A comeback of truly epic proportions that delighted and amazed an awestruck crowd of thousands… but enough about Cork’s recent Munster Senior Football Championship final victory over deadly rivals Kerry. In the shadows of Pairc Ui Chaoimh later that evening, the Modfather of Northern Soul, Paul Weller, was undertaking a comeback of his own at the penultimate gig in the Live at the Marquee series ’08.
With a new double album to promote, 22 Dreams, his most ambitious and critically lauded in years, the erstwhile Jam and Style Council frontman was attempting another reinvention in a career that has seen him traverse the genre divides of punk, mod and soul. In a set lasting over two hours, Weller leaned heavily on his newer material, which has seen him take an almost impetuous step away from the comfort zone of his more familiar ‘dad-rock’ of recent years.
Long-time favourites ‘Peacock Suit’, ‘The Changing Man’ and ‘You Do Something To Me’ are delivered with real gusto by the strutting Weller. Rarely does he get out of mid-gear despite his obvious enthusiasm – but when he does, such as on the alternatively dipping and soaring ‘Shadow Of The Sun’, bolstered here by some shining guitar and mellotron interplay, The Jam classic ‘Eton Riffles’, and his encore, a cover of The Beatles ‘All You Need Is Love’, both the crowd and his band respond by collectively upping the ante impressively.
Recent adventures notwithstanding, there’s no escaping that Weller remains the quintessential dad-rocker. On tonight's evidence, however, his fans are more than glad to go along for the cruise.