The Olympia is really packed for their first of two I Should Coco 30th anniversary nights. There’s something special about Supergrass. They were one of the better Britpoppers. I haven’t seen them since the 90s. First time they were relative unknowns, second time was for In It For The Money. Both times were absolutely stunning, but I’ve always felt that I Should Coco was, by far, the weakest of their output, so I’m expecting that I might be a little underwhelmed tonight.
They literally “kick” in with ‘I’d Like To Know’—it’s a kick in the head. I’ve just remembered how incredibly loud they were in the 90s. They’re REALLY loud. And then straight into ‘Caught By The Fuzz’. They play everything in album order. There’s something quite psychedelic about them in places and they sound fantastic.
‘Lenny’ is when my attention is properly peaked. The staggered bass and solid kick shakes the Olympia. It pounds your chest and head. Exhilarating. And then into ‘Strange Ones’, where, just after that inspired brief dead-stop half way through each chorus, the guitar practically doubles in volume and tears your face off. And that solo is searing. Fuck they’re loud.
The heavy groove of ‘Time’ and 70s psychedelia of ‘Sofa’ are absolutely incredible. That keyboard…
And where do we go when Coco is done? ‘Richard III’, from In It For The Money, ups the game considerably—a double kick in the head—for the rest of the gig. You can feel the charge of the crowd change. Followed by the sublime ‘Late In The Day’. More amazing guitar and keys on ‘Mary’ from their eponymously titled third album. And then yet more from third and forth albums—it’s a joy to hear ‘Moving’ live.
Their encore is the truly epic ‘Sun Hits The Sky’—it’s all the great bits of Supergrass packed into one perfect song—and ending with ‘Pumping On Your Stereo’. The crowd is totally buzzed. The Olympia is like a sauna.
There are certainly a couple of moments in the first half that don’t hold my attention like the rest of it does, but I definitely can’t say that I was underwhelmed. I leave feeling like I did the first time I saw them. Elated.
Supergrass photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Taped intro (Blockbuster – Sweet)
I’d Like to Know
Caught by the Fuzz
Mansize Rooster
Alright
Lose It
Lenny
Strange Ones
Sitting Up Straight
She’s So Loose
We’re Not Supposed To
Time
Sofa – of My LethargY
Time To Go
Richard III
Late in the Day
Mary
Moving
Grace
Encore:
Sun Hits the Sky
Pumping on Your Stereo
Taped outro (I’ve Had The Time of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes)
Photos & words Cormac Figgis @themasterswitch