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Steve Spithray enjoys an emotional but glorious hometown return from Teesside legends Young Rebel Set
Image by Steve Spithray
For a fleeting moment, nothing more than a split second, it’s as if Matty Chipchase is singing along to an encore of Bagatelle, as a montage of old footage of the singer plays out on the ARC sidewall. And there is barely a dry eye in the house onstage and off. It’s a genuinely profound and touching moment but that’s not to say Young Rebel Set’s first hometown gig for over a decade was an attempt to relive past glories or dwell on the past. It’s six years since Matty died and YRS (as they are now preferring) have coalesced around new singer Tom Blackwell whose confidence in putting his own slant on a set of much loved songs (particularly in front of so many friends and family of the band) is to be celebrated also.
Jodie Nicholson and Mt. Misery had opened proceedings with their quiet/sad songs and beefed up west coast pop respectively. The latter always surprising at the depth and quality of their live set even if singer Andrew’s Everyday gag did fall flat on the night, to much mirth onstage.
YRS are confident enough to open with new single Anchorage, already a fan favourite, Red Bricks is as rousing as it always was despite a bit of a cock-up going into the final chorus but all taken in their stride, and then Tom even making his way into the crowd for The Lash Of The Whip. Elsewhere it is a genuine joy to hear all those wonderful songs again and heartening to know the band are keen for it be a new beginning but without forgetting the past. So, Lion’s Mouth, Walk On and Berlin Nights are the big hitters we’ve missed hearing for so long but Eleanor You and Into The Night are also lapped up by the sold out ARC crowd and fit into the setlist snugly, soon to be old friends too.
With a dedication to both Tom and Matty delivered onstage by drummer Luke in a befittingly respectful if emotional way there was just time for one last hurrah (on the night at least) of longtime crowd favourites If I Was and Measure Of A Man, the latter complete with confetti cannon and by-now-winging-it triple chorus. With the band clearly loving every moment this is surely the start of an exciting new chapter for one of Teesside’s best loved acts.
