ShareElbow performing at Sherwood Pines Mansfield on Sunday 25th June 2017.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
Last night it was a more laid back occasion as Elbow took to the stage to finish off a weekend of great entertainment at Sherwood Pines. Friday had seen the hysteria that Olly Murs brings with him and on Saturday Sir Tom Jones delighted generations of fans. But last night it was the turn of Elbow and the return of their enigmatic front man Guy Garvey to be greeted warmly.
Walking casually onto the stage Garvey, with his arms outstretched, immediately had the audience in the palm of his paw like hands as they obediently waved their arms aloft on demand and laughed at his wry witticisms.
It has been an eventful year for Elbow. Their drummer of 25 years Richard Jupp, quit last year and Garvey married actress Rachael Stirling, Dame Diana Rigg’s daughter and became a father in April. So it was a loved up Garvey that kicked off with oldie Any Day Now as he strummed along on guitar.
Asking how many of the audience were camping and noting that very few were, his theme for the rest of the evening were his camping jokes which he thought he could use, which just served to endear him to this mixed bag of an audience with his beaming smile and constant arms aloft.
Having produced seven stellar albums, Elbow had a strong set list. Songs from their latest album, Little Fictions, which was released last month, were well represented with Magnificent (She Says) being as the title says, magnificent. Little Fictions and Kindling had the band playing beautifully with Craig Potter’s keyboards being a particular delight.
From their formidable back catalogue there was New York Morning, a glorious hymn to the dreamers who built Manhattan, the rousing The Birds whilst an undeniable highlight was 2014’s My Sad Captains. All Disco started gently but grew in stature as it made its way into the woodland air, whilst The Bones Of You had the crowd clapping along.
Of course most people were waiting patiently for the band’s biggest anthem, One Day Like This, and when it comes the crowd were on their feet in appreciation. After coming back on stage for the encore, it had to be time for Lippy Kids and Grounds For Divorce, a huge crowd pleaser which Elbow usually reserves for their grand finale, and last night as usual, it received a rapturous reception as the band ended a rousing woodland show.