Hope & Anchor
Details
- Date
- September 27, 1980
- Venue
- Hope & Anchor London, England (Islington)
- Billed As
- The Soft Boys
- Gig Type
- Concert
Notes
Photo by Peter G from Fegmaniax FB group.
Photo described as being "from the early eighties, from the Hope and Anchor" so may not be from this exact gig.
Review image and text from Record Mirror.
Setlist incomplete. The below review references a song called "When She Comes" or "I Wanna Be There When She Comes" which appears to be a guess at a title based on the lyrics. We currently don't know anything more about this song.
Photo described as being "from the early eighties, from the Hope and Anchor" so may not be from this exact gig.
Review image and text from Record Mirror.
Setlist incomplete. The below review references a song called "When She Comes" or "I Wanna Be There When She Comes" which appears to be a guess at a title based on the lyrics. We currently don't know anything more about this song.
Reviews
Record Mirror, October 18, 1980
THE SOFT BOYS
Hope and Anchor, London
By Penny Ghent
HAVING been an Integral keystone of the acutely embarrassing British Power Pop "movement" of 1978. the Soft Boys now turn their revivallst obsessions forward a few years circa Pink Floyd's 'Relics' through Obscured By Clouds' and produce the usual reaction born out by those revivalist groups who fail to inject anything more than a few milligrams of their own personality; namely "So what?"
A four-piece group comprising (wait for it) lead, rhythm, bass and drums, the Soft Boys will probably deny any revivalist label bestowed upon them but with the vocalist (hate the hairstyle's) nasal slur and the clangy, clean guitar tones, songs such as 'I Wanna Be There When She Comes' surfaced as sheer mimicry. When the band did attempt more uptempo numbers like I Wanna Destroy You' (the new single) the effect was a lot more urgent and meaningful but let down rather by the lyrics which were either completely meaningless or else self-indulgently abstract. I missed the point did I? Sorry, but l don't often have insects crawling out of my skin.
The powerful harmonies used so well on the Mk 1 Soft Boys 'Angle - Poise Lamp' single are still in evidence but on tonight's songs they became automatically dated and the finger points confidently towards the Beatles, even Ronnie Lane on 'When She Comes'. When there are so many new bands around with new ideas and fresh sounds trying to break through, the Soft Boys and their ilk (take a bow Stray Cats and most certainly the NWOBHM) are merely clogging up their paths.
The inhumanly hot and sweaty conditions certainly worked against the band but I guess most of the audience think of themselves as pink animals anyhow, Yeah man. And as to the good points. The sound was great. They went down well, full stop.
Anyone seen the Smirks lately?
THE SOFT BOYS
Hope and Anchor, London
By Penny Ghent
HAVING been an Integral keystone of the acutely embarrassing British Power Pop "movement" of 1978. the Soft Boys now turn their revivallst obsessions forward a few years circa Pink Floyd's 'Relics' through Obscured By Clouds' and produce the usual reaction born out by those revivalist groups who fail to inject anything more than a few milligrams of their own personality; namely "So what?"
A four-piece group comprising (wait for it) lead, rhythm, bass and drums, the Soft Boys will probably deny any revivalist label bestowed upon them but with the vocalist (hate the hairstyle's) nasal slur and the clangy, clean guitar tones, songs such as 'I Wanna Be There When She Comes' surfaced as sheer mimicry. When the band did attempt more uptempo numbers like I Wanna Destroy You' (the new single) the effect was a lot more urgent and meaningful but let down rather by the lyrics which were either completely meaningless or else self-indulgently abstract. I missed the point did I? Sorry, but l don't often have insects crawling out of my skin.
The powerful harmonies used so well on the Mk 1 Soft Boys 'Angle - Poise Lamp' single are still in evidence but on tonight's songs they became automatically dated and the finger points confidently towards the Beatles, even Ronnie Lane on 'When She Comes'. When there are so many new bands around with new ideas and fresh sounds trying to break through, the Soft Boys and their ilk (take a bow Stray Cats and most certainly the NWOBHM) are merely clogging up their paths.
The inhumanly hot and sweaty conditions certainly worked against the band but I guess most of the audience think of themselves as pink animals anyhow, Yeah man. And as to the good points. The sound was great. They went down well, full stop.
Anyone seen the Smirks lately?