Hippy nonsense - Edgar Broughton at the Stables, Milton Keynes - 4 May

Watford Technical College on the Hempstead Road was the venue for many of the early gigs I attended from 1969 to around 1972. One of the earliest of these was to hear the Edgar Broughton Band, sometimes called Britain's very own Captain Beefheart. These nights were generally rough and tumble affairs, the air heavy with the scent of joss sticks masking the other aromas of sweat, stale beer and weed. The EBB were at that time a trio of Rob (Edgar) on guitar, younger brother Steve on drums and Arthur Grant on bass. Visually they could be a bit of a scary sight, particularly to us young "innocents" from the Metropolitan suburbs - see picture at the end of this review. The thought that 49 years later I'd be sitting listening and applauding politely to Edgar sitting on a stool, singing and playing acoustic guitar in the slightly more refined surroundings of The Stables at Milton Keynes would not have entered my mind.

The EBB last performed as a unit back around 2010, since when Edgar has continued solo. Tonight was now the fourth time I had seen him perform in this stripped down format and I have to say it was one of the best, certainly equalling the house concert he performed for friends and myself in my garden in 2011 - a review of that night will follow when time permits.

 

Taking the stage bang on time at 8:45 with just the accompaniment of a beautifully toned Tanglewood guitar and with a set list on the floor at his feet he ran through 15 songs in approaching 2 hours. Interspersing the set with stories and anecdotes, Edgar warmed to the audience who listened attentively and responded with appreciation. One of these tales described the sad decline and on stage demise at the Borderline of a musical contemporary who had just a few years beforehand described the music of the EBB as "hippy nonsense". Ironic really as the EBB were one of the most politically motivated and socially aware bands of their day. Songs such as Poppy highlighted environmental damage well before the issue had fully entered mainstream thinking.
Opening the evening with the lovely Arabesque leading straight into Speak Down Wires he moved on to Red Star, reflecting on the events of the 2011 Brixton riots near to his South London home. From there on the order of the set list was abandoned with Edgar pausing between songs to consider his next move and tell another tale. Although this approach gives a more relaxed open feel to the proceedings, it does inevitably mean that planned songs are likely to get missed. Thankfully the magical Green Lights and the up tempo Six White Horses were not among the three left out. Evening Over Rooftops always figures in these sets and although it is a great song, I feel it really needs the full band format to show it off to its best. If you have not heard the album version complete with David Bedford orchestration, then do check it out. I'd have preferred a particular favourite of mine, Hotel Room to have been included instead but hey-ho, who's complaining? the set was wonderful. There was just one song that I didn't catch the title of, written (and subsequently forgotten) during one of Edgar's fishing trips. The Full set list was:

Arabesque > Speak Down Wires

Red Star

Beggar Man

On the News

The Sound Don't Come

Almost Dancing

Good Old Days

This England

Evening Over Rooftops

(?)

My Salvation

Green Lights

Six White Horses

Soldiers of the Light

There's a Hole in it

Each song played demonstrated what a good guitar player Edgar is and how strong his voice still is. Lubrication with a spot of Remy Martin clearly has its benefits.

After the gig and before we had to dash for our waiting taxi,  it was a pleasure to catch up briefly with Rob and brother Steve who was busy signing old vinyl sleeves for some Dutch visiting fans.

As an aside to the evening, I overheard an audience member wondering if the EBB would be playing again. It always amuses me when I hear such comments because although I have feelings of great nostalgia from those early gigs and am so glad that I caught one of their last sets in 2010 at the 100 Club, you have to think to yourself that a lot of things change after 50 years. I wonder how many folk are still doing what they were doing in 1969 - life moves on.

Screen grab taken from Youtube