Supergrass Review

Sunday 13th April
Northumbria Student’s Union

When Oxford band Supergrass first formed and released Alright in the mid-nineties, they were branded as the cheeky chappies of Britpop and were offered a Monkees-style TV show. Since turning this opportunity down they have become a literate, grown-up rock band with six albums to their name.
Tonight saw the band stopping at Northumbria Student’s Union to tour their latest album “Diamond Hoo Ha”, which has seen the band, return to their usual blend of 70s-inspired rock after a temporary change of direction on their fifth album “Road to Rouen”.
The night is started by their latest singles, Diamond Hoo Ha Man and Bad Blood which set the tone for a fun-filled evening. Gaz Coombes and his bandmates all looked in particularly high spirits and played flawlessly with not even a hint of technical trouble could be heard. The unity of the band was obvious, with each member being able to anticipate what the others were going to do.
While they were playing in support of their latest outing, the band didn’t dismiss old classics such as Sun Hits the Sky, Pumping on Your Stereo and Moving, all of which got the crowd going.
Something that I wasn’t expecting on the night was a brilliant light show, which consisted of a stage-long video screen, and a vast number of spotlights that changed with the tone and speed of the songs they played.
Overall, Supergrass proved tonight that they have well and truly shaken off their “cheeky chappies” title and that they are really a force to be reckoned with in the world of rock.