The Pretty Things – ‘The Final Bow’
Thursday 13th December 2018
Indigo @ The O2, Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
This was one hell of an event, with The Pretty Things scaling down on live shows but determined to make the show a very special show. With all current band members and a central segment featuring players and singers from the S F Sorrow/Parachute era, you would get to hear a lot if not all of your favourite songs.
Kicking off with the raucous single Honey I Need, the group then spun into the snappy Don’t Bring Me Down before a cherished B side Buzz The Jerk got an airing.
Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut brought back memories of girlfriends’ mothers whilst Get The Picture reminded us how varied and sparky that second album was,
I can still play it today and wonder at their stylish adventure. Then The Same Sun then one I had asked Phil to include, the mighty Alexander from the Phillipe deBarge sessions – Electric Banana.
Defective Gray retains its mind-bending arcane twists. Big Boss Man nods to seminal Things figure Jimmy Reed. Midnight To Six Man has the fire of defiance that made so many of us attempt this music. Mister Evasion ends Set One.
Back with Skip Allen, Wally Waller and Jon Povey – still looking like Tom Baker’s brother – the band career into S F Sorrow Is Born and She Says Good Morning.
Now Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour is in the lineup shooting out motifs and screams from his guitar. May smiles benignly. Gilmour is a big deal and pal to the Things. Guitar ace Dick Taylor steps up to sing Baron Saturday. Trust and I See You burn the ears before my other request Cries From The Midnight Circus takes us into early-hours Soho..wonderful stuff.
Next up, the blues and slide guitarin’ Things, with Muddy’s I Can’t Be Satisfied then Come On In My Kitchen. Baby Please Don’t Go finds Van Morrison – another friend of the group – stride on like a bailiff at the end of a bad day. Van grabs the mike and May moves to one side – “ I have to move over when he’s around !”. I Can Tell and You Can’t Judge A Book are spat out with relish before Come See Me’s brutal bassline whomps across the venue. More Bo with a rolling Mona then the sinister LSD. Encores are Rosalyn, Road Runner and a poignant Loneliest Person.
A faultless farewell.
Pete Sargeant
(Many thanks to Judy Totton for providing this photo gallery and to Phil May)
Feature Image And All Photos in Photo Gallery Credit: © Judy Totton
