Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
Occasional showers dart across Cardiff but it’s, otherwise, a fine late afternoon in the Welsh capital with early subtle flavours of the approach of autumn beginning to appear. As the seasons commence change, so the focus switches from festival to tour. After a busy summer and some much required downtime we’re refuelled and eager to go.
It’s funny how some things turn out and how life weaves and unravels. Nearly 35 years ago, at Leicester University where I was attempting to study geology, I caught a Scottish band on their debut UK tour in support of their debut album. Our paths failed to cross again and a while later I departed the East Midlands minus the degree I set out for, eventually regrouping and graduating back home in Cornwall.
Paths diverged and the band in question, in a stellar career, went on to record ten charting albums – two of which topped the UK Official Album Charts – along with 13 top ten UK singles. That band, though, remained a more or less constant part of my life. their combined joie de vivre left a tangible imprint upon my mind. That debut album? ‘Southside’. That band? Texas.
Even though that night in Leicester is a dim and distant memory it’s oddly inescapable. When moving house last year, a signed ‘Southside’ tour poster was discovered in a long-forgotten container by my wife Kelly. My soulmate who accepted my marriage proposal back in the summer of ’97; a significant part of that summer’s soundtrack, bounding about the upper echelons of the charts, was a certain Motown-infused ‘Black Eyed Boy’.
Little did I know all those years back that I would wind up putting pen to paper to review them at the largest indoor venue in Wales Cardiff’s Utilita Arena with the far more significant two-thirds on photographic duties. It is, indeed, funny how things turn out.
It was Glaswegian outfit GUN, whose then vocalist Mark Rankin can list Sharleen Spiteri amongst his cousins, who provided the tour support for Texas 35 years ago. This evening, in a neat symmetry, the Scottish theme continues with Edinburgh-born singer-songwriter KT Tunstall opening as the tour’s special guest. Clear patriotic pride in the Saltire, a Celtic resonance that goes down well with the Cardiff crowd.
Bathed in a silver pool of light the Ivor Norvello award-winning KT – ever impactful as the meteorite based geological event that wiped out the dinosaurs with which she shares the same letters – is enigmatic from start to finish. Held captivated in her palm the near-full Cardiff Arena is treated to 45 minutes of new and old.
Tunstall takes to the stage in the company of a guitar toting drummer whom she later introduces as Andy Burrows; “He writes music for Ricky Gervais shows and has a little side hustle Razorlight” she informs before the pair mashup the bands multi-platinum chart-topping single ‘America’ into the KT’s country-fringed top 20 hit ‘Other Side of the World’. The coupling is concluded with the pair singing their track simultaneously, a neat touch indeed.
It’s a complete surprise to me not having realised the drummer’s identity during a charismatically understated opening in which a couple of tracks – the bright and breezy ‘I Am The Pilot’ and the gentle soothing groove of ‘Dear Shadow’ – from Tunstall’s 2022 studio release ‘Nut’ are aired to the rapidly filling arena. “We got the new songs outta the way, wanna hear an old one?” the crystalline vocalist enquires to the inevitably noisy response before rolling into ‘Other Side of the World’.
“Let’s see what this other guitar does” muses Tunstall as she eschews her acoustic for an electric model in readiness for the up-tempo rocking of ‘The River’. Although focused upon the primary task of warming up the Welsh capital for the arrival of tonight’s headliners Tunstall is genially self-effacing as, with Burrows, they ‘treat’ Cardiff to the warp-factored version of this 2018 single that Bournemouth had received the previous night. “Very fast, too fast!” chuckles Tunstall.
Before tearing into a rip-roaring ‘Black Horse and the Cherry Tree’ there’s time for an anecdote with Tunstall enlightening us how she cut off the sleeves off a mohair jumper before appearing on Jools Holland’s ‘Later…with’ TV show wearing them on her lower limbs. “I gave myself hairy legs for my first TV appearance!” she humorously reflects. Utilising her loop pedal to profound effect Tunstall builds up ‘Black Horse and the Cherry Tree’ delighting a now rammed full arena.
With the crowd onside Tunstall notes “Sharleen will be very happy!” before furthering “Talking of great Scot chicks” as she ushers Burrows forwards to add his vocals to the loop before cutting into a spine-tingling snippet of the Eurythmics’ classic ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)’.
The rasping ‘Hold On’ naturally lends itself to one last mashup, Tunstall and Burrows seem to enjoy this mode, shipping seamlessly into a buzzed up ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’. “They like the punk and the metal band” sings Tunstall as Cardiff joins in with the obligatory “Way-oh, way-oh.” It’s adroit and intuitive, weaving in some covers in with your own hits, Tunstall and Burrows are adeptly raising the atmospherics.
The arena’s roof is lifted with a footstompingly great showstopping ‘Suddenly I See’ – inspired by the iconic Patti Smith – bringing Cardiff to its feet. Three quarters of an hour in the company of two compelling musicians that proves quality music is timeless. Enduring stuff.
Texas is rightfully dining at the top-table with nine dates at eight of the largest arenas in the United Kingdom with this eagerly awaited 35th anniversary tour. It’s been more or less a year since the first wave of announcements regarding this tour surfaced and it immediately grabbed my attention. The PR promised “the group take their massive decades-spanning hits on tour.” With the subsequent release of the well-constructed compilation ‘The Very Best of 1989-2023’ serving to further whet the appetite it’s one not to be missed.
