Monday 26/06/06 Eels @ The ABC, Glasgow

Such a slippery fish - it's hard to know what to expect when you let yourself in for an Eels gig. Fronted by Mark 'E' Everett the sensitive singer songwriter with expression as a theraputic tool. The wacky performer. The sonic muralist. This Glasgow gig came as part of 5 night U.K. tour with 'No Strings Attached', a reference to the absence of a string section used on previous tours. Looking every part like a bunch of outlaws who'd eat your baby's for breakfast or foetus's if naught else, 'E' and the band look like a mutated 'Droogs' with black boiler suits, black shades and all hirsute, shadowy and grungy looking. 

Proceedings are opened with the Beach Boys-esque "Oooo's" and vocal harmonies from 'Marie Floating Over The Backyard' before the menace of grating noise guitar chops out like 'Apolcalypse Now' amidst the darkened auditorium, a dark figure ('the bruiser') parading to the stage front, gazing out arms crossed - 'Security' blazoned across his chest and the stage is clear for Mark 'E' Everett and cohorts to take the stage for the opening numbers from 'Blinking Lights And Other Revelations' - angry sounding with 'Old Shit/New Shit' - blasts of guitar like the anguish of early Joy Division - "...I'm tired of the old shit/ let the new shit begin...", 'E's' voice a shade of the one we recognize and the guitars striking a belligerent posture. 'The Other Shoe' follows with bellows from 'E', and an apocalyptic sound, "...the garbage trucks are coming/ to take your shit to the dump... pretty little lump of flesh who's lost her way...", 'E' with an angsty holler into a telephone held by 'the Bruiser', the drummer on a Keith Moon roll. 'E's' voice garners greater recognition as the rock starts to roll - a telltale phlegmatic voice with gruffness at the edges. The fun begins in earnest with 'E' taking to the Hammond organ and setting it in a swirl for 'Eyes Down'.

'The Bruiser' busy's himself with various moves and commentaries. With frenetic kickboxing/karate workout keeping a choreographed pace with The Eels better than Bez ever could move and providing narrative - "Your credit is good with me", he assures, and "There was some heat last night, but this is hot" -  delivered in a deadpan ain't no messing with the bouncer, on other songs going through the pugilist boxer in a gym and adding gaiety to the entertainment. Jangly B-sides continue with 'After The Operation' and Koool G the bassist taking over the mic for 'Jesus Gonna Be Here' - the old spiritual like a Beatles 'Revolver' or Blues Brothers outtake moving with its hotwired Gospel and a rock 'n' roll wiggle.

'E' shows himself the accomplished bandleader in control of his troops - 'Mother Mary' has a bebopalooba funky strut with stomp and the darkness of the opening numbers is lost in the fun and frivolity, "...mother mary/ quite contrary/ i did not mean to let you go/ so quick...", and the band slow to a jolting holt with one keyboard key jerks and hush quiet pauses - rollicking performance with the audience eating out of their palms. The audience get carried away with the delicate 'In A Magic World', the first tonight of 'E's' sweet songs - the audience hand claps oh so well timed, and "Stoppit" 'E' instructs like to a truant child, scolded. The tender 'I'm Gonna Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart' is given a bluesy makeover, burning slow with towering rhythms, followed by the 'Electro Shock Blues' track 'Last Stop : This Town' shining as ever, the song pared to the bone with vocal expression and the songwriting showing through - "...it's getting dark a little too early/ are you missing the dearly bereft?...". 'E' leaves the stage in the able hands of his cohorts who take a rhythm down to the bass line, then flesh it out for the long haul, the guitars flourishing and 'the Bruiser' showing he can adapt to any of the instruments with great ability, 'E' returns - "...I'm not that steady/ I don't need you telling me how...". More 'Blinking Lights' with 'Railroad Man' and then 'Souljacker' ups the ante with "...22 miles of hard road/ 33 years of tough luck...aw yeah..." looping guitars belting out with grit and rhythm.

'E' punches out a bluesy cover of John Fogerty's 'I Put A Spell On You', bam bam ba bam, followed by 'That's Life', sounding like a personal anthem with a swagger in the mood - "...I've been up and down/ over and out/ that's life/ and I can't deny it...". An encore is followed by antics and 'Cancer For The Cure' with a dizzying Hammond and the teeny bopping support act 'Scmooch' doing jumps, and just in case you wanna stage hop, the band ain't kidding, security-wise. 'E' engages with the audience by means of 'the bruiser' giving a squidge of squirt cream to those 'E' has selected as his chosen luckies. Unpredictable to the last, 'I Like Birds' is dressed in thrash metal, and lest you forget - "...goddamn right it's a beautiful world'. Another encore and who knows how many more numbers as The Eels leave after one dirge, the wires are unplugged by a solo roadie, the Bourbon is moved around stage and the crowd remain milling expectantly. Any more? Aww, go on.