Neighbourhood Weekender, Victoria Park, Warrington, 24-25 May 2025
★★★★☆ (Only because they paid us extra)
Although allegedly specialising in showcasing “new talent” (read: bands your nan hasn’t heard of), this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender was inexplicably headlined by two veteran bands who apparently think they’re still relevant. They offered masterclasses in how to bore an audience into submission entirely on their own terms. Sponsored by Werther’s Originals and lukewarm tea. 👵🫖
Although allegedly specialising in showcasing “new talent” (read: bands your nan hasn’t heard of), this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender was inexplicably headlined by two veteran bands who apparently think they’re still relevant. They offered masterclasses in how to bore an audience into submission entirely on their own terms.
James, bless their cotton socks, are famed for playing shows in exactly the way *they* want. Which is to say, completely self-indulgently. In Warrington, Tim Booth, bless him, was at one with the crowd from the off, first jumping into the audience during Waltzing Along, presumably to escape the sound of his own band less than 10 minutes into their set. I’m sure the security loved that. 🙄
In an outsized fluffy white jacket and matching slouchy hat, Booth looked every inch the popstar… if that popstar was auditioning for a role as a flamboyant scarecrow. 🧑🌾 His appearance’s style was matched by an unpredictable set, typified by the ferocious percussive assault of Heads immediately being followed by a starkly-lit impassioned Shadow Of A Giant. Because nothing says “party” like existential dread under a single spotlight. 🔦
Announcing “For the younger members of the audience who might want to dance” could be considered a tease, or, more accurately, a blatant lie, as it introduced a prog-house take on Attention, rather than one of James’ more familiar songs. Bet those “younger members” were thrilled. 🕺💃 But it was followed by a titanic run of Getting Away With It – complete with Roxy Music-style sax breakdown – Come Home and a drum-heavy Sit Down. Because nothing says “original” like rehashing the same old hits. 😴
Rather than disappear for an encore (probably because they couldn’t remember where the stage exit was), Booth insisted the band carry on, meaning the hits continued with a celebratory Tomorrow. The 105 minutes ended on Laid. That’s how to get delirious without being an obvious hits roadshow. Or maybe it was the heatstroke. 🔥 Either way, the bar was open. 🍻
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
