Webb Brothers: Colchester Arts Centre, 26th January 2001 (The Webb Brothers - Live)

Member Name: nicolasb

Product:	The Webb Brothers - Live
Date:	05/03/01 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: makes you forget their famous daddy

Disadvantages: he won't be happy

From the start of the concert, when the lights fade and the banner comes down, people know they are here for a communion with pop music. Music in Brian Wilson's terms, the kind that sparkles and lifts you with infectious hooks that carry you effortlessly from chorus to chorus.

The Webb Brothers and cohorts (no pun intended)enter the stage armed with torches looking for the members of their band in the audience; an episode of Scooby Doo happening now at your nearest concert hall. When the band is complete, the music starts abruptly into the first song "come on over." Christina Aguilera's song of the same name is put to shame as the slacker pop reminds the crowd of a time when Pavement ruled college radios around the world.

The rest is a blur of melodies as the band rushes through recent single "Summer People," "Liar's Club," "Sour Grape, and the anthemic "Cold Fingers." As Christiaan Webb questions the crowd about the hazards of waking up under a mountain of illicit substances, the unpolitically correct "Cocaine" brings relief from the melodic onslaught by taking us on a magic carpet ride to the land of the rich and famous.

What then happens is the most unconventional instance of concert behaviour Colchester (Rockin' Town) has ever witnessed. Justin Webb abandons his guitar and heads for the pulpit in the converted church where the concert is happening. What follows is a true MC5 style testimonial where indie brothers and sisters are urged to take back the airwaves from the tatooed goateed hordes. Hallelujah!!!

After three of the less memorable songs from the Maroon album, the band plays the first chords of "Can't Believe You're Gone" and the crowd is instantly reminded of what constitutes a great song. Simplicity wins over bombastic elements so favoured these days. No need for luscious strings here, all it takes here is one man and his hammon
d organ.

The band return for one encore which includes a sublime acoustic version of "Filth of it All" that puts Travis and playmates to shame. It is immediately after this that the transformation happens, as the band start hammering away harder bass lines, Chritiaan Webb becomes a hybrid of James Brown and John Spencer. A rabid version of "Hot Freaks" ensues as moog players suddenly become cool and the awkward looking boy up front becomes Prince for a night. The crowd is brought back down after the fury by "Over & I know" and the band bade the crowd goodbye. And frankly everyone is left to wonder why they're not number one in this Limp Bizkit adoring age.

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