While Happy Mondays’ status in the rock pantheon is assured, it has to be acknowledged that, at this stage of the game, the group are more or less a parody of the vital creative force they were in the early ‘90s. The band first reformed in 1998 when Shaun Ryder and Bez were both faced with large tax bills, and the suspicion remains that the current incarnation (which is noticeably missing Ryder’s brother, Paul, who departed in acrimonious circumstances in 2000), is borne more out of financial necessity than artistic ambition.
Certainly, tonight Ryder does not give the impression of a man who is unduly bothered with putting on a great performance. He appears only vaguely interested most of the time, and – much as he did during the Mondays’ somewhat shambolic slot at Coachella earlier this year – spends the majority of the gig rooted to the spot, sipping his drink, smoking the occasional cigarette and reading his lyrics from a teleprompter (at one point giving Bez a bollocking for getting in the way).
Which is a real shame, because otherwise it is very hard to fault the group for energy and commitment. Musically, the band are very well-drilled, and vocalist Julie Gordon and vibemaster general Bez (who predictably proves a huge hit with the crowd) are highly charismatic performers. Indeed, even the ropey tracks from the band’s decidedly underwhelming latest album, Unkle Dysfunktional (which charted in the UK at number 73), don’t sound all that bad.
Nonetheless, it’s the hits everyone has come to hear, and Ryder’s lethargic display aside, the Mondays put on an entertaining show. Kicking off with ‘Kinky Afro’, the band go on to deliver impressive takes on such Madchester classics as ‘Loose Fit’, ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Step On’ and ‘24 Hour Party People’ (dedicated to Tony Wilson). Unfortunately, the encore sees the group perform a rather disappointing version of ‘Wrote For Luck’, which ends rather bizarrely when drummer Gary Whelan abruptly storms off, only to be coaxed back on by the keyboard player.
It was a ramshackle conclusion to an uneven show and, in truth, one of too many moments tonight when the Mondays most closely resembled a dodgy Madchester tribute band.