Photo Sári Toplek
STEVE EGGS BAND at the Oval, Croydon
‘Are there any American girls here tonight? No? Oh bother!’ Steve Eggs seemed seriously disappointed. But the band leader made up for the gals’ shameful absence by launching into the Tom Petty classic with exuberant vocals and gutsy guitar riffs that helped make it yet another great night out at the Oval.
The SEBs are always guaranteed a warm reception at their favourite gig. And Friday May 12th saw them storming through a range of songs old and new that went down so well, even the sound check won applause. That’s when they tried out intriguing new number ‘Strangest Feeling’ and I had the strangest feeling it might be a hit. So I urged the band to play it again during the set proper and it sounded even better.
Once glasses were charged and guitars tuned and plugged, the audience now came under musical fire with a barrage of songs such as ‘Good Intentions’ and ‘Falling Into You’ all from those SEB albums Live At The Boom Boom Club and Home Town Skyline. On the former song drummer Mark Taylor ushered in the pounding back beat that also invigorated an hypnotic ‘One Horse Town.’
While that song might be seen as a commentary on humdrum suburban life Johnny ‘The K’ Kershaw came galloping out of the stables spurring on a more vibrant big city attitude. His guitar sure rocked on ‘Wings’ and rolled on ‘Lisa Jane’ before the band settled into the relaxed ‘Wrap My Arms Around You’ a romantic ballad from Mr. Eggs.
TURN IT UP
Keeping to their policy of engaging fans with shifting moods ‘Turn It Up’ showed the funky side, driven by the nimble bass guitar lines of Peter Wass. And thanks to work by the pub’s management the stage at the Oval had been re-organised so that all the band members could now be seen and not concealed behind speaker stacks.
Steve then warned the awaiting throng: “We won’t be playing any of our hits this evening Ladies and Gentlemen”. Now where have I heard that before? Most likely from a 1970s Glam Prog group at the Rainbow Theatre announcing a new triple concept LP.
In fact the Egg Men slipped into ‘Slip Stream’ from Lazarus Lights (2021) a hit track still in the waiting room of rock, along with all their other great original songs. But now it was time for a revitalised version of ‘Strangest Feeling’ followed by the eerily effective ‘Ghost Train’ that closed the first set.
After the pause that refreshes, Steve, Jon, Peter and Mark glowed in the fusillade of laser beams, clouds of dry ice smoke and booming brass cannon fire that welcomed them back for their explosive last hour on stage. Well, perhaps not, but at least the back drop glowed theatrically with the latest hi-tech light bulbs.
WAH WAH!
‘The Ballad of Wah Wah Banjo’ a highlight of Lazarus Lights had more dazzling wah wah lead guitar than banjo and that combination of chiming chords, relentless beat and introspective lyrics sung by all the band members that helps make it so special. And if you play the CD, watch out for the abrupt break in the rhythm, before the dramatic climax.
Another new song ‘Even In The Darkest Night’ was followed by Steve’s pièce de résistance ‘We Humans’ sung with great sincerity. However it was time to bid farewell and end on a lighter note. Indeed lots of notes, with the aforementioned ‘American Girl,’ ‘Highway 61’ delivered by Uber Dylan fan Peter Wass and then a tribute to Status Quo with everyone’s favourite ‘Sweet Caroline’, the Kershawian lead guitar rockin’ all over the Oval. Couldn’t make it to the gig that night? Oh…bother!