Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been a regular at Miles Hunt and his band, The Wonder Stuff ‘s gigs over the years
Amazingly, though I’d not seen them at all this year so it was time to get myself reacquainted with Miles and his partner Erica Nockalls at Derby’s Flowerpot venue.
 
A few songs in and Miles is already delighting the crowd with stories about his local boozer and indeed dedicates a song to the owners of the pub at his local ‘The Horseshoe Inn‘ , this is much how I remember Miles Hunts gigs, as well as fantastic music you are also entertained with numerous tales of his life.  It’s endearing and more often than not hilarious.
 
The familiar opening strains of ‘Mission Drive‘ start, as do the goosebumps as this was my favourite Wonder Stuff song, the song that they used to open with all those many years ago.  It sounds as good now as it did then and as the wonderful “I’m looking on the bright side, I wear it like a bruise” lyric is delivered I’m reminded of what a fantastic lyricist Miles is.  Coupled with the delicate beauty of Erica’s violin accompaniment this song is musical perfection.
 
It’s then straight into crowd favourite ‘The Cake’ a song written about what Miles thinks would snap him out of a shitty mood, a delivery of a cake on his doorstep from a complete stranger.  Indeed to encourage this his informs the crowd of his postcode in the hope of getting a further delivery.  He explains that some people even bring them along to gigs for him and calls us stingy for not joining in with this.
 
Miles introduces ‘Welcome to the Cheap Seats’ with a Kirsty Macoll anecdote which is both lovely and funny and the wonderfully uplifting melody is the perfect tune that should be dedicated to her not just because she sang on the tune but also because it shares the vibrancy that her persona seemed to radiate.
 
There’s then a decision that will split the crowd, do we want to hear ‘Size of a Cow’ or ‘Golden Green’ ?  The latter wins, but after the jaunty jig that it provides it is decided that they will play ‘Size of a Cow’   and not save it til later in the set if only because Erica (as she freely admits ) “is slowly getting drunk and its a quite tricky song to play”.  Erica is not only impossibly beautiful, musically talented  and uber cool, she’s also someone who would be a perfect person to hang out in the pub with.  She really is the full package, and knowing that she has her own solo album out in November just concretes that there really does seem to be no end to her talents.
 
Songs from the upcoming ‘Oh No, it’s the Wonder Stuff‘ album are greeted with the enthusiasm of the old classics and if you didn’t know otherwise you certainly wouldn’t see the join. ‘The Right Side of the Turf’ especially is bound to be one that becomes a firm crowd favourite much like ‘Circlesquare’ and ‘Cartoon Boyfriend‘ that follow it.
 
Another great thing about a Miles and Erica gig is that they are talented enough to take requests from the audience and then just bang them out.  So I was grateful to hear fiddle opening of ‘Cartoon Boyfriend‘ as I’d been shouting myself hoarse for it among the multitude of other fantastic songs that we had to choose from.
 
Room 512 is dedicated (as always) to “lost friends”  Martin and Rob the members of The Wonder Stuff who are now no longer with us, and then it’s the wonderful ‘Here Comes Everyone‘ , Erica’s protestations about alcohol affecting her playing being not noticeable at all in the frenzied fiddle playing that accompanies Miles soaring vocals.
 
More hits from The Wonder Stuff‘s back catalogue follow with ‘Caught In My Shadow’ and the early and lyrically brilliant ‘Give,Give,Give me More More More’ providing a taster to their warm up show at the Venue in Derby in December.
 
Tonights set has has been balanced perfectly with hits, new stuff , solo stuff and countless stories.  Many of todays artists could do worse than take a leaf out of their book as this was a masterclass in how to perform and cater for your crowd.
 
Reacquaint yourself, and make it sooner rather than later you won’t be disappointed.
 
 

Jackie Nutty.