THE BLUETONES + OPAQUE6th October 2004The Bluetones appeared in the early 1990s, a Britpop bundle who, along with many other fresh-faced guitar-based bands of the time, managed a few Top 40 tunes and a glimpse of the big time before seeming to fade back into the shadows. Their first outing, Expecting to Fly, took the album charts by storm and singles like Marblehead Johnson and Slight Return made a big impact. I first saw the Bluetones at larger venues such as the Manchester Academy, so watching them with about 50 others was a strange experience. Despite the sparse crowd, the band played with verve and a youthful exuberance that belied their standing in the industry. The hits came thick and fast, Keep The Home Fires Burning, and the splendid Can’t Be Trusted were particular crowd pleasers. Frontman Mark Morriss developed a good rapport with the crowd, a factor that was helped by the size and intimacy of the venue. After an hour on stage, Morriss pleasingly announced that the band would forget the traditional encore and play on through, and finished with the rousing If. On this showing, the upcoming tour should be a triumph. Simon Barrett Peterborough Evening Telegraph |