlist relied less than usual on the earliest stuff: Nothing at all from 'Mondo Akimbo/Don't be Happy...' and little from the first (and arguably best) first album, and even less from the second and then the following infamous 'Endless Nameless' albums, and several albums after that skipped completely.
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