Sometimes things work out nicely. A good friend and work colleague, Chris, offers me a ticket to The War on Drugs in Liverpool the night before my son’s graduation in that same city. Throw in a good value Travelodge and an early start, and you have a fab day and night in a great city. Chris introduced me to TWOD about ten years ago, as he was absolutely obsessed by them. We went to see them at the Nottingham Rock City and loved their layers of guitars with extended instrumentals. Chris’s wife Amy wasn’t drinking that night (or driving) and it soon transpired that she was expecting child number one. Ten years later I get to see three lovely children and the stressful breakfast pre-school routine, prior to departing from his house for Liverpool. I find that gigs and music generally make you focus on a chronology of events, many happy, some naturally sad, but the positive memories are always great.
So, by hitting Merseyside mid-morning we get to walk on the wonderful Crosby beach, home to 100 bronze statues modelled exactly on the body of Anthony Gormley, the sculptor. They are positioned in about three rows along a two-mile stretch. You’ll see varying numbers depending on the tide. They have been moved several times from Norway, Germany and Belgium, and have found their final position looking out west towards Ireland. Well worth a visit and a lovely walk along the beach, especially on a sunny day.
Next up was a visit to three football grounds (one in construction) all within about two miles of each other. Goodison Park (Everton FC) has seen better days compared to ever expanding Anfield (Liverpool FC) across Stanley Park. However, the new emerging stadium on the Mersey at Bramley dock is mightily impressive. Let’s hope the Toffees can stay in the Premiership for their sake.
Back to the city centre to see the Liver Building, the Beatles statue (you’d never know they were from Liverpool!) and then into Matthew Street, home of the Cavern Club. The Beatles are clearly integral to the music of this fine city, but I worry other icons get overlooked. The refurnished Cavern Club, which you can visit for £5, is not even in precisely the same place as the original - Merseyrail underground works in the 70s put paid to that. The pedestrianised street is still a must visit place, and you are almost guaranteed to hear some live music emanating from at least one of the licenced premises.
Over the road from The Cavern and far more interesting for me is Eric’s. In terms of emerging post punk talent - Echo and the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes - it is more musically significant. Entry does not cost £5, a pint of Guinness was £3 and the walls were adorned with all who had played there. The list was impressive. Very much recommended. (Editor - the picture on Eric's wall below uses the wrong Bunnymen logo - it's the one used by the McCulloch-less version that was fronted by Noel Burke in 1990-92. Whilst I like that version, Mac is less than keen...).
Liverpool certainly has a great deal both music wise and more generally to offer the casual visitor. It is a city that has transformed in the thirty years since I lived in Merseyside, albeit briefly for just one year. The Albert Dock area is great, Bold Street fabulous for independent eateries and the Baltic Quarter for something a bit more alternative. If you have a gig there (or indeed any reason to be there) get to the great city early to enjoy it.
Liverpool University is a little out of town but walkable from the centre, and provides a great venue with about 2,000 capacity. The Academy and Olympia are a bit smaller, and the M&S Bank Arena clearly larger. Support band Somebody’s Child were well received by the wide age ranged Liverpool audience, and I’m sure that their Dublin roots helped a bit. Their first song, Broken Record, reminded me of a worthy campaign about the inequality and lack of sustainability in modern music. Somebody’s Child are similar in many ways to TWOD in terms of sound, but snappier, with Cian Godfrey’s vocals coming over strongly. Their last song, We Could Start A War, got the appreciative audience clapping along nicely and they deserved their huge cheer at the end of their set. Yet another Irish band, amongst many, to check out on your travels and listening.
We had secured a nice spot on the middle of the balcony for the main act. It was standing, but there was a convenient rail to lean on with some seating just in front. The sound (and view) was impressive, even with a fair bit of dry ice that the band seem to like. Album A Deeper Understanding get a couple of early plays with Up All Night and Pain, before the wonderful The Ocean Between The Waves from 2014’s Lost In A Dream. I remember the classic Alan Partridge line about ‘Wings – the band The Beatles could have been!’. We are in Liverpool after all and all I can think is ‘The War on Drugs - what Dire Straits could have been’. I also remember TWOD supporting The Stones in Hyde Park two years back. Some younger fans were chatting loudly and an older Scouser basically told them that they were watching a brilliant band, had paid good money and that they should ‘shut the fuck up!’ They laughed awkwardly and then moved on! Gig etiquette 1, annoying ‘fans’ 0. (Editor – excellent work; see Haters Gonna Hate...gig etiquette and the worst gig faux pas...).
Most recent album, I Don’t Live Here Anymore gets five songs played. However, the total set is only 14 songs, so a fairly good representation. They are on stage for close to two hours which makes each song about eight minutes! I recall the Pixies knocking out 18 songs in 57 minutes at Hyde Park in support of Pearl Jam. Fine by me if Black Francis avoids the mindless chat, to play more music.
The highlights for myself in the rest of the set are Red Eyes and Under The Pressure. Singer Adam Granduciel does get in a few band introductions and thanks in prior to the two encores - title track I Don’t Live Here Anymore and Occasional Rain, from the new LP. The crowd clearly loved the band (this was the first of their two nights here) and there even seemed to be a bit of a mosh pit going on for a bit of the set towards the front. I later saw that a former pupil of mine was attending the following night on the guest list. The young man has had to endure a heartbreaking family bereavement in recent weeks, but was keen to go and enjoy one of his favourite bands. Massive respect to him for his positive approach towards life in what must be very difficult times. I guess music can be hugely therapeutic at times and with a band like TWOD, you can certainly lose yourself for a couple of hours.
A welcome speedy exit ensued at the end of the gig - most welcome as it had been a hot day and evening. Then a very convenient ten minute bus journey back to our Travelodge. it’s great ‘when a plan comes together’ to quote Hannibal in The A Team. Philly’s finest, The War on Drugs are well worth catching if you can.
Editor – I saw The War On Drugs in 2023 at the Live Is Life festival and was a bit bored to be honest; I like their albums, but I found the whole set dragged out and found Adam a little unengaging and even self-satisfied and a bit smug. Hey ho, different strokes etc!
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