The Jesus and Mary Chain may have been around for some 40 years (albeit on and off), but the Reid brothers clearly have no intention of setting up camp in the heritage music industry just yet. This was emphatically stressed this week, as they hit the stage of Birmingham’s O2 Institute and ploughed straight into a fierce “JAMCOD”, the lead single off their recent Glasgow Eyes album – and proclaiming “the monkey’s organ grinder isn’t grinding anymore”.
Wrapped in a storm of back-lit dry ice, the shadowy five-piece then fired out hits like the hip-swinging power pop of “April Skies” and the druggy and rather more sludgy “Some Candy Talking”, deep cuts such as Psychocandy’s blistering “In a Hole” and the dour heartbreak of “Nine Million Rainy Days” as well as slew of newer tunes. Early into the set, “Happy When It Rains” brought a bit of movement in the crowd, but the Jesus and Mary Chain’s audience aren’t renowned for cutting a rug. So, while the band got plenty of love and applause between songs, as well as some wag shouting for early B-side “Vegetable Man”, the assembled largely middle-aged throng in the stalls, some of whom clearly had their kids in tow, were never going to break into a sweat and transform the place into a heaving mosh pit.
Nevertheless, the ever-cool, Jim Reid looked slim and svelte placed centre stage at his microphone stand while his wild-haired brother William had the air of a strange wizard, creating guitar magic with his back to speakers, which were decorated with the single word “Jesus” painted on them. There was precious little chit-chat with the audience though, beyond a few brief pleasantries. So, we were never introduced to the other three remaining noise merchants on stage. However, Michelle, from support band Ciel, did join in on spirited backing vocals for “Sometimes Always” and the ever-green “Just Like Honey”.
No-one was here for jokes and conversation though and the magnificent “Cracking Up” brought a Bo Diddley-like groove and wailing vocals, while the amusingly sardonic “All Things Pass” was conjured up from squealing feedback and the punishing thump of the epic “Sidewalking” was enough to wake the dead and give them a good shake. After a more mellow and calming “Darklands” though, the main set was brought to a close with the rumbling bass and rudimentary but brutal beat of “Never Understand”, before the band slipped off stage for a quick breather.
They were soon back, however, to be plunged into a fug of swirling purple smoke for an encore that began with “Just Like Honey”, before exploding into “Taste of Cindy” with its howling waves of feedback and, finally, a rocket-power “Reverence”, bursting with bile and menace. It was a fine end to a great show that must have had more than just me wondering why Nick Cave is consistently selling out arenas around the world, while this lot are playing considerably more intimate venues.
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