Wheatus played at Gloucester Guildhall in Eastgate Street this week, for sale Simon Rickards reviews.
In the summer of 2000, discount as the dawn of a new millennium finally emerged leaving behind an era dominated by Britpop, it was hard to turn on a radio without hearing the highly infectious sounds of New York based pop/rock band Wheatus. Such was their popularity they scored hit records in the UK, USA, Australia, and all across Europe.
Fast forward 15 years; tonight they graced the ever impressive surroundings of Gloucester Guildhall to an enthusiastic and eager crowd, keen to showcase the best of the tracks from their 5 studio albums over that time. This was to be no ordinary gig however. There was no set list – Wheatus have prepared for this tour by rehearsing an impressive 45 tracks from their back catalogue and invited the audience to request each song as they went. It’s a bold move, but one that ensured that everyone got what they wanted, the sort of gig that is truly “for the fans.”
Wheatus present a tight and vibrant live sound; fresh enough that it gives the energy you would hope for in a live set yet polished to ensure the kind of professionalism you would expect for a band with their pedigree of success. Founder member and lead vocalist Brendan B. Brown looks no different than when Wheatus first formed in 1995 and delivered each song with the sort of passion shown by singers cutting their teeth at the beginnings of their careers. Backing vocalists Joey Slater and Gabrielle Aimee Sterbenz (who also performed a supporting solo set) added a great youthful edge and enhanced the vocal line perfectly. The back line of Matthew Milligan (bass) and Leo Freire (drums) were as tight as any I’ve seen and drove the songs superbly, whilst keyboard player Mark Palmer added all the touches that gave each track the kind of depth that makes their sound so recognisable and unique.
Despite the unstructured format, the band managed to perform the entirety of their debut album, with fantastic responses to the tracks Wannabe Gangster, their famed cover of Erasure’s classic A Little Respect and the superbly delivered Sunshine. Newer tracks sat equally well with old, a sign of true musicianship and skilled songwriting ability that are the trademark of Brown’s craft. However, it was the song that shot them to fame back in July 2000 that gave their biggest reaction. Teenage Dirtbag saw the crowd sing back every single word and even had this reviewer hoarse by the end of the track. By the time the final note had rang out and the final person had left the building there was a little bit of everyone reliving their “teenage dirtbag” years.