Paul Weller back in Poole

Paul Weller live at The Lighthouse, Poole on 4.4.2024 with Barbara supporting.

This is wonderful to see: Paul Weller in Poole, embarking on his 2024 UK tour – second date after Shepherd’s Bush a few nights ago. This is no ‘strange town’ for Weller: The Jam played at the Poole Arts Centre as it was then and I was at the Paul Weller gig here in December 2006.

Since I moved here 12 years ago, the Lighthouse hasn’t had too many gigs of my tastes to really rave about – a few decent ones a year but it has been off the obvious circuit (Simple Minds and Nick Cave notable special ones).

This year, things are booming – we’ve had Noel Gallagher here a few weeks ago and another sell out gig tonight, in the main concert hall, the one that is home to Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The floor level moves to suit and the gently sloping terraces of seats can become a large flat standing area, with balcony seats above, giving a total capacity of around 2,400. It was brilliant to see the queues outside and the packed hall tonight.

I never saw The Jam before their 1982 split. A big, big regret. (They are selling a classic Jam t-shirt on the merch stand tonight – see he hasn’t forgotten). I just never tried hard enough to go and see them in my early gig-going of 1979-1982, when they were still around and in their last year (1982), The Gift album didn’t grab me like the others. I didn’t warm to The Style Council after that but Weller’s Wild Wood album (1993) brought me back. That and Stanley Road are still my favourites amid the huge amount of material that Weller has put out, and a lot of which I bought on CD.

This my eighth Weller gig, the first being in Wolverhampton in March 1994, which was recorded with tracks appearing on the Live Wood album. Then there was a Pheonix Festival headliner appearance later that year, near Stratford-upon-Avon. Here in Poole in 2006. A few gigs at the Bournemouth BIC in November 2005 and 2010 – I remember being disappointed with the BIC gigs – then a crowd pleasing Victorious Festival set in Southsea 2018, and my favourite Weller gig yet at the Westonbirt Arboretum in the summer of 2023.

Support band tonight is Barbara, an excited indie-rock/pop band (two brothers from Brighton but full band tonight) that I was perked up by and they quite impressed. I’d like to see them again. To be honest I had to save my ailing leg and go for a sit down so just saw half their set. A knackered swollen knee was hampering me and I limped down here this evening with a crutch – this grey-haired gig going lark is hard work at times. Could have sworn we were seated for this one. A lean on the mixing desk barrier pen was my chosen spot, and often is.

Beautifully full – it was a fast sell out this. The old favourites are all here: Ben Sherman and his mate Fred Perry; the Weller haircuts, the parkas, the odd striped blazer. Happy aging faces. Happy grey-haired (and no haired) gig goers in large numbers.

The 29-song set is opened with Rip the Pages Up from the 22 Dreams album. Usual full of depth sound, including Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene and two drummers, without losing Weller’s vocals, guitar and piano.

The first song from Wild Wood hit the note: All The Pictures On The Wall – this remains my favourite Weller album, alongside Stanley Road. The title track gets aired later and Hung Up – great tracks – great album. There was a documentary on Sky Arts recently, called Record On: Paul Weller Wild Wood, that underlined the album’s place in history.

Other early highlights were album title tracks Fat Pop and Stanley Road. Weller looks happy but doesn’t say a great deal. “Good to be back – this is Poole Arts Centre isn’t it?”, remembering previously visits. When he says “this is something really old” ears prick up; necks stretch. It’s Style Council classic Shout to the Top. The famous wooden floor starts to shake. The mixing desk area starts to move like it’s at sea.

My dodgy knee was complaining too much by the end of that one and I clawed my way out for a sit down and pain relieving alcohol top up. After a bit I hear a guy say, “I can’t believe we’re sitting here when he’s playing this”, and I can hear the distant but familiar sounds of one of Weller’s best: You Do Something To Me. I guess every person sat out in the bar at this point must have an injury, ailment or a story.

I return and don’t get much beyond the doors before progress is too difficult, so I settle for that and Jam classic That’s Entertainment is next. Brilliant – Weller’s voice and acoustic guitar so clear above the accompanying sounds. Then Wild Wood. Wow.

The other Jam song tonight isn’t far behind – Start. I have got beyond being bothered about how many Jam songs are played at Weller gigs, but it’s hard not to note – a From The Jam gig is the place to go for a Jam song feast and I am happy with Russell Hastings singing them.

Peacock Street from the Heavy Soul album (1997) rounds off the main set. Another very good album to my ears.

I disappeared for another leg rest and propped myself up by the merch stand, listening and peering through the doors. So busy that once out of the auditorium many aren’t up for battling back in at this stage. Not a great way to enjoy a band but needs must – I wasn’t going home.

Another six songs as an encore, including Style Council song Headstart for Happiness. The lights don’t come up after that and Weller and his band reappear, so I go forward to poke my head in again for The Changingman which ends the show. Good finish, but I did notice there were two more songs on the mixing desk, including A Town Called Malice which they didn’t get to.

So good to see this type of gig here in Poole…again. More to come later in the year (including Dexys, Elvis Costello).

Mr Weller is 66 in May and his album 66 is released to coincide with that birthday. I shall be 61. Maybe I should go for a Weller grey-haired mop top.