The Verve

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• The Verve need no introduction! Indie legends and a major part of ‘Britpop', which shook up the music world in the 90’s. Richard Ashcroft is considered by many to be the greatest songwriter of his era, and with songs like ‘Sonnet’, ‘Drugs Don't Work’ and ‘Lucky Man’ its easy to see why. I was fortune enough to see them at the Exeter,a small venue for such an iconic band. It was a sell out and the hall was packed tight. I remember that getting to the bar was quite tricky. The stage ran along the front and the hall was dressed by a red light.

  The crowd grew restless but were sent into cheers as the lights were dimmed, the instrumental at the start of ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ started to play. The crowd knew their arrival was imminent! Dark figures started to enter the stage and the crowed roared. Then the stage lights came on and there they were. Chants of “The Verve” rang out but finally faded as the drums joined in with the violin part of “Bitter Sweet Symphony”. With that the gig had begun, and what a start! The song I predicted to be the encore was the song they started with! They went on to play for 2 hours and in that time found time for all their hits. Richard Ashcroft chatted confidently. He spoke about other projects he’d been doing and generally jested with the audience. They finished the gig with ‘Lucky Man’ followed by the Oasis’s anthem ‘Live Forever’ which the audience sang along too with great enthusiasm.

  An amazing set by a legendary British band. Don’t miss the chance to see a band that is responsible for some of the best songs ever written and a band made a big mark on 90’s youth culture.

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  por aaron-perrins

• It’s probably not unfair to say that a few eyebrows were raised, back in 2008, when The Verve reformed; their impressive history of intra-band ignominy made a sudden ceasefire seem peculiar, with the payday the most obvious reason for such a rapid thawing of hostilities. Once they actually made it to the stage though - most notably, with a Glastonbury headline set that same summer - it didn’t take audiences long to remember just how good that back catalogue is; Urban Hymns, alone, contains more classics than most bands write in a lifetime. It helps that they translate so well to the live arena, too; Richard Ashcroft, of course, is a born frontman, but also manages to temper the obligatory swagger with a vulnerability that set The Verve apart from so many of their contemporaries - Oasis especially. He’s tender behind the guitar on ‘Lucky Man’ and ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’, whilst ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ and ‘This Is Music’ - the latter driven by Nick McCabe’s howling guitar - have him positively prowling the stage. Even if they’re not quite your cup of tea, you have to give them this; they had the guts to end that Glastonbury set with a new track, the raucous ‘Love Is Noise’; it was symbolic of a kind of bravery that all too few bands showcase nowadays.

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  por Joeg_67