And Still The Beat Goes On…

And Still The Beat Goes On…

A couple of weeks in now and our summer tour of festivals (mostly) is shaping up rather well with some great reactions from both audiences and media. Audiences in general, have always welcomed us, showing the kind of appreciation that many acts would die for and making us feel that we want to give more of ourselves in return. Getting many positive reviews in the media as we have been recently, is taking a little time to get used to.

The reason for that is frankly for the longest time it seemed that no one in print had anything good to say about us whatsoever. Was that a hurtful experience? Hmmm, it was certainly a confusing experience, but it was even possible to get used to disappointments and the Pariah role was just something we needed to deal with somehow.

Not that we are or were ever above criticism, then again who is? And I can clearly recall a period where looking back now I would shamefully concede that we might not have been doing all necessary to engage in ways that are necessary, particularly if you want to stay on top of your game as a live act. They were blips however, least in my view. And again, it is perhaps expecting too much that you could just glide through a career that has lasted for 35 years without periods of stagnation.

Stagnation is a term that hopefully was the last thing to spring up in anyone’s mind that came to see us in Newcastle on Sunday night. What a great atmosphere in the venue, both band and crowd feeding off an energy that reminded me of shows that we did in Newcastle way back in the early ‘80’s. No mere flashback however, the set may have consisted of songs that belie their age, but again in my view, and indeed some of the fans I spoke with afterwards and on the train to London the next morning, there is something altogether fresh in what is coming across from SM on stage currently.

Long may it continue, please!

Jim Kerr