Just got back from seeing the Mekons at the Town Hall Seattle. Fabulous show, but in completely the wrong setting. There were about 150 people, in the centre of a much larger auditorium, with no beer. The members of the band sipped their bottles of Red Stripe and taunted us! And it was billed as a quiet acoustic set, but they still rocked out! We should have been packed into a smoky club with benches, sawdust on the floor, and pints of bitter, singing along with them…
Oh well, never mind. It was still one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve been to. Even though I’ve never heard them live or owned any of their recordings, it all felt oddly, comfortably familiar – from the angry numbers about Maggie Thatcher (“TINA”) and the Miners’ Strike, to their alt-country material, to their newest songs. To hell with categories. Quirky personalities, great musicianship, memorable songs. We all had a wonderful time.