Super Furry Animals @ The Refectory
By Dave ProcterA vast cavernous hall more suited to scoffing than rocking is where we find ourselves tonight, a far cry from the Swallow Falls Hotel venue in Betws-y-coed 9 years ago... but still appropriate that the Furries can pack out a venue of this size. And packed is the word, but astonishingly quiet between songs - hardly any shouting or applause. Has this become an uncool thing to do? The starting blitz of "Rings Around The World", "Golden Retriever", "Do Or Die", "Hello Sunshine" and "Demons" surely deserves a medal, no?? No matter, the Furries continue unknocked, blazing through a greatest hits set (from "Radiator" onwards), with a large dollop of new LP "Phantom Power" chucked into the mix. Gruff sounds more gog than ever when he speaks in English. Da iawn, boi. "There's a big ball of gas heading for Leeds" - its name? Why "Northern Lights" of course, with wibbly wobbly keyboard maestro Cian doing some top work on the steel drums. "Juxtapose With U" is as much of a Flaming Lips' song as it can be without being one, if you get me. 25 minute closer "The Man Don't Give A Fuck" is as classy and as arse kicking to world politicians as a song in a big food hall can be. Hail and praise to the glammed up Furries, and pray they come back soon.
