The South - Live Wakefield: Not Beautiful but a perfect 10

The South returned to Wakefield Warehouse 23 for a very healthy though not quite sold out crowd. Those that didn’t come missed a rare treat.

The Warehouse is one of those venues that plays host to more than its fair share of artists on the retro circuit, fair to say The South fit slightly into this bracket but rarely will bands generate such a  mutual joyous atmosphere as Dave, Alison and co regularly do.

The songs of the (not so Beautiful) South have a warm place in the hearts of the British public, pulling on common occurrences. You can see the spurned lovers, the cosy long term lovers, even the old red eye drunks.. as they blast their own versions out in salute.

There are rarely any surprises in a South set.. all the hits that matter, a sprinkle of the better album tracks (step forward The Woman In The Wall, sounding as dark, sinister and joyous as it did back in 1989 when I first saw it live.  The only thing missing these days is the parade of folk in animal costumes that used to parade off the stage through the audience. There are a couple of surprises however, a welcome if rather tenuously linked ELO song (?) and one (I think) brand new song – judging by Dave needing his lyrics!

Crowd singing was taking to a whole new level in the (not on the single release) break after the first verse of chorus of You Kept It All in. Normally crowds are caught out and wait for the song to catch up, not the shakey wakey crew who carry on (regardless) singing the next verse and chorus right through to the outro, so loudly that the band aren’t quite sure where they should pick up again. Cue bemused and  confused looks from the brass section, to the drummer before a cold start back to the second verse and we get to do it all over again.

When Dave Rotheray says they take none of this for granted, I believe it, if this was  a band going through the motions, this venue wouldn’t have been half as full. Sure he is still a grump and jokingly complains one song particular is too miserable. But in Alison you see the unbridled and unashamed joy in performing songs that have been performed many many times before.

The South are hoping to release “at least an EP” early next year. Following their debut album Sweet Refrains which got the critical and fans acclaim it deserved, new material should see them able to slowly reclaim their crown as the band for the common man – and woman. And I mean that with the greatest of respect.