Reef/Clams/Wave Chase

June 29, 2023 Off By Jon

O2 Academy, Bournemouth

It’s Thursday night in Bournemouth on a mild evening as Reef are in town for a rescheduled gig, postponed from earlier in the year after bassist Jack Beasant suffered an unfortunate head injury. Fortunately the crowds have stuck by the band and trickle into the venue in good numbers. Two supports have been chosen from the locality to warm up the early arrivees.

First up are Indie quintet Wave Chase. These guys are well known around these parts and have built a decent local following, who have shown up in good numbers to support them tonight. They open with “Second Time” and I’m immediately struck by the deafening volume – it’s way too loud for an opening act. Despite this they carry on regardless and “Walk The Walk”. Having seen the band a few times locally on much smaller stages I was hoping for a little more stage presence and stagecraft, it’s all a little static. I’ve never noticed this before but there’s more than a nod to Jake Bugg in the lead vocal! “Feet Don’t Follow” seems somewhat poignant as they continue to play statues, occasionally nodding their heads. The chiming guitar notes are easy on the ear but sadly buried in a loud mix creating a wall of noise. “You Got Me All Wrong” is introduced as a love song and briefly the guys let loose and start to use the space afforded them. They depart us on ‘Sit by the Sea’ and I feel disappointed for them. A support slot of this size doesn’t come to every band and feel they may have missed a trick. Only time will tell but they have youth on their side… Just one bit of advice – Mr. Bassist, please lower your instrument!!

Next up are a band also well known around these parts. Dirty Rock ‘n Rollers “Clams”; they waste no time in making a big entrance and leave nothing in the dressing room! They are afforded a better quality of sound as more punters flock in. They open with “Worn And Torn” and look comfortable on a big stage, their stagecraft is immediately apparent as they move and gyrate from the get-go. “Come Back Home” is an early highlight as they continue to up the ante. There’s a certain swagger that comes with a band who have been around the block and back. Strong vocals and thumping drums match the guitar wizardry as the guys show all the right mannerisms at the right times. “Now That I’ve Found You” finds another gear and “Get Out Of My Tree” is easy on the ear as the band show their obvious gratitude to a home crowd. Penultimate track “Blinded By The Light” precedes set closer “Say What You Like”. One thing I’ll say about Clams is they are surely destined for bigger stages. All the elements are in place, and their time is now. They leave to great applause as we await the headliners.

Clams 1–2–3–4–5

Reef make their way to the stage at approximately 9.15pm as Gary Stringer (lead vocals) swaggers to the front with that familiar gate of his. He seems to be in a happy mood and this signals the start of the show. They open with “Shoot Me Your Ace” which is new to me, before a throaty “Higher Vibration”. “Consideration” takes the tempo right down as Gary’s vocal comes across more heartfelt and with real meaning as he gurns and grimaces in equal measure. Staying in ‘ballad territory’ “I’ve Got Something to Say” soon follows. The vibe in the room starts to change as one or two punters begin to move and sing along in unison. The brilliant ‘Naked’ is an early crowd pleaser and gets this eager audience moving their feet. What follows is a set of old and new Reef classics.

More throaty tones as Gary really reaches on “Stone For Your Love”. I’m pleased to report that the seminal classic that is “Place Your Hands” isn’t reserved for the encore – moreover it’s the mid-set classic that receives the audience participation it deserves, ably conducted by Mr. Stringer himself. One cannot fail to notice Mr. “Bendy Legs” himself, the one and only Jack Beasant (Bass) – how he gets that low in baggy jeans is anyone’s guess?! A word also for our newer band members Amy Newton (Guitar) who has seamlessly replaced the outgoing Jesse Wood and Luke Bullen (Drums) who keeps a fierce beat in the engine room having replaced “Dominic Greensmith”. “Revelation” is another new song to me but has more than a hint of AC/DCs “Whole Lotta Rosie” to my ears.

“Come Back Brighter” is yet another highlight. People around me start to sway, such is the tempo of the song. “New Bird” has a more Industrial sound to it, almost breaking up the familiar; while “I Would Have Left You” is as personal as it comes. “Summer’s In Bloom” is almost too poignant in this current heatwave before my new favourite Reef number, the Who-esque “Refugee”. “Give Me Your Love” is a late highlight that seems to reawaken this Bournemouth audience, before they depart us on ‘Don’t You Like It’. A 75 minute set leaves this crowd just baying for more. An almost terrace-like chant of “Reef, Reef, Reef” fills the room and after about five minutes they return.

Reef 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11

“Mellow” is the perfect song to return on, downturned and slow in tempo. However, it is simply a foil for the Surf/Rock majesty of “Good Feeling”. Gary is really working this crowd now, getting us all involved. There can only be one way to end the show tonight, with the terrific live fave “Yer Old”. Ok so it’s not quite the mosh pit inducer of years gone by, but it does get this crowd in the mood one last time with its raspy guitar intro and Gary’s throaty vocals put to the test one last time. And that folks was that. The quartet take their bows and exit the stage (left) and right.

Having seen Reef a fortnight earlier; owning the Headline Stage at “Sign of the Times” festival in Hertfordshire, I wondered if they could top that performance? I needn’t have worried, tonight they left everything out on that stage and proved they are still a musical force to be reckoned with. And I’m pleased to say that tonight’s crowd size was more than double what they achieved at the best forgotten Musicosity Festival that they headlined around 10 or more years ago in this very venue.

Set-Lists
Reef
Shoot Me Your Ace
Higher Vibration
Consideration
I’ve Got Something to Say
Naked
Stone For Your Love
Place Your Hands
Revelation
Come Back Brighter
New Bird
I Would Have Left You
Summer’s in Bloom
Refugee
Give Me Your Love
Don’t You Like It

Clams
Worn and Torn
Come Back Home
Now That I’ve Found You
Get Out of My Tree
Blinded by The Light
Say What You Like

Wave Chase
Second Time
Walk The Walk
Feet Don’t Follow
Cool
Call Me Selfish (Teenage Dream)
So Much to Do, So Little Time
You Got Me All Wrong
Sit By The Sea

Encore
Mellow
Good Feeling
Yer Old

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