The Skids at The Crossing, Digbeth, Birmingham (24.1.2026) with The Au Pairs supporting.
My second night at The Crossing and more about the venue in my Bruce Foxton blog from the previous night.
I was so pleased when I heard of the re-emergence of The Au Pairs for live gigs this year. This was tempered a little after social media exchanges revealed that this wasn’t quite the triumphant reunion I had anticipated. Lead singer Lesley Woods had formed a band with no other original members and advertised the new Au Pairs dates. More detailed explanations of the line-up appeared to clarify and calm some anger and confusion.
Anyway, I had bought my ticket to see them in London only to find them added to most dates on The Skids tour…and I have two more of those after this.
Still, Woods is the key vocals of the Au Pairs and main songwriter. I saw her solo acoustic set at Rebellion Festival a few years back and the idea of a full band and her voice airing Au Pairs old classics certainly appealed. I wasn’t disappointed.
I saw The Au Pairs several times in London and then Birmingham when I came up in 1981 for a seven year stint. Having become one of my favourite bands of the moment I was surprised to see them walk past my student house one day in Balsall Heath, the interesting world that was Birmingham B12. Only then did I realise they were from round there.
Their brilliant LP, Playing With A Different Sex, was one I played and played. The single It’s Obvious, backed by Diet, would remain on my list of lifetime classics. It was the final song of their set tonight. What a cracker. Other special mentions for the opening Come Again and Dear John but really, the whole short set is a pleasure to hear again. There’s even a new song in there.
So many Skids gigs for me since the comeback. Richard Jobson has persevered with different line-ups and remained the key source of energy in any Skids version. It’s been 13 months since I saw them last (Skids blog Southampton has more detail)
This tour is the 45th anniversary of the Absolute Game LP, which marked the height of the Skids chart success.
This Absolute Game celebration means eight songs from that LP, including the single Circus Games – a corker live and vastly improved without the children singing the chorus, I always feel.
Happy to be With You and Hurry on Boys are the familiar starters with Out of Town bringing the faster punky option from tonight’s chosen LP.
Woman in Winter gets the crowd sways and woah-ohs going and more importantly the Jobson head swagger with that granite jaw carving out the words. A great song – I always like the way Jobbo announces it so clearly and carefully.. “A Woman in Winter“, its arrival called out with pride.
After Arena, a song that sounds every bit that last song, closing the album as it does, there’s room for some other Skids classics. There’s The Saints are Coming: yes we are reminded that it’s a Skids song given away for U2 to populise it – it was for charity.
Masquerade: ahhh. Still just about my favourite track, despite the better known Into the Valley which can’t be omitted. Working for the Yankee Dollar, which Jobson notes as more relevant than ever. Great songs and Jobson still gives them every ounce of energy in his performance of them.
The awkward b-side, TV Stars (Albert Tatlock etc), is another track which a Skids setlist can’t escape these days. We smile and singalong and punch the air. It’s Charles to end the main set, the title track of that first 1978 EP.
The band return smartly for a short encore. I move back a bit, having drifted towards the front right earlier on and I find I am standing next to ex-England footballer and Stranglers super fan, Stuart Pearce. (He won Celebrity Mastermind a few days later with punk rock as his specialist subject!)
The show ends with the excellent cover of Complete Control (The Clash). It’s a great version and is one of the songs featured on Songs From a Haunted Ballroom – a Skids homage to the early days of punk. Songs that kick started their enthusiasm in those early days in Dunfirmline.
Another top night out with The Skids. “We’re so happy to be with you.” I’ll be back for more soon… on their original home turf 🏴.
Gigs with Ivan 