Gig Review: Billy Bragg

Ever since a pentagram of fire called Maggie back to daddy (forgive me for being obvious), and Major bowed out to a then youthful Tony Blair, the insights of Essex Troubadour Billy Bragg have seemed less and less relevant. As an outspoken Socialist, and all round lefty icon, he represented the excluded liberal youth, but as soon as his fans grew up and voted Labour, Bragg’s political protests became nothing more than songs. Yet now, with another financial crisis looming and a conservative buffoon waiting in the wings to fuck it all up, it would seem 2008 is a year ripe for Bragg’s return. His 22-song set at Shepherds Bush last Monday, saw the 51 year old perform with a youthful tenacity, as these trying times return meaning to his words.

No longer backed by The Blokes, Billy took the stage with nothing but a silver Telecaster and a mug of tea. Whilst Bragg naturally felt the need to promote his latest album Mr Love and Justice, the nostalgic joys of ‘To Have and To Have Not’ and ‘The Milkman of Human Kindness’, saw the most grey-haired heads nodding to the voice of their youth. As is expected with any act past 40, the show was in effect a greatest hits, though thankfully room was left for some more unexpected additions to the set list. Whilst Woody Guthrie cover ‘I Ain’t Got No Home’ was fairly predictable, the inclusion of The Shangri-Las’ ‘Give Him A Great Big Kiss’, with help from Kate Nash, was a delight.

Indeed Bragg is ever capable of keeping it light, and in between songs documenting heartbreak and injustice, he remains able to be genuinely hilarious. His infectious humour even crept into the songs themselves, as one altered lyric on ‘Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards’– “John Sergeant proved the public will vote for a clumsy fuck/Old Gordon Brown can’t believe his luck”, was met with riotous laughs from the audience.

Whilst a second encore teased the audience with the prospect of leaving out fan favourite ‘A New England’, Bragg’s performance remained near flawless. It would be easy to see his highly political material as pretentious and boorish, yet his saving grace is that despite this, he remains completely relatable and genuine. He won’t change the world, he knows it, but who cares? He’s Billy Bragg, and he’s back!

Image Courtesy of Bryan Kremkau - www.skapunkphotos.com