London based corduroy-clad trio, Public Service Broadcasting, returned to the road following the success of their critically acclaimed 3rd studio album “Every Valley” (themed around the decline of the Welsh mining industry), which reached number 4 in the UK album charts.
For those who are unfamiliar with PSB. They pseudonymously consist of J. Willgoose Esq (Guitars, banjo, keyboards, and samples), Wrigglesworth (Drums, percussion), J. F. Abraham (Bass, percussion and flugelhorn). They use electronic soundscapes, melodic guitars, driving drums and the occasional brass section to create a backdrop to samples of old public info films and newsworthy events throughout history.
Setting the scene with moody guitars and tasty brass sections and being lit by the soft glow of miner’s lamps descending from the rafters, the set opened with (as perhaps expected, from “Every Valley”) “The Pit” and “People Will Always Need Coal”
With an expanding back catalogue, PSB are able to have some fun with the setlists this time round and each night so far seems to offer audiences something quite different.
The O2 Academy in Bournemouth saw them re-visit a good chunk of their 2013 debut album, “Inform – Educate – Entertain”. Fan favourites such as the guitar-driven rock effort, “Signal 30” and, arguably their most famous release, “Spitfire” went down well with the near-capacity crowd. The trance-fuelled “ROYGBIV” was also brought out of retirement. A real treat for hard-core fans! And those who have been to a PSB gig before will know that it’s not just the music that has earned them a sizeable fan base. They also go to great lengths to dazzle the crowd with an awesome array of lights, projections and, on this occasion, a mining-themed set. Altogether, a real attack on the senses!
At the end of the main set and after a short break, the crowd demanded encore which inevitably was delivered. With perhaps their heaviest song to date, “All Out”, swiftly dispatched to the delight of the head nodding crowd. A short but sweet reminder of the violent clashes between striking miners and police in the 80’s and a perfect platform for Willgoose to showcase his undeniable ability to capture the mood with his music.
A highlight of the set and during the encore, was the ode to Soviet Cosmonaut, “Gagarin” from their 2nd album “Race for Space”. A luxurious funk-filled blast from the past which saw a brassy folk section get their groove on alongside a dancing spaceman! The set closed with their permanent fixture finale, “Everest”. An emotional homage to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgayís first successful ascent. A fitting end to a very entertaining evening.
Set List
Every Valley
The Pit
People Will Always Need Coal
Theme from PSB
Signal 30
Korolev
Night Mail
The Now Generation
Progress
They Gave Me a Lamp
ROYGBIV
Spitfire
The Other Side
Go!
Encore
All Out
Gagarin
Everest
Links
http://publicservicebroadcasting.net
Words by Wesley Needham
Pictures by Ant Penny
