The Wedding Present are one of those bands who have soundtracked a vast part of my life, from dancing at indie discos as a teen to well pretty much doing the same around the kitchen at a recent 50th birthday do. It’s safe to say the huge crowd assembled in The Ritz tonight probably identify with that similar adoration for this legendary Leeds indie band. Celebrating forty years of heartfelt lyrics and melodic guitar melodies The Wedding Present take to the stage and launch into ‘Two For The Road’ from the upcoming ‘Maxi EP’, proof if any were needed that they remain as exciting in the song writing stakes as ever.
They then proceed to work backwards through their four decades string back catalogue including one of their best new(er) tunes from the 2024 run of monthly single releases ‘I Am Not Going To Fall In Love With You’ which ends with a ferociously brilliant guitar instrumental wig out from David Gedge and Rachel Wood both flinging their guitar around with wild abandon. “And that’s only the second song” he jokes “I thought we were going to pace ourselves”
As the time travelling set journeys ever backwards, we get a fantastic live version of ‘Don’t Take Me Home Til I’m Drunk’ from 2008’s ‘El Rey’ album and a captivatingly melodic ‘Click Click’ from 1994’s Watusi album. Before the start of ‘Blue Eyes’ from 1992’s collection of singles ‘Hit Parade 1’, frontman David Gedge admits ‘This next song reminds me of when someone asked John Lennon is Ringo the best drummer in the world and he replied ‘he’s not even the best drummer in the Beatles!’. I’m not the best guitar player in this band and that includes the bassist and drummer! I often write guitar parts I can’t play as demonstrated by this next song. I shouldn’t really draw attention to it should I?” No need, as the guitar riffs all seemed to sail along without a bum note in earshot.
The Wedding Present’s current line up is bolstered by Rachel Wood on guitar and backing vocals who dances around the stage, riffs and chords ringing out the perfect counterpoint to Gedge’s guitarwork and clever lyrical wordplay. The bouncing guitar rock of ‘Corduroy’ has the crowd waving arms aloft as does the brooding melodic magic of ‘Dalliance’ from the Steve Albini produced ‘Seamonsters’ album released in 1991. Gedge is as down to earth as ever, keenly chatting to fans at the merch stand before the gig and giving them a shout out on stage “Just chatting to people earlier and we’ve got people from France, Germany, Norway, Japan here and Barnsley!”
The lovelorn lyrics dealing with a host of emotions from euphoria to jealousy and back again coupled with those ferociously strummed guitars and earworm inducing melodies have always been what the Wedding Present do best. The rhythm section of Stuart Hastings on bass and Christopher Hardwicke on drums provide a solid backbone upon which Gedge and Wood’s dual guitar melodies blend perfectly.
A bouncing mosh pit ensues for perennial indie classics including ‘Kennedy’, ‘Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft’ and ‘A Million Miles’ and by the time the chiming guitar tones of ‘My Favourite Dress’ ring out there are arms pointing and heads pogoing, jumping up and down in time to perhaps one of their finest ever written. “We don’t do encores” Gedge reiterates before landing his time travelling set back where the band started in 1985 with first single ‘Go Out And Get Em Boy’.
They may have outlasted many an indie band in the longevity stakes, and may often feel underappreciated as a result of not splitting up and getting back together for a reunion, yet they’ve been providing a steady stream of gloriously angst ridden melodic indie tunes for four decades, and as tonight’s spectacular set proves, they’re still as thrilling live as ever, and forty years on, remain one of the best indie bands around.
From the early days of creating handmade zines, in a DIY paper and glue style, interviewing bands around town, then pestering Piccadilly Records to sell them, to writing for various independent mags such as Chimp and Ablaze, writing about the music I love is still a great passion. After testing the music industry waters in London with stints at various labels, being back in my hometown again, writing about this city’s vibrant music scene is as exciting as ever. All time favourite bands include Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Patti Smith although anything from electro to folk via blues and pysch rock will also do nicely too. A great album, is simply a great album, regardless of whatever musical cage you put it in.
