Last weekend was a little different. The band our daughter Mo is in, Ombudsmen, had two gigs straddling the Pennines, with a Friday night in her adopted home city of Manchester and a Saturday gig over the county line in Sheffield. This opportunity was a part of The Vapors album launch tour for their fourth studio album, 'Wasp In A Jar'.
Gig No. 1 was at 33 Oldham, a bar venue in Oldham Street in the city's vibrant Northern Quarter. Myself and Gunta arrived at the venue at about the same time that The Vapors entourage drove up so we were alble to assist with the loading in, I ably assisted to the extent that a hernia and a first floor venue would allow! I am still amazed that a four piece band have so much stuff!
The only concern on the day was whether Mo, who issues vocals, would make it in time for a quick soundcheck, as she was working through to six o'clock and had to get back into Manchester from Stockport. Make it she did and there was some time for a sound check, although the sound from the stage would be a critisism of the night.
Ombudsmen's set was comprised of material from the first two E.P.s plus two new songs, 'Sugar Fantasy' and 'Temporary Cemetery' from the forthcoming album. It's fair to say that a Vapors' crowd are not a natural audience for the punk/psych tinged material that the band play. This fact notwithstanding, each song was well received throughout the venue. One exception appeared to be one Vapors fan who positioned directly in Mo's eyeline who rolled his eyes throughout. Shame, he was the only dissenter really, perhaps at some point it will dawn on him that it is not 1980 anymore!
The Vapors put on a good show, with a set that offered all that the casual fan would have ever wanted plus a liberal helping of material lifted from the new album (but of course it was an album launch gig!). The gig ended with full paced versions of 'Letter From Hero' and 'Here Comes The Judge'.... and just for a moment it was 1980 again. The eyeroller would have approved.
After a breakfast in bed (sold on the website of the boutique hotel that we stayed in as a decadant luxury, but in reality an acknowledgement of the fact that there was not enough room available in the building to swing a cat, let alone serve food!), we drove across to Ombudamen HQ in Burnage to collect an amp and other random bits and pieces of stage equipment before driving over Snake Pass into White Rose territory for gig No. 2.
This was only my second visit to Sheffield (back in 2008 I stayed with Doug Kerr prior to a Stranglers gig in Manchester). My understanding of the town was sadly limited to hills and The Human League! Unlike in Manchester, where the industrial heritage is still plain for all to see in the form of beautiful redbrick converted mills, Sheffield's considerable contribution to the Industrial Revolution is far less conspicuous (I guess that this is due to the differences in the industries that the cities excelled in). I only saw a couple of industrial units whose signage indicated that they were in the business of steel, oh and a pub called 'The Bessemer' (a vessel/process for converting iron into steel). I assume that the foundries and forges of old have long gone and what modern steel production happens somewhere away from the city centre. Happy to be educated on this.
Prior to heading to the venue, we looked for a drinking venue. At half past one, the pubs in the centre are heaving and we end up in an 'All Bar One' which happened to be occupied by multiple groups of women of our age, all glammed up and necking prosecco and gin like it's fast going out of fashion. It was likely to get lively in town tonight!
Back to the venue, 'Record Junkee', a music shop/record shop by day and venue by night looked very promising, albeit with a very small stage! More lugging gear and we were in. Tonight's soundman seemed to be more on the ball during Ombudsmen's soundcheck and this payed dividends at the gig. The crowd were visibly a carbon copy of the Manchester crowd, but with a difference. They appeared to be much more receptive to what Ombudsmen were trying to convey. As mentioned, I am sure that this was at least part due to better sound. The tunes weren't lost in an overall muddy sound like the previous night. Maybe it was just down to differences between a Manchester and Sheffield crowd. I have no idea, both are musical cities... it is not as though Sheffield is starved of bands, nothing could be further from the truth, but the difference was quite stark. At the end of the gig a few Fred Perry'd punters complemented the band on their set which was great to hear and maybe this will open up a few oppurtunities for them to come back to Sheffield.
On behalf of Ombudsmen, thanks to Mike, Owen and of course The Vapors for a great weekend!
Ombudsmen are back at 33 Oldham in Manchester on 29th March for the launch of their own album, 'Liquid Assets' which is released on 28th March.
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