The Skids live at The Engine Rooms, Southampton (17.12.2024) with special guests Spear of Destiny.
Some gigs I just can’t leave alone. It’s the day after The Damned in Bristol but I had to get to this one. Two of my favourite bands over a long period. With the Skids there was a big break from the early 80s until the reformation in 2017, since then I’ve seen them 13 times, including twice in Belfast and twice in Scotland.
Both bands have done a lot of touring in recent years and it’s brilliant to have them on one bill, here in Southampton at The Engine Rooms, a regular spot on my gig itinerary. (Venue blog.)
My previous blogs go back into my Spear of Destiny history and Skids gigs, including the epic Dunfermline pilgrimage.
Kirk seems a bit under the weather tonight with a throaty problem – it’s been a long tour – but a strong 12-song set shows no surrender to any ailments. Such a rich catalogue to pull on, with familiar rousing tunes like Rainmaker and Young Men. As Kirk calls out “ohhh you you-ng men”, I scan the scene and not much youth in here tonight. Some very happy old boys in here though.
You’ll Never Take Me Alive is good to hear – a classic standout track from the Outlands LP. I don’t know if Kirk was saving himself but the last two songs, World Service and Mickey, were real belters. Look forward to catching Spear of Destiny on their own tour next year, and Kirk with Theatre of Hate at the promising Milton Keyes Forever Now event, at least.
The Skids line up as a four-piece tonight. There have been a few changes this year with the previously attached Big Country boys doing their own tour. After a bit of upheaval in the Big Country camp we have Gil Allan on bass with Jobson tonight, along with Nick Hernandez on drums and Goodbye Mr Mackenzie’s Connor White the sole guitarist, and very impressive too.
It’s a Days in Europa 40th anniversary album tour. Great album but so are any of the first three Skids LPs. There is room for all but two of the album in the set with Peaceful Times and Dulce et Decorum Est missing out. They’ve had plenty of airings in recent years. I like the fact it’s not just playing an album in full and that’s it.
I can’t believe the energy Jobson has: he doesn’t stop dancing and punching the air once he’s on stage. It’s a real work out for the 64 year old and his bodily resilience puts me to shame. My legs are suffering after a bit of what is best described as shuffling about. My air punching arm is working though. Amid this exertion I pretty much ditched attempts to get any decent pics. Lighting unsympathetic to my cause. I have plenty of Skids photos and I settled for extracting a few images from some short video clips.
Some excellent tracks on Days in Europa and for several decades only the singles got played anywhere – Working for the Yankee Dollar and what Jobson introduces as his favourite, Masquerade, for instance. I leave later with lesser known Olympian and Thanatos rattling round my head.
There’s time to pay respect to the departed original Skid, Stuart Adamson: “We can feel him in the room tonight” insists Jobbo.
It’s no surprise that when Jobson runs through his introduction to The Saints Are Coming, the Southampton crowd get hyperactive as it’s their football team’s pre-kick off anthem. What an uplifting atmosphere as the festive nonsense is upon us. I’m getting a real kick out of this.
Another from the first LP, Scared to Dance, follows: the magnificent Into the Valley. A bit of fun with TV Stars and “Who da we want, Al-bert Tat-lock!“
Circus Games ends the main set. I love hearing this live and without the kids voices on it – they ruin it. It takes me back to my first Skids gig at Hammersmith Palais, Jobson dancing madly in his cricket jumper and Stuart Adamson’s penetrating guitar sound.
The band return with slower rumbling of Hurry on Boys, also from The Absolute Game album – time to tour that one next? Then the track that sparked it all off: Charles, from their first EP, released in 1978.
It was around then The Skids got a support slot on tour with The Clash. A fitting finish then with a cover of Complete Control, my pick of the Skids’ covers album Songs from a Haunted Ballroom – it’s a belter that track.
We’re done. Nice one boys. This creeps into my top ten gigs of the year.
Two more to go in 2024 – then we rest the ears and legs for a bit.
Gigs with Ivan 