The Jesus and Mary Chain, Albert Hall, 18th November 2021

The opening bars of Darklands play out around Albert Hall and I’m 10 years old again. That might seem young to get into The Jesus and Mary Chain, but I was introduced through compilation mix tapes (It might’ve been Hits 7 or something), that song and April Skies take me back to listening in my bedroom or on long car journeys. These songs always appeared on Tape 2 Side B, once you got past the Top 10 stuff. They were the successful but weird tracks… and I loved them. A few decades later, I still do. Bands like this have informed and shaped my musical landscape and tonight we get to hear that Darklands album in full. It all sounds wonderful of course, perhaps more accessible than it’s predecessor Psychocandy (I wonder what my 10 year old ears would’ve made of all that distortion). You can’t beat Albert Hall for sound, but Jim sounds a little quiet to start, it’s soon fixed as he hugs the mic, cable coiled round his fingers. Happy When It Rains, gets the first loud raw of approval and this seems to lift everyone as we get some of the faster songs. Darklands has a reassuring plod to much of it though. Its sound’s big, but you’re not gonna get much more than approving head nods from much of the crowd. This is okay. It’s refreshingly intimate and serves to highlight the contrast when songs like April Skies boom out, the spotlights scouring the Albert Hall ceilings and walls. Once Darklands comes to a close, it’s a pretty short album. We’re treated to a second set of b-sides and bits from other albums. Including storming versions of I Love Rock n Roll and Mo Tucker. By the time they bring things to a close with Kill Surf City the strobes are let loose and when the encore delivers Just Like Honey I’m in heaven. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous about tonight. Not for the band, I trust I’m in safe hands with the Reid’s, but my head isn’t in the best place right now and I questioned how I’d feel being swallowed up by the Mary Chain sound. I needn’t have worried, as is often if not always the case, music is my medicine.