The Vaccines live at The Gaiety, South Parade Pier, Southsea on 12.1.2024
My first gig outing of 2024 and a novel start, thanks to an early tip-off that The Vaccines were playing a special gig in Southsea as part of their album launch. Their sixth album is released on the day (12.1.2024), Pick-Up Full Of Carnations. They still seem relatively new to me, grey-haired gig goer that I am, having formed in West London in 2010. They made 2011 their year with a string of awards for that first album.
The original line up has changed, with frontman Justin Hayward-Young and bassist Arni Arnason being joined by drummer Yoann Intonti and keyboardist Tim Lanham, in 2017. Original lead guitarist Freddie Cowan left in early 2023 and by the time I first saw them, at Victorious Festival in August 2023 they had Matt Hill on guitar – he is maybe just for touring and doesn’t feature on the new album sleeve.
It’s a good easy access listen, the new album. The CD purchase got us access to buy the tickets for tonight, a promotion by Pie and Vinyl in Southsea. (Friends picked up my copy as I was late into town after more leg ailments…I made it anyway.)
The Gaiety, Southsea
Part of the attraction for this gig/ meet-up with friends, was the novel and more intimate venue for a band of this notoriety.
The venue is on the South Parade Pier, a 600 standing capacity room between the amusement arcade and the fun fair, with an adjoining fish’n’chip restaurant. Queuing passed the grabber machines and racing car games, the excitement builds.
The pier has suffered serious fires in its history but having reopened after renovations, in 2017, it’s something for Southsea to be proud of again. I had a dip into its history and a string of legendary music hall performers have graced the pier. Also, in the 90s, visitors included Pulp, Blur, and The Stone Roses, and going back further we find Genesis, Status Quo, Jeff Beck and in 1972, a Mr David Bowie.
Tonight’s set up in the square, mainly standing space, sees a low stage; the bar curtained off from stage viewings down the right-hand side, and a slightly raised platform at the back where the merch stand is. A few rows of people are stood up there for the ‘across the heads’ view and there are several curved, built-in bench seats just in front of that. A relief that was as I can’t stand for long on my old legs tonight. Also a good coat pile up place for us – boiling inside and sub-zero outside.
Tonight’s Vaccines Show
No support for this special album release show and the band are on, as promised, at around 8.30pm. The place is long sold out, full but not uncomfortably so. You can get around – I managed a wander for a few snaps.
Not much room on stage for the five up there. The sound has a bit of that reverb that reminds me of an old American live TV show, and when I get to hear my copy of the album I realise this is replicated on it, not an accident of the low and shaped ceiling.
The 13-song set is a pleasing mix of the newly released album (six tracks) and older stuff, including four songs from the 2011 record, What D’You Expect From…. I was expecting the new album to get pushed right to the front but this was a great mix. I thought a lot of the set sounded familiar – this will be from radio largely as I don’t own or play much Vaccines material. Their indie rock style is heavy on the anthemic choruses which adds to their live performance. Post Break-Up Sex is a particularly good illustration of the air punching anthem. My pick of the night I guess.
Justin welcomed the crowd and celebrated the fact that the album day release gig was not in New York, London or Paris… but Portsmouth (loud cheers). Everyone is pleased with their choice.
Front man Justin is bobbing about with guitarist Matt Hill; promotional carnations on everyone’s mic stands. I think they are enjoying the novelty of the night. At 50 minutes, including the two-song encore, it is a fairly intense but brief affair. (SetList link)
Even some of the new songs had a familiar sound – maybe just their trademark sound – such that I wondered if they played more than four or five from the ‘Carnations’ album. Heartbreak Kid from the new one has been getting a lot of airplay and that’s a goody. Hard for me to make comparisons with previous albums but I think it’s a very good listen, and the band were well worth the trip tonight.
An enjoyable and novel gig on the pier…. the pier where David Bowie once played eh… well before it was rebuilt again. Maybe there was still some Bowie dust in the air.
Gigs with Ivan 