Review: The Proclaimers at Black Barn
Thick Scottish accents and enthusiastic revellers filled front-and-centre at Black Barn’s amphitheatre on Sunday evening.
Many of the up-front devotees of Scottish band The Proclaimers displayed their kinship to twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid by wearing tartan garments, kilts and flying the Scottish flag.
This was The Proclaimers’ first visit to Hawke’s Bay, topping off an eight-show tour of New Zealand in support of their latest album ‘Angry Cyclist’, realised last year.
They had plenty to say, not in words but in vocals. They delivered new tracks, mixed with timeless classics in The Proclaimers’ typical steadfast and rhythmic style. Determined and solid, they soon captured the fans and had them on their feet.
The Proclaimers, known for their strong political views, focus on social justice issues, and outspoken activism, didn’t disappoint the fans with their new albums title track ‘Angry Cyclist’. Plunging straight into the political arena, the brothers put their best voices forward and sung about fascism, bigotry and ignorance.
The catchy lyrics and melodious tones of their new releases made me think I had listened to every track years ago. But I have to admit, this was the first time I had heard many of their songs.
Sometimes the lyrics were difficult to decipher. I found the voices almost got lost under the volume of the backing band. But this may have been because I was only metres from the stage. Keen to know what was being said, I downloaded their new album when I got home.
The fans made up for my lack of song knowledge when ‘Letters from America’ got them singing and moving. The place lit up. The tracks were blasted out, the brothers hardly breaking a sweat. Thirty ears of touring and performing experience had them finely-tuned and pretty much perfect.
I am not sure what was going on behind me in the tiered seating, as I never looked back. The set took you on a journey. Well put together, with feet stomping, body bouncing and hand clapping songs, ‘I’m On My Way’ and ‘Over and Done With’ balanced with the harmonious and tender such as ‘Sunshine on Leith’ and ‘Let’s get Married’.
The band members gave as much of a show as Charlie and Craig. Drummer Clive Jenner was full of energy and totally absorbed in every second of the gig. He played a spectacular solo at the end of the concert which had the crowd mesmerised.
The absolute icing on the cake was the iconic Proclaimers hit ‘500 miles’. This was the smash hit that made them a household name. Brilliantly performed, it sounded as fresh as the day it was released. A testament to our love of the familiar!
Black Barn is a unique venue creating a classy ambiance without even trying. We were lucky with the mild weather and the showers held off. All up, for an impulsive ticket purchase the evening was great. Being able to party with faces I hadn’t seen for a while, in a classic Hawke’s Bay setting, to a band that took me back to the UK, was awesome.
