REVIEW: DODGY AT BUSH HALL, LONDON (22/02/12)
Talk about Dodgy to anyone under the age of 25 and they’d probably go ‘who?’. Head to the older camp and you’ll find opinion completely divided. There’s the people who quite liked Dodgy back in their Britpop days and despite having more than one hit, would dub them one hit wonders. Then there’s the folk who’ve heard their brand new album, Stand Upright In A Cool PLace, who will respect the motley bunch for their consistent musical creations. I’m in the latter camp.
The beautiful Bush Hall in London was predictably full of slightly balding, 40 something men in faded indie tees or Burton chic and us women were outnumbered 10 to one. In some ways, Dodgy could be seen as the older thinking man’s Oasis/Ocean Colour Scene/Oasis. Inoffensive music for footie fans or a soundtrack to a million festival interludes – hell, their 1995 hit Staying Out For The Summer secured them a slot on every poppy summer compilation for at least a decade. In other, more contemporary ways, they could be seen as Britain’s answer to Wilco. Songs from the new album, such as Tripped and Fell, Shadows and We Try harness the Americana emotion without traipsing down that well trodden nu-folk root. They take the subtle harmonies of Midlake and the energy of Drive By Truckers but with that underdog British charm. Though in the more jingly, jangly places it’s all a bit too Beatles for my liking (I realise that I am alone in this).
The set was pretty bluntly divided into old and new. First half new, second half old – with the top hits in the encore. Frustratingly, it was here that they truly shone – maybe because they’re more used to playing songs like In A Room, Good Enough and If You’re Thinkin Of Me, or maybe because the audience was more receptive to these. Either way, it would be nice to see this confidence exude from them when playing the new material, which is freakin wonderful.
Words and photo: Laura Williams
