Thursday 01/11/07 Stereophonics @ The Engine Shed, Lincoln

With the Stereophonics headline UK tour just around the corner Kelly Jones’s men pulled into Lincoln to perform the last of their warm up shows at the Engine Shed. Of course, the idea of a warm up show is generally focussed on preparing for the full onslaught of a rigorous touring schedule that also exploits life on the road. But with over a decade in the business under their belt, Stereophonics are fired up to blitzkrieg the highly intimate crowd, rather than merely ‘warm-up.’

Typically, the band seared through the first batch of songs, opening with the impressive and violent ‘Bank Holiday Monday’ before diving into top three hit ‘Bartender and The Thief’. Pinnacles of the night came from the performance of such classics as ‘Local Boy In A Photograph’, ‘Madame Helga’ and ‘Just Looking’ allowing the band to reinforce the fact that they are still a dominant live act.

Recent single ‘It Means Nothing’ took a new lease of life with the elongated emphatic crescendo towards the climax, cementing it as one of those tracks that sounds better live then on record. The addition of second guitarist Adam Zindani provided further dimensions to the bands sound as he offered intelligent solos and faultless harmonies. Zindani’s presence was heightened by the battling vocal harmony in ‘Superman’ that paid tribute to the songs splendour.

After plastering the tabloid columns through his late night altercations with a bouncer a couple of months ago it was once looking as though frontman Kelly would be out of action for a long time, however a small scar is all that remains from the event and this did not hinder the Welshman’s performance in any way.

Kelly explained it was his bands first ever stop off in the Lincolnshire town. “It’s our first time in Lincoln…it’s nice.” He then added: “It’s a nice venue, I like the balcony bit at the back. And the barmaids.” Jones then jokingly pleaded with the ladies working behind the bar: “Take your tops off for the boys.”

After a final acknowledgment of the crowd’s exuberance the band closed the set with their only number one single ‘Dakota’. During the performance bassist Richard Jones clambered on to the amps next to drummer Javier Weyler much to the amusement of Kelly, who then took his attention to an elderly lady at the front getting very much into the track. Kelly continued to laugh with Zindani throughout the song and left the stage in high spirits. That lady will have had a few stories to tell her friends as she got on the bus with her free pass the next day.