ShareJohnny Marr with special guest Gaz Coombes, performing his Spirit Power Tour at Rock City Nottingham on Sunday 14th April 2024.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
It was a superb double header at Rock City on Sunday night when Johnny Marr made a stop on his Spirit Power Tour to celebrate ten years of his solo career with special guest Gaz Coombes, the front man of Britpop icons Supergrass.
Also promoting his latest album, Turn The Car Around, Coombes took to the stage with his band for a fabulous version of Salamander which was followed by new song Don’t Say It’s Over. There was the infectious Feel Loop (Lizard Dream), a thumping Long Live The Strange which had one of the best responses of the evening, whilst The Girl Who Fell To Earth was a jaw dropping tear jerker written about his daughter. Deep Pockets and closer Walk The Walk were absolute highlights amongst an electrifying ten song set which had warmed the crowd nicely.
Johnny Marr is a British alternative rock icon who required little introduction as the former Smith’s guitarist. Delivering a set that not only showcased his solo material but also celebrated the four short years of The Smiths along with a couple of Electronic songs.
Opening with a swaggering Sensory Street, Marr is undoubtedly a great guitarist who has re-invented himself as a really good front man and as the first sing along came with the opening bars of The Smith’s Panic rang across the room, the crowd were transported back to the 80’s as he absolutely smashed the iconic solo.
There was a boisterous Generate! Generate! and the classic New Town Velocity which is regarded as Marr’s career high, whilst the riff of This Charming Man never fails to ignite a crowd.
Electronic ‘s Get The Message and a great version of Getting Away With it were intermingled with the truly moving Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want and Marr’s recent single Somewhere. Bigmouth Strikes Again and How Soon Is Now? had the crowd singing along before a rollicking cover of Iggy Pop favourite The Passenger opened the encore.
To finish there was an urgent You Just Haven’t Earned it Yet Baby and a glorious crowd pleaser, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out for which the legendary Mancunian had pulled out all the stops.
