The Lemonheads @ Manchester Ritz (07.10.15)
Evan Dando & Co on stunning form in a career-spanning set in Manchester
Oct 7th, 2015 at The Ritz, Manchester / By Richard Lewis

Led onstage at 9pm exactly by Dando who somehow doesn't seem to have aged in ten years, recently arrived lead guitarist Chris Brokaw says a brief hello and the quartet saunter effortlessly into deceptively breezy 1996 cut ‘Hospital’, bassist Jen Turner excitedly pogo-ing throughout. Where the band’s 2011 UK tour saw them undertake a played-in-full rampage through classic album It’s A Shame About Ray in gritted teeth, heads-down no nonsense boogie mode, the current dates see Dando & Co in far more relaxed mood.
After half a dozen band essayed tracks, including 'Dawn Can’t Decide' and 'Style' from 1993 commercial peak Come On Feel... the gig follows the long established pattern where Dando plays a clutch of songs solo then with the aid of a second guitarist.
Delving deep into his back catalogue, ‘Frying Pan’ by cult US singer-songwriter Victoria Williams from a 1993 charity LP is aired along with an acappella version of ...Ray's original closing track, whimsical hippy landmark ‘Frank Mills’ sung by the crowd en masse. ‘The Outdoor Type’ a cover of a track by frequent collaborator Tom Morgan and a score of tracks from 2003s excellent solo LP Baby I’m Bored follow, including a poignant version of ‘All My Life’ that showcases just how hard Dando’s lyrics can bite.
Waving the rest of the band back onstage a double hit of ‘Confetti’ and ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ sees the entire venue providing choruses while plangent versions of ‘Break Me’ and ‘Rudderless’ switch between churning minor chords and defiant choruses. Tantalisingly, a new song snippet is debuted following the track which lasts for a single verse before being abandoned and a shrugging admission that the song isn’t finished. Elsewhere 'Stove' stands as proof there aren’t many songwriters who could make the tale of disposal of an electric stove and chatting to a removal man sound moving.
Following much demand and a long teasing wait, the quartet reappear to hurtle through a single song encore of ‘Alison’s Starting To Happen’ before ambling offstage again to massive applause and a faint flicker of hope that Dando’s songwriting muse is alive once again.
Follow Bearded on...