Teenage Fanclub impressed the crowd at Boiler Shop in Newcastle on Tuesday night, delivering a set that mixed tracks from across their career with songs from their new album.
The Scottish alternative rock band played at the venue in the Stephenson Quarter area behind Central Station as part of their UK and Ireland tour. The industrial-style warehouse feel of the space has been preserved from its origins as Newcastle's 19th century locomotive works.
Support from Euros Childs
Support act Euros Childs, who is also the band's keyboard player and backing vocalist, a role he has held since 2019, performed some of his own tracks. The Welsh musician has been releasing solo music for over 20 years.
Songs like 'My Colander', 'Happy Coma', 'Stuntman', and 'Poodle Rockin' had the crowd clapping and chuckling. His unique singing voice and evident sense of humour set up the crowd for the main act.
Setlist spans decades
The band, comprising founding members Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley, and Francis MacDonald, along with Dave McGowan and Euros Childs, opened with 2023 track 'Tired Of Being Alone'. They followed with 'About You' from album Grand Prix and 'Metal Baby' from 1991 album Bandwagonesque.
New tracks from album Do Not Dare to Dream included 'Tomorrow People' and 'Day In The Sun'. The set also featured 'Start Again' from 1997 album Songs from Northern Britain and 'Falling Into The Sun' from 2023.
'There Was You', another new song, was followed by 'Mellow Doubt' from Grand Prix. Older tracks like 'I Don't Want Control Over You' from 1997 and new release 'Over and Over' continued the mix.
Encore closes the night
The song that got the biggest reaction was 'The Concept' from the Bandwagonesque album, with the audience singing along to the first few lines and chorus. The band returned for a three song encore, beginning with 'Planets' and 'Can't Feel My Soul', both from 1997.
The final song was 'Everything Flows', the band's inaugural single from 1990. The set did not include 'Sparky's Dream', another of their most famous tracks.
The performance left the reviewer impressed, noting that the band were a fantastic live act with a plethora of catchy tunes to choose from.
