American Music Club
Academy 3. February 6th 2008
They begin with 'Hello Amsterdam', a song about the struggles of a US touring band in unappreciative world, the song was written 12 years ago and American Music Club are back in that world again.
After half a dozen albums, wonderful reviews and a hard won cult fanbase AMC called it a day 10 years ago. the intervining years saw singer and songwriter Mark Eitzel go it alone producing more great, heart soaring music (included collaborations with REM's Peter Buck) but getting no greater widespread public recognition. In 2003 the original members Eitzel, guitarist Vudi, bassist Dan Pearson, keyboardist Brad Johnson, and drummer Matt Norelli reconvened as AMC, they released the great 'Love Songs For Patriots' album in the autumn of that year, an album as good if not better than their 1990's output.
With only Vudi & Eitzel left of that original line-up the new American Music Club outfit, including Bass player Sean Hoffman & drummer Steve Didelot hit town on wednesday night, a mere 3 days after the release of their new album 'The Golden Age'. In a set made up of old and new AMC material the band tore through classics 'Blue & grey shirt', 'Home', 'All My Love' and 'All the Lost Souls Welcome You to San Francisco' all played to an audience of 30-40 year old diehards and the 20 something curious. Vudi's playing was as great as ever "he's a genius" said Eitzel, "when he says that, you've gotta duck" was Vudi's reaction.
After what I thought was a fantastic band version of 'Western Sky' some wag at the front shouted "do that again only better!" , Eitzel, clearly the perfectionist, did just that two songs later on his own, and it was. How the band are gonna play with this much energy ever night for the next 3 months is a mystery, its not very often these days that you feel the kind of passion that this band clearly feel for this material, I can only hope they stick with it, as live bands like this don't come along every day.
A great night again for AMC in Manchester, "this City's been good to us" said Eitzel, and they deserve it!
