Gig review: Stereophonics at Utilita Arena, Sheffield
The Welsh band’s stirring, arena-sized hits get an surprisingly muted reception in South Yorkshire.
Maybe it was the weather, the late Sunday show or a winding down towards Christmas, try as they might Stereophonics, a band known for singing ‘Have A Nice Day’, were up against it at Sheffield Utilita Arena, the crowd were refusing to have one themselves.
The Welsh rock band were never on the Oasis swagger train, nor were the intended to be, their brand of music and arena-sized ballads has more in keeping with Bryan Adams – and that is intended as compliment.
They didn’t need a big reunion pay-day to get on the road, Stereophonics have always existed, albeit on the fringes of BBC Radio 2 and family-friendly festivals such as V Festival.
It would take the band a full 10 songs into their 20-plus strong set to get any pulses going in the room when a full sing-a-long broke out for Maybe Tomorrow, by which time guaranteed smash hits Vegas Two Times and Superman had nosedived, carrying a Kryptonite anvil round their necks.
None of this was a fault of Kelly Jones and co. Standing at the front platform of the stage gamely soloing and aping a young Prince, the pocket-rocket of Kelly Jones, bedecked in tight stonewashed jeans and leather jacket gave it as much as he could offer and was as clean and polished as their studio offerings.
It was a pleasure, having never seen the band perform before, to hear their discography given life through an arena. The rousing Dakota was saved for the encore.
For a band from the Welsh valleys and hills, Sheffield must have felt like the flattest place on Earth for the group. To quote The Stereophonics, there was literally ‘More Life In A Tramp’s Vest’. Stereophonics, you deserved much more.