Every now and again it’s useful to have friends in the right places.
For the second time, a friend of the band who also happens to be a friend of mine very kindly arranged tickets for Emma and me to see The Blockheads. Considering how much I enjoy their live shows, it was an offer that would have been foolish to refuse.
We had seen them previously and I already knew what to expect: a band packed with exceptional musicians capable of moving effortlessly between genres while making it all look ridiculously easy.
Before the main event, we were treated to a set from Sons of the Descent. Having seen them before, I already knew they were worth catching, and once again they did an excellent job warming up the audience. Support bands often get overlooked when people write about concerts, but Sons of the Descent have enough character and quality to stand comfortably on their own merits.
Then it was time for The Blockheads.
Although most people naturally associate the band with the late Ian Dury, the current lineup remains an astonishing musical force in its own right. Fronting the band on this occasion was Mike Bennett, stepping into a role that few singers would be brave enough to tackle. Rather than attempting a simple imitation, he brought his own energy and personality to the performance while respecting the spirit of the material.
What struck me yet again was just how versatile The Blockheads are.
Many bands become known for a particular style and spend their careers operating within it. The Blockheads have always been different. Funk, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, reggae and countless other influences all seem to flow naturally through their music. Individually they are outstanding musicians. Collectively they become something even greater.
The remarkable thing is that despite the passing years, they remain an incredibly exciting live act.
Let’s be honest, nobody in the band is getting any younger. Yet once the music starts, age becomes completely irrelevant. The energy, precision and sheer joy of performance remain fully intact. In many ways, their experience only enhances what they do. There is a confidence and musical understanding that can only be developed through decades of performing together.
Watching them reminded me why they have endured for so long.
Some bands survive because of nostalgia. The Blockheads survive because they are still genuinely brilliant.
Emma enjoyed the show just as much as I did, and as the evening progressed it became increasingly clear that we were witnessing a group of musicians who continue to perform because they love it rather than because they have to.
That’s always a pleasure to see.
Looking back, I felt fortunate not only to have been there, but to have had the opportunity thanks to the generosity of a friend. Great support from Sons of the Descent, another superb performance from The Blockheads and a reminder that musicianship never goes out of fashion.
The videos and photographs below capture some of the evening. If you’ve never seen The Blockheads live, do yourself a favour and put that right. There may be bands with bigger reputations, but there are very few capable of covering so much musical ground with such style, skill and enthusiasm.
The Photos
At the Edinburgh Festival in 2024 the singer Mike needed someone to appear in his show It’s Grimms Up North, which was about Rik Mayall’s Lost Tapes, as a troll. I done it one night but didn’t think the 30 seconds was enough to justify travelling 20 miles there and back every night for another 5 nights.
Cheers!
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