Wreckless Eric – The Gov Tuesday 13 November 2018.
Words Geoff Jenke
Wreckless Eric was last in Australia in 1980, 38 years ago, and after the disappointing crowd last night, I doubt we will ever see him in Adelaide again. Only about 60 people bothered to turn up to see Eric at The Gov which was a shame as it was one of the best performances, I have seen this year. Why doesn’t Adelaide get behind artist like this? Yes, I understand he wasn’t a huge name in Australia, but the chance to see a bona fide rock/new wave legend in solo intimate mode is not one to miss. Next time your favourite band misses out Adelaide, just ask yourself how often do you support other bands in Adelaide.
Gripe over. Wreckless Eric doesn’t do comeback tours as he claims he never went away. He was on the original Stiff Record label back in 1977, alongside Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and the Damned, amongst others. He has a new album out in Construction Time & Destruction and was keen to share it with us.
With such a low turnout, the gig was moved to the front bar of The Gov. In reality this was a great move as it provided a nice intimate setting for Eric who was playing solo. He rambled through the audience to the stage, (“I just got lost”) plugged in and started talking. No fanfare, no introduction. He told us he was last here 38 years ago when a record man offered to take him roo shooting. He asked if any of us had been roo shooting and when only a few hands went up, he said he hadn’t either. He was too busy that day.
Eric started proceedings with the song Same and followed it up with the single Reconnez Cherie “… an old song for old folk, in case they need to go home early”.
Eric like to talk as much as he likes to play. He told us he hated being on Stiff Records, as he wasn’t able to make the music he wanted to make and he also hated the music people in general. He did have a hit in Belgium (“for 5 minutes”) with the song Hit and Miss Judy which he dutifully played.
Sarcastically he commented “When people our age make records, they are no f##kin’ good. I don’t want to hear a new Buzzcocks record”, then told us about his new album, which was available at the merch table after the show. He said he would play his new album almost in full as a medley, which he did.
The World Revolves Around Me, 40 Years and Forget Who You Are are as good as anything he has released in the past. The new songs stand up extremely well alongside the older tracks. Eric also gives his guitar a good workout during the night giving all sorts of sounds, fuzzy and unworldly at times.
He plugged in an electric guitar for Sysco Trucks and THE big hit song, Whole Wide World, which at times supplied a sonic storm. After Whole Wide World, Eric said thanks for coming and without leaving the stage, started his “encore”, telling us “Now I am going to blow up the amplifier”. And he tried, turning up the volume for the final few numbers.
Wreckless Eric comes across as a grumpy, sarcastic man on stage, however under the visage is a very funny and clever person with a lot to say, great stories to tell and a lot of good songs to play. He could easily have just done a short set tonight, with so few people in, but no, he played for almost 2 hours. Then at the end he signed autographs and talked to people who came to see him.
Quite simply, if you weren’t there you may have missed seeing the concert of the year. Yes, it was that good.
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