The Undertones at Bournemouth Old Fire Station (14.11.2025) with Avid Fan supporting.
We arrive shortly after 7pm and the support from near Manchester, Avid Fan, are already playing. Their merch stand man says they had 15 minutes left so we hurry in. This is an early evening gig with the venue, essentially the student union nightspot, transforming into nightclub mode for ‘the kids’ at 10pm. Mature old heads in for the bands: Undertones faithfuls.
Apparently, it had been a rough ole journey down from the North West for this support slot. A powerful punky sound but I only got a listen to a few songs. Sound.
Tonight’s Undertones’ gig is part of the 45th anniversary Hypnotised tour, celebrating that second LP. I was there the first time round at Hammersmith Palais for the 1980 Hypnotised tour. After three gigs in 1979-80, I picked up again a few years after they reformed, with frontman Paul McLoone replacing the deserter, Feargal Sharkey. In between there were the That Petrol Emotion gigs which also included the O’Neill brothers, Damian and John, as the principal songwriters.
With the focus on Hypnotised, as well as the title track and the hit single My Perfect Cousin, there’s a chance hear some lesser known songs like Boys Will Be Boys, Nine Times Out of Ten and the one I captured on video, the drum thumping Hard Luck. (Links to my YouTube channel).
Hard Luck is the only track I can find that has a credit to Feargal Sharkey. His voice was such a key feature but it was the O’Neill brothers who were, and still are, the main songwriters.
I am in a good rail leaning spot towards the back. Slightly raised up giving a clear view – I like this venue more each visit. The sound is good. The 550 capacity venue is quite full and nearly all standing, bar some bench seats to either side.
Michael Bradley on bass and backing vocals is still the chopsy one – chirping away between songs. He questions whether this was where they dealt with old fires and whether Bournemouth was now without a fire station. No comment on the fact that the building next door to the Old Fire Station appears to have burnt down.
Paul McLoone is the man who has had the 26-year-long challenge of ‘replacing’ Feargal Sharkey, who was with the band for the first eight years before pursuing his solo career. McLoone is the ever dancing frontman, conducting the choruses and leading the clapping percussion. So many songs that we all know the words to. It’s a bouncy singalong every time… and this is number 12 ‘tones gig for me.
Aside from McLoone, it’s the original members, including Billy Doherty on drums.
Big songs come early with Jimmy Jimmy a surprising opener, with Male Model following and we’re not kept waiting to the end for Teenage Kicks or My Perfect Cousin. What classics. You’ve Got My Number is another. Such catchy guitar hooks from the O’Neill brothers.
It becomes apparent that the early 10pm curfew is non-negotiable and some urgency creeps in, no time to disappear before an encore and they settle for cracking through a few more songs, including the excellent Get Over You.
My next appointment with these boys from Derry is in Belfast next summer, at the Stiff Little Fingers annual Custom House Square bash.
As one of the first bands I ever saw live – at Bracknell Sport Centre in 1979 with my mate Nick – they will always be special, Feargal or not.
Gigs with Ivan 