With a full drape covering the front of the stage the houselights darken and a spoken intro – an excerpt taken from Wim Wenders’ influential film Paris, Texas from which the band’s name is derived – drifts across the arena. The expectant atmosphere rises and then a burst of stage lights and a distinctive slide guitar note the protagonist of which is silhouetted upon the drape central to a yellow sun upon an orange sky.
The setting is revealed with the front-drop descending and with much brio and panache the five components of Texas burst forwards and right into a rapturous ‘I Don’t Want A Lover’. Where else to begin than the track that kick-started the whole thing? The first single from debut album ‘Southside’ enthrals receiving a deafening reception; released at the tail-end of January 1989 it climbed steadily throughout the following month before peaking at 8 in early March. From the acorn so the mighty oak doth grow.
For the next two hours the 5000 folks gathered banquet upon a twenty-song set that impressively holds true the promises of the pre-tour press to the very letter. Only the dazzling finale of the utterly amaranthine classic ‘Suspicious Minds’ doesn’t feature upon last year’s compilation. It’s all very well curated and has a truly extraordinary balance and composure to it all.
A proud Glaswegian to her core Sharleen Spiteri, co-founder of the outfit along with bassist Johnny McElhone who continues to deliver the low-end to this day, beams throughout, “I thought I’d wear a shiny suit” the evergreen vocalists notes as she takes a brief moment to indulge her choice of glittering evenwear. Renown for the ‘odd’ swearword Spiteri later observes that this is what makes her Scottish, the ability to curse as a form of endearment.
As the 90’s ebbed into the ‘Noughties’ Texas reached a zenith, eleven hit singles (nine of which hit top ten) all of which receive their respective spotlight tidily interspersed with newer material that stands on an even footing alongside. Such tracks as the bubbly ‘Hi’ and the vibrantly widescreen conjuration of the heavily Donna Summer-inspired (and credited) ‘Mr Haze’. Did I detect a touch of the Supremes’ ‘Nathan Jones’ in there too?
Out front Spiteri controls the ebb and flow so neatly, none more so than in the acoustic triplet that comes towards the end of the main set. By herself for a hauntingly soulful ‘Put Your Arms Around Me’ Spiteri is then joined by guitarist Tony McGovern for a countrified ‘Sleep’. Sharing the lead vocals the reworking of the 2006 single hits the spot as a Lady A moment.
The stripped back triumvirate is rounded off with shimmering drummer Cat Myers getting in on the fun with an uplifting ‘In Demand’ that with gentle cajoling from Spiteri sees the arena back on its feet. It used to be cigarette lighters but in the 21st century it’s phone lights and the Utilita Arena is illuminated with countless small spots; a magical scene that is filmed onto the backdrop screens. A sagacious point amongst many.
The neon vividity of ‘Halo’ is emotional early doors, Spiteri, clutching her gorgeously green Gretsch, bounces along during McGovern’s coruscant solo eliciting goosebumps. There’s genuine heartfelt gratitude voiced throughout with Spiteri expressing the collective thoughts, for the first time, before the energised soulful blues of ‘Everyday Now’ which transforms me into that teenage student for a brief while.
Ruffling her black hair Spiteri grins “If you thought you were gonna see a band play through the records [in 100% reproduction] then fuck off home!” This is live music something which the entire band clearly revel in. A pulsating ‘The Conversation’ effervesces with McGovern cutting a Noel Gallagher figure with his photogenic black Gibson ES-335.
Somehow, even in a four-figure crowd, Spiteri possesses this magical presence that makes you feel like she is singing to you alone. It’s an abiding quality that makes her a standout. Gentle rocker ‘In Our Lifetime’ takes us by the hand leading into a soulful laid-back reflection of Al Green’s classic ‘Tired of Being Alone’.
The hits continue to cascade with the chiming keys of Eddie Campbell leading the way in a soul-cleansing rocking ‘Summer Son’ bouncing into the triphop-edged ‘Insane’, with its nod towards Portishead prominent. Then there’s the infectious soulful incantation of ‘When We Are Together’ to illuminate the way.
We swiftly ascend the gears following the acoustic segment as the 1997 Motown infusion ‘Black Eyed Boy proves itself as a timeless anthem with Cardiff bouncing. It’s moments and times like these that are marked high in terms of memory.
“We’re at that time of evening, it’s the last song” observes Spiteri, “I don’t know why we do this bullshit, I guess it’s an ego thing … please love me a little more!” she continues before the iconic ‘Say What You Want’ and its nebulous of feelings brings down the curtain on the main body of the set. The chorus singalong is on a phenomenal scale with a quaking outro provided by Spiteri and co. to match.
The arena bays for the inevitable and a couple of minutes later the band re-emerge with Spiteri having changed into what she claims is the same leather suit she wore for the shooting of the video for ‘Inner Smile’. “I haven’t worn it since 2001, it’s the same fucking suit” she laughs. The punchy despatch of ‘Inner Smile’ is stunning in its depths and timelessness, the perfect lead-in to the stunning set closer ‘Suspicious Minds’.
There’s a headful of music reverberating as we exit into the still Cardiff night. Earworms that’ll rebound about for a good while, definitely a strong indication of a truly memorable night. Texas have served a reminder, should we require it, of class is permanent with a scintillating 120 minutes of utter joy.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
