NOT QUITE DIFFERENT CLASS

Jarvis Cocker gig last night at Glasgow ABC.

And I'm afraid the verdict is the same as it was on his debut LP. Patchy.

The plus points - Jarvis still has a great stage presence. He banters with the crowd, he throws shapes while singing, and he gives it everything.

The minus points - the material he is performing isn't all that special, and his backing band, which included ex-Pulp bassist Steve Mackey, were dull but worthy.

The gig occasionally smouldered but never really caught fire. The set consisted entirely of solo material until the final song of the night which was a cover of Sidewalking by the Jesus and Mary Chain. There was no real tempo to the gig. And it was only something like 13 or 14 songs long including a couple of b-sides only available on 7" vinyl.

Yet the sold-out audience didn't seem to mind. There were no anguished cries for Pulp songs. And he got a terrific reception. But I felt it was more out of reverance than genuine affection for the live show on the night.

I was trying to think of a comparison. I felt it was like a great TV or film actor who no longer gets top billing, and goes back to his roots in touring productions. Someone whose name will always attract an audience, no matter what the play. And the audience will always give him a really generous reception simply because they know how great he truly was in the past. They'll also forgive the sub-standard material they've just seen, because just occasionally, the true class and genius of the main attraction shone through.

Does that make sense?? I hope so.....

The highlight was easily the encore of Running The World, but its constant use of the c-word (funny as it is) can be offensive to some, so it doesn't get aired here. For instance, I've a close friend - and an occasional visitor to TVV - who swears like a trooper but draws the line at that word, and I'm thinking of folk like her.

So instead here's his latest single :-

mp3 : Jarvis - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time

Buy the LP here. It's only £6.99