NORMAN LOVETT & DAUGHTERS … "WE LOVETT" … THE
STAND
Red Dwarf’s second cutest Holly; with not only a
body, but two teenage daughters too!
Norman started the show by saying he wasn’t like
other comedians, and wasn’t going to pick on members of the audience.
Then started picking on members of the audience for their ‘body
language’. Including me. He didn’t like the way I rested my chin on the
heel of my hand. He didn’t like it when I crossed my arms (defensive).
So I slumped in my seat, and he gave up. He did look directly at me for
much of the set, though.
After a short pre-amble, he introduced ‘two girls
he had found on the street’. Enter a couple of teenie schemies. Alright,
we knew they were his offspring, but the gags were good; they’ve got
schemies pegged to a tee. Poor old Norm just sat between them, getting
told to "Shut up, Baldy!", and being ritually humiliated. Kids to be
proud of.
Actually, I think Kitty & Lily have a bright
future in comedy; they’ve got the sass and the suss to be very funny,
and they are not as laconic as their old man. The encore as the Black
Eyed Beans was hysterical, if only for Normans jester trousers.
In between bouts of being ousted from the stage by
either or both of his jailbait sprogs, Norman meandered through a
subtley bizarre set of surreal observations. He brought the house down
by playing with a plastic bag! I don’t want to blow the show, so I’ll
just say: You’ve only got a week or so left to catch this. And those
girls are really gonna be trouble, especially when they’re legal! FVH
ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK … GARAGE, GLASGOW
Traffic delays meant I missed the start of the
set, which meant I’d missed "Suicide Rock’n’Roll", my fave EES track.
When I got there, they were in full flow, and rockin’ the joint.
I’ve never seen an oriental with an afro before,
so guitarist Akihito Morimoto looked a touch unusual, but he was so
obviously consumed by the music he was making, it just fitted. He and
bassist Kazuto Maekawa were showing off like the rock stars they are;
leaping on monitors and brandishing their guitars, and generally rocking
out.
They went down a storm, and they lapped it up;
this is what they were born to do, and they’re getting worshipped for
it! Quite right too, this band are the japanese version of all the best
in western rock.
Highlight of the set that I saw was "Rock’n’Roll
Can Rescue The World", a simple but effective anthem in praise of all
things rock’n’roll. These guys live and breathe rock’n’roll; it IS their
life. I hope they get rich playing it, but even if they have to take
dayjobs, they’ll still be playing. Don’t think it’ll come to that, going
by the reception they got at The Garage.
There
are few bands that can successfully straddle punk and heavy metal
without seeming desperate, but EES obviously don’t see any difference;
it’s all rock’n’roll to them!
Somehow, the drummer got naked without anybody
noticing. We were probably distracted by the guitarist and bassist
pulling off their best ‘rock star’ poses.
I had guys walking past shouting ‘Electric Eel
Shock ROCK’ as loud as they could. I agree. Next time, it’s Barrowlands.
Headline band The Bloodhound Gang bored me with
two songs before I wandered away. Well, I saw The Beastie Boys when they
still had strippers and inflatable phalluses onstage, this was a watered
down version of "Licensed To Ill", and it’s been done to death by half
of america. Christ, even the welsh are taking the piss out of it, just
check Goldie Looking Chain! Give it up, boys. FVH
