CUD / Beamish

Many a tearful eye tonight as local underground indie legends CUD take to the stage for what is to be the last time (yes we have heard it before but somehow this time it feels real too). We are promised a double-length set with many special guests, and the revealing of a certain song name.

Support in the form of Beamish, a female duo of vocals and guitar, are not what I would have suggested to play to quite a restless crowed. The guitar playing is great, but the singer is flat and with lyrics about clouds and such, many in the crowd look ready for bed by the time their set has finished.



There is quite a long gap before CUD make it onstage, increasing the tension in the full to bursting venue. The Carl Puttnam lookalike down front has to remove his wig and sunglasses for a while and rests them on his wife, who does not look thrilled about it!

Finally an old and wrinkled but instantly recognisable face climbs onstage, one which adorns the cover of favourite album 'When In Rome Kill Me', Steve Goodwin's landlord John Farrell (aka Johnny Money). He introduces the band but takes a while to leave the stage. Then it's straight into 'When In Rome, Kill Me', followed by the rest of the first 'side' of the album, and the story of a fugitive man and his lady Bibi.



Puttnam's purple suit appears just that bit brighter for 'Purple Love Balloon', his vocals as strong and unique as ever. William Potter still swings about the small stage, as Felix Frey on guitar (sporting a huge beard since their last Leeds show) manages his array of pedals and Steve Goodwin, a little hidden at the back but not forgotten, keeps it all together, and triumphs with a complex drum solo.

After an interlude of around twenty minutes, Carl Puttnam, having changed from a purple suit into shirt and trousers, is joined by a keyboardist to sing a couple of ballads. It may have been sweat, but for a split second it looks like he is shedding a tear behind those outrageous sunglasses and handlebar moustache.



Ex-Cud bassist and former Embrace member Mick Dale even joins the proceedings and generally looks humbled to be there, along with Dave Lazemby on the saxophone for 'I've Had It With Blondes'. Alaric Neville, who worked with Puttnam on 'Chateua De Charles' also makes an appearance on guitar. The double length set runs well into the evening, and from the many soaked crowd members this is a show that will go down in history.

Set list:
When In Rome, Kill Me
Only (A Prawn In Whitby)
Bibi Couldn't See
Strange Kind Of Love
Push And Shove
Day Crime Paid
When In Rome, Kill Me Again
Purple Love Balloon (interrupted)
Eau Water

Interval

Once Again
Tourniquet
Slack Time
Vocally Speaking
Rich and Strange,
Not Exactly DLERC,
Magic Alex,
Robinson Crusoe,
Love In A Hollow Tree,
My Sweet Lord,
I've Had It With Blondes.

Encores:

Van Van Van,
Wobbly Jelly,
Hey, Boots
Purple Love Balloon

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.