Photo Credit: Cuffe and Taylor
Words: Isabelle Cocozza
On 12 July, Supergrass took over the stage of Bedford Park as the second to last headliner of Bedford’s Summer Sessions shows, presented by TK Maxx.
After being supported by Willey J Healey’s cool 70’s guitar sound and indie rock darlings The Coral performing cult favourites such as ‘In The Morning’, Supergrass took to the stage. Celebrating 31 years of I Should Coco, Supergrass have been touring their album in full this year. Frontman Gaz Coombes stated their intentions during the beginning of their Bedford Park performance to honour the album, but that the band wanted to ‘mix it up tonight’ with the addition of some fan favourites and deep cuts. Coombes spoke to the audience only when prefacing songs or giving thanks to the crowd, and the music remained the forefront of the show. Coombes was by no means shy, however, and appeared to feel very comfortable while commanding a crowd. The stage set was simple, with just an I Should Coco backdrop and the band, with multicoloured lighting programs – but was never boring.
The band often dipped through tempo changes, for example in extended song intros, slowing down to then rise back up in a big blast of upbeat and energetic sound, teasing the audience until they are rewarded. The setlisting for the show was it’s strongest point, as they carefully curated a non monotonous experience for their audience by their aforementioned mixing it up and their changes of tempo and sound from track to track. Illustrative of this was the standout performance of the show ‘The Strange Ones’, as all band members were technically flawless.
Speedy and impressive, the crowd immediately began moving. They then followed into their next song, which began with a piano intro, giving the crowd a breather and adding an interesting dynamism to their show. Their biggest hit ‘Alright’ was played halfway into the show to a delightfully upbeat and vocal crowd, who kept their energy and attention into the second half and until the end. They followed with ‘Time’, a B-side, which the crowd enjoyed. ‘Pumping on Your Stereo’ was the closing song of the night, making for a vibrant finish. It was met with high energy, highlighted by footage of the crowd bouncing around on the screen in a joyous coming together for the celebration of live rock music.
A simple yet sophisticated set, Supergrass brought a dynamic and engaging performance to Bedford Park in their technical ability and a varied setlist which made a spectacular night for any indie rock fan.
Taped Magazine 