Big Country - Roadmender Northampton

A sense of 'Deja Vu'  outside of the Roadmender as the first two people in the queue were the same two here in November last year. That time being the anniversary of 'The Crossing' album.

This time it is the turn of 'The Steeltown' album to get the anniversary treatment.It was in October 1984 that the album peaked at number one in the UK album chart. It hold special significance for Northamptonshire as the title track is about the town of Corby. Telling the story of the many Scottish families who moved down to work in the steel industry in 1935.

Managed to get on the barriers stage right without any problems. Strangely no support band on tonight ? The floor fills up slowly but surely , similar numbers to the last time we were here I would say, maybe less.

The band were at full strength tonight unlike on the previous visit when illness struck down  guitarist Jamie Watson. Singer Simon Hough had also struggled through with flu symptoms.

The set kicks off with 1000 Stars, Flame of the West and East of Eden. AS you would imagine most of the songs are from 'Steeltown' and 'The Crossing'.

Simon Hough

 It's warming up nicely until someone at the front passe out and everything grinds to a halt. Water is given and she seems to make a recovery although here eyes tell a different story. We are soon back on track again with the title track and then followed by the crowd favourite 'Chance' giving everyone a chance to sing along. Did you see what I did there ?  

It's another high energy performance from the band. Bruce Watson shows no sign of slowing up, and his lad Jamie is a 'chip off the old block'.

We didn't actually get the 'Steeltown' album in it's entirety , I reckon there were three tracks missing. But the sentiment was there at least and thats what matters I suppose.

The set closes with crowd favourites;'Wonderland' and 'Fields of Fire'. The encore is a slightly subdued 'Restless Natives'.

It's been a good night though but maybe seeing them doing 'The Crossing' album just under a year ago has raised the bar just a little higher?