LIVE REVIEW
GRANDADDY 3/4 The Roundhouse

In 2006, when Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle called time on the band after 15 years at the indie-rock coalface and four excellent albums, there was little mention in the music press of their demise. Fans of course were saddened and upset at the prospect of no more music from Lytle and crew, but in the main there was just a gentle shrug of the shoulders from most followers and life moved on. Which is why, 11 years on from the initial split, I am finding the critical and commercial response to the reformed Grandaddy's new album - the really rather wonderful Last Place - and the near sell-out tour to promote it, so heartening. I was lucky enough to catch Grandaddy live a couple of times during their first go-around, and as good as those gigs at The Astoria and Shepherd's Bush Empire were, I honestly didn't think they'd ever be able to fill out a venue such as The Roundhouse. But fill it they have, and the atmosphere inside Camden's venerable old circular institution is sparkling.
Spewing forth - in a chundering explosion of plaid shirts, baseball caps and fulsome beards - from Modesto, California in the early 90's, Grandaddy was put together by Lytle, as well as bass guitarist Kevin Garcia and drummer Aaron Burtch. As is befitting of a bunch of punk fans and ex-skateboarders, their early releases were lo-fi, ramshackle and a little rough around the edges. After signing with a major label in 96 however, the group knuckled down big-time and their debut release - Under The Western Freeway - married chugging, uptempo indie with woozy Americana to glorious effect. It was their second album though, The Sophtware Slump - released in 2000, that cemented Grandaddy's place at the top table. A concept album about man's relationship with technology, which Lytle wrote and recorded alone in his farmhouse while dealing with post-millennial tension and a severe drink and drugs habit, it was quickly hailed as the American OK Computer. Chock full of glorious melodies and choruses to die for, it topped end of year polls across the board. The subsequent tour however nearly killed the band, and although the follow-up album Sumday was another corking collection of songs, the cracks were starting to show. By the time of Just Like The Fambly Cat's release in 2007, the band were already over. Lytle released a couple of down-home solo albums afterward as well as moving into producing for others, but the prospect of a full Grandaddy reunion were slim.
But, a decade later, and here we are. And, as the band shuffle on stage in the same blizzard of beards, caps and shirts, it's almost as if time has stood still. There's a rapturous response from the faithful though - most of whom have seen a few too many winters - and after a quick bit of noodling on his keyboard from Lytle, the band launch into Hewlett's Daughter, one of the standouts from Slump. Indeed, the bulk of the set comes from that magnificent second album. And why not? Hearing a few thousand souls lustily singing along to the catchy-as-man-flu chorus of The Crystal Lake - the 'big' hit - just reiterates what a splendid record it was, and still is. There's a fair few new songs dotted throughout tonight as well - and the material from Last Place stands toe-to-toe with the early classics. Evermore in particular goes down a storm. There's little conversation from Lytle or the rest of the band - bar a few thank-yous - but the joy at being back in the spotlight is plain to see on their faces. The main set concludes with He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot - which for my money, is their finest song. As close to Shine On You Crazy Diamond or Paranoid Android as any other band has ever come, it's an epic electronica-infused ballad split into three movements. On record, it's a thing of utter wonder and I defy any of you to not fall in love on first listen. Tonight however, it's on a different level and I'm not ashamed to say that there may have been a little bit of chin-wobble from your faithful scribe. After a brief backstage rest, the band reappear for a gorgeous version of the new album's big , cuddly ballad The Boat Is In The Barn and then a fantastic run through the fuzzy and fizzy power-pop rush of Summer Here Kids. All in all, tonight was a triumph. There's no official word from Lytle about future Grandaddy releases, but if this turns out to be the final act of this finest of bands, then it's a thoroughly deserved epilogue.

SETLIST:

Hewlett's Daughter
"Yeah" Is What We Had
Laughing Stock
Way We Won't
The Crystal Lake
So You'll Aim Toward The Sky
Evermore
Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)
Levitz
A.M. 180
I Don't Wanna Live Here Anymore
He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot
Now It's On

The Boat Is In The Barn
Summer Here Kids