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I only post occasional reviews that I write for the Nottingham Post – they have their own website, after all and it used to be easy to find everything I’d written for them. However, yesterday, when I checked to see what I’d said in my review of Belly at Rock City less than two years ago, I found that that review, along with loads of others, had gone. Nothing before October 17, which means nine years of reviews gone. I don’t know if this is connected with a recent change of policy, whereby only gigs likely to attract a high number of clicks get reviewed. Which also means that this is probably the last time I’ll review a Rescue Rooms gig*. Pity.<\/p>\n
Here’s what I wrote on July 19th two years ago, rescued from my previous computer:<\/p>\n
It\u2019s twenty years since Belly split. Twenty-three since their one Nottingham gig, at Trent Uni, as was. Their reputation has, if anything, grown. Tonight, their Rescue Rooms show had to be upgraded to Rock City. Especially welcome to have room to breathe on a sweltering night.<\/p>\n
Belly were always poppier than Tanya Donelly\u2019s previous band, Throwing Muses, and less cutting edge than her other band, The Breeders. Debut \u2018Star\u2019 was a huge success, but follow-up \u2018King\u2019 was less focussed. They packed it in after four years. In the 90s, bands didn\u2019t stick around, the way most do now. They left unfinished business.<\/p>\n
Tanya has had a varied solo career, while bassist Gail Greenwood joined L7, where she learnt to carry herself like a rock star. She does most of the (plentiful) banter tonight. Donelly, still stick-thin in a black T, is a more wry presence, but it\u2019s her voice and guitar that hold it all together.<\/p>\n
These are haunting songs at the melodic, jingle-jangle edge of grunge, with the odd country influence. Annoyingly, they skip their best ballad, Untogether, tonight, but this is made up for by a beautiful version of The Bees. The big numbers are carefully spaced out in a set that includes a brace of new songs, untitled. Gail offers to crowdsource names. Both sound strong.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, two-thirds of the way into a 90 minute set, they have an interval. \u2018We\u2019re our own support act.\u2019 One song is introduced as having \u2018grade A wanking\u2019 by Gail, a term that guitarist Tom jokes defines their sound. They\u2019re a lighthearted bunch these days, but when they hit form with songs as strong as Gepetto, Dusted and Super-Connected, they\u2019re magnificent. Each is rapturously received by an audience who never expected to hear these songs played again, and deservedly so.<\/p>\n
And here’s an extended version of today’s review for the Post, which can currently be read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018In order of who you love,\u2019 bassist Gail Greenwood asks, \u2018is it your first born, your football team, then\u2026 Belly?\u2019 The question gets a big cheer from a venue crowded with loyal fans. Nevertheless, tonight, Belly face two big tests. Two years ago their reunion gig had to be upgraded from the Rescue Rooms to Rock City and they stormed it. This time, they\u2019re up against England\u2019s first world cup match and have an album of new material to include.<\/p>\n Sensibly, the Rescue Rooms shows the football match on a big screen behind the band before they come on stage, and a late goal ensures a great, boisterous atmosphere.<\/p>\n Belly\u2019s ex-Throwing Muses and Breeders leader, Tanya Donelly, sticks to business on stage. The banter is left to Gail, who, strangely, slags off the ‘shitty’ venue they played two years ago***. It is true that the Rescue Rooms suits them better than Rock City. Their joyous brand of jingle-jangle grunge derives more power from the intensity of a smaller space. The sound is superb.<\/p>\n The set\u2019s split into two 45 minute halves, opening with Now They\u2019ll Sleep. Strong arrangements of first album favourites Dusted and Gepetto fit between the new songs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the second half, opening with Seal my Fate, when things really take off. They have two terrific double whammies: first, Slow Dog and Feed the Tree, the biggest numbers from Star. The Bees and Super Connected, the best numbers on King, are outstanding.<\/p>\n Super-Connected would have been a great way to end the set but new ballad Human Child is the closer. For an encore, I’m hoping for first album ballad, Untogether, as covered recently by Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett. Instead the three song encore consists of new album bonus track Starry-Eyed and compilation-only tracks, Thief and Spaceman. Nice, but an odd comedown.<\/p>\n I know I mentioned their not playing Untogether in both reviews but missing it out does seem perverse (they played it when my brother saw them in Sheffield in 2016). That I had to look up where each of the encores came from tells its own story. But, hey, Belly are great and play what they want. The new album’s good. I’ve now seen the reunited band the same number of times as I saw the original (once, pre-Gail) band. I’d happily go see them again. And pay.<\/p>\n Belly –\u00a0Untogether<\/a><\/p>\n