Chaplin Cellar Bar, Boscombe
After an extended hiatus, Dorset Music Award winners of 2012 “Peace, Love & Gloves” are back!! They have been away living their lives, having families and generally having a break from their previously hectic music schedules. The band has recently regrouped for some rehearsals to bring together some new ideas, which have produced a trio of new songs which show a slightly different direction. Tonight the band return to the live stage in style with a gig at one of their favourite local venues Chaplin’s and as with every PLG gig in the past, the place is packed with their ever-supportive army of fans. With the place virtually brimming at 9:30pm, support act Pirates On Pedalos take to the stage.
These new kids on the block feature brothers Jack Wilkins on Guitar & Josh Wilkins Vocals/Ukulele, along with Alex Muncer on bass and Anthony Bailey on drums. They bring together a great mix of styles; blues, folk, funk, and rock to create their own original sound which from the start gets and keeps the audience’s attention. They perform a host of original tunes including impressive opener “Stargazing” and a great reworked version of “Ain’t No Sunshine” which shows off Josh’s considerable vocal talents. On a couple of tunes Josh combines his Ukulele with the electric guitar to create something really unique; something that you think that really should not work, but actually does quite well. Things get nicely laid back and somewhat jazzy during “Interlude”. Josh swaps to bass and Alex picks up a six-string electric guitar to change things around again for “Short But Sweet”. The set ends with the band’s second cover of the night ‘Feeling Good’ which does as it’s intended to warm up the crowd for the main attraction. Pirates On Pedalos leave the stage with plenty of positive encouragement for the largely supportive crowd.
Many of us have been waiting a long time for this PLG reunion and it’s not until the band start playing that most of us realise just how much this band has been missed. I honestly cannot remember the Cellar Bar being as packed like this for a local band in a very long time. The “Gloves & Glovettes” are out in force tonight and the bar staff are rushed off their feet. The four lads step up on stage pretty much looking the same, apart from Rikki’s perm and Mark gaining a healthy few pounds. The welcome they get is almost euphoric, they dutifully kick off with “Bang Bang Bang” and their highly instantly recognisable original sound is there for all to hear.
There is something different about them though: they seem more organised, they have a prepared set-list, they have brought capo’s and plectrums where previously they were a slightly unorganised bunch, possibly with age comes change. Running through some of their past tunes brings back the memories of their very urban style. The songs are all about their experiences growing up on a housing estate in Bournemouth with relationships, drugs and the fight just to fit in. Mark’s hard-hitting rapped vocals are always delivered to the point in a really positive and uplifting way.
The new songs come in the form of “Bad Bitch”, “Tina She” and “New Rocky”. Mark confesses that they are mostly not quite finished yet and cleverly freestyles some of the lyrics. The main thing you get from the songs is the band’s desire to push forward with their past ideas and build on them. The main difference is guitarist Rikki who has really come a long way with his guitar style, he has added some sound effect pedals and possibly after a trip to see Bon Jovi in the Summer has brought along a heavier more dominant sound to the tracks. Brad and Jason quietly hold the other two together with some expertly laid, spot-on rhythms; that have always been the mature backbone of the band.
The band save their live favourites until last and the place lights up with the fans singing the lyrics like a well-rehearsed urban choir. Tunes like “Eye Fuck City”, “Young Lives” and “Monster” show just why this band is worth bringing back. They are relevant, powerful and above all a really enjoyable infectious band to watch live. I might be very biased as I have known and encouraged them since the start; but I challenge anybody to go and seem them live and not enjoy what they have to offer. They are back in a big way, hoping to build on their achievements. Let’s hope they finally get in the studio and record an EP or an album, along with spreading their wings further than Bournemouth as their potential could be huge if they just apply themselves.
Set Lists
Peace, Love & Gloves
Bang Bang Bang
Hold On
Cool
Call Me Out
Bad Bitch
Take My Heart
Ashamed of Me
Toy Story
Tina She
New Rocky
You Should Know (Whoa Whoa Whow)
Eye Fuck City
Young Lives
Monster
Pirates On Pedalos
Stargazing
Swanage
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
Leads Me Back
What If
Helping Hand
False Start
Interlude
Short But Sweet
Feeling Good (Anthony Newley)
Videos
Links
https://www.facebook.com/Peace.Love.and.Gloves
https://www.facebook.com/Piratesonpedalos
Words, Pictures & Video’s by David Chinery (Chinners)
