“You’re in for a good night” professes Chas as he and cohort, Dave, swagger on stage in their sharpest clobber – pork pie hats n’ all.
This may be an arena gig, but the venerated duo do their best to transform the space into an intimate setting – playing in front of a modest black backdrop. There are no frills here and that makes it all the more genuine, as though this was just another knees-up in a dingy, working class saloon.
Their music is infectious from the get-go as the twosome riff off one another over boogie-woogie piano. Rabbit and Gertcha offer a pure rush of nostalgic rockney and if you strip back the geezer charm, there’s an abundance of artistry to their craft.
Most striking is their harmonies, particularly on Ain’t No Pleasing You – a tender ballad which deals with a bruised male ego.
As the set comes to a close, they are joined by Chas’ son on drums and urge the crowd to get on their dancing shoes for one last hurrah. Unfortunately, it’s a muted response from the Nottingham audience, with set-closing The Sideboard Song worthy of a far more rambunctious reception.
Fast forward to the main event and there is a noteworthy change in atmosphere – with the previously reluctant audience finding their voice as Status Quo make their grandiose entrance.
The five-piece kick things in motion with the stomping Caroline – a 70s rock n’ roll piledriver which sets the tone for what’s to come.
It’s not long before the rockers begin interacting with the arena audience, where affable frontman Francis Rossi makes droll remarks about their old age. However, as the band storm through their expansive back-catalogue, the veterans appear to be as vivacious as they were in their salad days.
The Quo acolytes, who have turned up in their droves, may also be of a senior age, but they match the group’s boundless energy – jumping off their seats for every sing-along moment.
Rossi continues to entertain the arena with amusing quips. The vocalist notes how the band seem to make an appearance in the city every year, but there are certainly no qualms from the crowd. “It’s like deja-vu,” he remarks.
Although they have been panned in the past for their ‘three chords equals a chart-topper’ paradigm, the mammoth hits speak for themselves. Songs like Down Down, In the Army Now and Whatever You Want remain as potent as ever for the iconic British band.
The Quo may be of retirement age, but there’s no doubt that there’s life in the old dog yet.
Same time next year? Yes please.
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