aaamusic | On 03, Jun 2012

London, 19th May

Tonight the Academy in Brixton seems to have stopped to clock bringing the whole venue back in the late 80’s with two of the biggest bands of the time: Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets for their fourth date in London for this co-headlining tour.

Inspiral Carpets are back with the original line-up (with Stephen Holt) for this co-headline UK tour and tonight they are ready for their last date in London. Their 45minutes set is complete with all their hits starting with Joe, She Comes in the fall, Directing Traffik and You’re So Good For Me. Although Stephen Holt missed maybe the greatest years of this band, I must say that his performance in front of a big audience exceeds all my expectations and the whole band play a great show preparing the crowd for Happy Mondays with other hits like I Want You, Dragging Me Down and Saturn 5.

For the first time, in over 19 years, Happy Mondays decide to bring the original line-up for this tour giving all the nostalgic people the chance to attend one of the greatest gigs from the “Madchester era”. Bez, Gary Whelan, Mark Day, Paul Davies, Paul Ryder, Rowetta and Shaun Ryder are amazingly fit tonight and all their biggest hits such as Loose Fit, Donovan, Gods Cop, Rave On, Mad Cyril and Jelly Bean just to name a few are the perfect tunes for a big party. Happy Mondays, a great band that inspired acts like The Stone Roses and Oasis, are back in a triumphant way and it doesn’t matter if it’s inevitably visible that their golden age is gone, because for one night the “Madchester Era” is back in town!

Inspiral Carpets setlist
Joe
She Comes In The Fall
Directing Traffic
You’re So Good For Me
This Is How It Feels
Generations
I Want You
Move
Dragging Me Down
Saturn 5

Happy Mondays Setlist

Loose Fit
Dennis and Lois
Donovan
Gods Cop
Judge Fudge
24 Hour Party people
Rave On
Cowboy Dave
Hallejulah
Bobs Yer Uncle
Holiday
Mad Cyril
Step On
encore:
Jelly Bean
WFL

Author & Photos: Luca Viola