Affirmative action

The builders have yet to move in and a few contractual dots and crosses have still to be seen to but the folk behind the Oh Yeah Music Centre have wasted no time throwing a house warming do to be remembered.

All afternoon and evening – as part of their first ever Open Day – they’ve been showing the public around their new gaff – unfurling their grand plans and intentions for the place, theorising, and offering blueprints for the future, but now, with the sun going down, they start unpacking some of the practical benefits and surprising treats that a centre like this can offer.
So, they’ve constructed a temporary stage, installed a bar, invited along a gaggle of well-wishers and fellow-travellers, all with the intention of providing both supporters and doubters with a united front.
It turns out that they’re blessed with mighty reinforcements.
Opening shots are fired by The Fools (nee Pat and Nipsy) who are just the kind of act that you’d imagine benefiting most from the enterprise. Currently residing in Liverpool, the new practice spaces and studios that, hopefully, will provide Oh Yeah with its pulse, could almost see this most feet-itchy of acts finally return home.
Their up and at ‘em brew of hook laden skiffle-flavoured guitar pop would be guaranteed a warm welcome.
Next up Jetplane Landing and Burning Codes. These guys have fought the good fight over a number of campaigns (and under quite a few alter egos), and have probably played every venue in the city before now. They both seem delighted to be looking out onto a different kind of brickwork. So, acoustic Public Enemy covers (from the former), and lovely low-key melodies (from the latter) make for a fitting tribute to their continued durability.
Gary Lightbody’s involvement with Oh Yeah runs deep. And he seems relieved tonight not to be pressing flesh with politicians. Concentrating, instead, on doing what he does best for the cause; there will be no accusations from fans of being short changed. He opens up with a new song, written backstage nary half an hour previously, and to help with ‘Some Surprise’ (from The Cake Sale album) and a magnificent ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar’, he’s joined onstage by Lisa Hannigan. Then ‘Run’ is giving a dusting-down.
To round his set off, Lightbody calls up Guy Garvey from Elbow for a fun “alt country” run through of ‘Teenage Kicks’ that has everyone in the place singing along.
Which is apt – given, of course, that it’s a national anthem of sorts.
Garvey stays on and is joined by his band for a brief but well received set. Garvey good-humouredly regrets his lack of a local bloodline, but he’s keen to pass on the band’s best wishes.
James Walsh is another Lancashire lad but, as he has been domiciled in Belfast for the last three years, his presence is more understandable. He belts out versions of Starsailor’s two best songs – ‘Silence is Easy’ and ‘Four To The Floor’ – plays a Van Morrison cover, and then finishes up with an unnamed new tune, which is due to appear on his band’s fourth album. To these ears Walsh is always at his best alone with his guitar and that searchlight of a voice. Unassuming to the point of near-invisibility off-stage, on it he sings with soul and authority. His is a striking cameo.
Which leaves our most theatrical turn braced for the grand finale.
Three nights on from his concert with the Ulster Orchestra, Duke Special is clearly enjoying a high point in his career to date. The gimmicky hair-do and olde world get-up are looking less and less necessary as time moves on – Mr Wilson’s increasing confidence shines through the cosmetic embellishments. So, here’s ‘Salvation Tambourine’ and ‘ Everybody Wants A Little Something’, and to send the punters off into the moonlight – an entirely appropriate cover of Ash’s ‘Oh Yeah’.
Again there’s a sing-song, with voices stirring most noticeably at young Mr Wheeler’s lines about the start of the summer, the start of forever.
Optimism abounds. Oh yeah? Well, why not?
Pics: Bradley Quinn