Charge! GSG meets GSB, sort of

The Divine Comedy at Somerset House, 6 July 2006

What a night. Ginsoakedgirl comes almost face to face with the ginsoakedboy that is The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon. Yes, the skinniest, palest man in rock is back in the house and just as intoxicated and albino-like as ever. Thank heaven. I couldn't imagine him all sober and thick around the middle due to having been eating all the pies a la Carl Barat in his 'oh what shall I do next' phase. Mmm. Well tonight the DC are marvellous under a wondrous canopy of full-on sunshine and with the backing of a devoted crowd of admirers. Plus me (I don't know how devoted I am to anyone truth be told). So out come the hits- three songs in and its National Express followed by Generation Sex and later on as an encore we're blessed with The Perfect Lovesong, one of my favourites. Sadly a request for Gin Soaked Boy is treated with utter derision by an affable Neil; 'YOU MUST BE JOKING' was the exact response I believe. In any case, we are all happy and well. "We're all friends here, aren't we?" He asks, rather coquestishly, " We all love each other, don't we?".

Amid the nostalgia, new songs Diva Lady and To Die a Virgin also score a big hit. Taking the success of this performance and the response, only one question needs an answer and that is: why oh why are the NME so negative about new album Victory of the Comic Muse? Come on now, I now that yous all like to be cutting edge and stuff, but give the Dublin lad a break. It may not be the Hall of Fame treasure trove that we're used to from the Fin-de-Siecle and Regeneration years; maybe it doesn't strike you in the nether regions with riproaring heartbreak or elation in quite the same way, but it still deserves respect. Someone who's been so prolific over the years should be appreciated a bit more. You can't knock someone who wrote the theme tune for Father Ted now surely?

Still loving the Divine Comedy. For sure.