Tindersticks play their entire second album in full (Don’t Look Back at the Barbican)

Nice night out with Tim and Is. The ‘Don’t Look Back’ concept wasn’t attractive at all to me, but I booked tix because I thought Tindersticks had split up and I’d always wanted to see them live. They pretty much played II note for note which was weird. I could only get with the concept if the artist radically reinterpreted the original. They made no effort whatsoever in that regard. I definitely wouldn’t want to see John Martyn redo Solid Air, for instance. For me the gig really came alive once they’d done the album – I don’t want to know what’s coming next, I’d rather be surprised. Tindersticks are such a weird band – so gloomy that I can’t help laughing, so oddly narrow in the furrow they plough. Staples sings like Vic Reeves’ in a club style. I’ve never witnessed a band with less charisma. They looked like a bunch of reluctant Stars In Their Eyes contestants standing in for a real band. I really enjoyed it.