Review: The Cribs

The curtain rises, three brothers walk on stage to God Gave Rock n’ Roll to You by Kiss and 500 lucky competition winners from all over the world lose their minds.

This is the first show that Ryan, Gary and Ross Jarman, aka The Cribs, have performed in their hometown of Wakefield in five years.

It’s also the 10th anniversary of the band’s formation. And this week the band’s fifth album In The Belly of the Brazen Bull, went top 10.

As homecoming shows they don’t get much more special.

“Good evening, we’re The Cribs. Guess where we’re from?” says Ryan. Cue a massive roar from the lucky fans crammed into Wakefield’s Theatre Royal.

The grand surroundings of the theatre are a far cry from the usual clubs that the band play but tonight it only adds to the sense of occasion and drama.

But true to form the band more than live up to the occasion. What we get over the next 90 minutes is a fan’s treasure chest.

The usual Cribs anthems of Hey Scenesters, Man’s Needs and Another Number are all present and correct. But we also get rare B-sides such as To Jackson.

At one point the band even take requests, leading to rare cuts from the debut album such as The Lights Went Out getting an airing.

The sense of occasion is palpable for both the audience and band. Both of the frontmen continually state how great it is to play in Wakefield again and how special a night it is.

As the last number descends into deafening feedback, the brothers assemble arm in arm to take their curtain calls. Emotions run high as the audience bellow their approval and adulation.

With the unique gift of writing popular and righteous music, The Cribs are a good bet to last for another decade at least. And on the showing of tonight they have to, there’s no way their fans will let them go.