Sleaford Mods LIVE @ Electric Circus, Edinburgh 08.11.14

It’s 8pm on Saturday in Edinburgh’s Halfway House, where tonight the locals and stray tourists are joined by several Sleaford Mods fans. Huddled together in the small, crowded bar, they eulogise the Nottingham band, who are described as ‘proper’, ‘quality’ and ‘the real deal’. Listening to their conversation, it’s clear that these gentlemen recognise an authenticity in Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn that’s all but non-existent in contemporary pop music. Sleaford Mods write songs that speak to their audience, whether it’s about the state of the nation or the state of the toilets at work. They articulate the frustration of doing a dead-end job or living on a Dead End Street with humanity and humour. They don’t preach or condescend; they empathise with people and expose the hypocrisy and the naffness that so many people seem willing to accept. They mean it (man).

2014 has been a great year for the duo. Since the release of their breakthrough album ‘Divide and Exit’ in May they’ve played dozens of gigs across the UK and Europe, each time to bigger and more enthusiastic crowds. This Edinburgh date comes in the middle of a tour supporting The Specials, another band whose music articulates working class anger and disenchantment, albeit more than 30 years ago. Back then Thatcher was the villain; today it’s Cameron, but the sentiment remains the same: “Nobody likes a fucking Tory reign.”

Showtime. The Electric Circus is rammed to capacity. Jason and Andrew shuffle on to the stage to huge cheers, like returning heroes. The crowd is a mix of veteran fans and the uninitiated, young and old, different tribes (there’s no such thing as a typical Sleaford Mods fan). Those who know the words sing them back at Jason, though it’s impossible to mirror his intensity or the relentless delivery on songs like ‘Jolly Fucker’, ‘Jobseeker’ or ‘Tweet Tweet Tweet’. There’s minimal chat between songs, but there doesn’t need to be: it’s all in the lyrics. After Andrew strikes up ‘Tied Up In Nottz’ on the laptop, the bloke standing next to me says to his companion, “Listen to the fucking lyrics on this: fucking genius.” He’s got a point. I’ve yet to hear a wittier opening line than ‘The smell of piss is so strong it smells like decent bacon” this year.

Gig over, Jason and Andrew take time to chat to the punters, signing old 7 inches and LPs and posing for photos on request. It’s refreshing to witness the interaction between the band and their audience; there’s none of the usual egotistical posturing or faux modesty on display. Just a connection and a mutual respect. Realz.

Sleaford Mods are on tour throughout November and December and into 2015.

Paul Sng

@sng_paul

Paul Sng

Paul Sng

Editor-at-large, Brighton. Likes: Lee Hazlewood, Lee Hazlewood songs and Lee Hazlewood's moustache Dislikes: Celery, crap nostalgia and people who raise their voice when speaking as if they're asking a question?