The The

Lizz Page 22 August 2024

I feel like it was a once in a lifetime experience on a hot TheThersday night. 10/10 Lizz

At the age of 15 I first heard Mind Bomb by The The and fell in love. It was one of those albums I felt like was just mine, and it was unlikely that anyone else could appreciate it like I could. At 15. Anyway, The The have always been, and still are fucking classy, magnificent and passionate. Such a great band in my mind that I thought it was beyond the realm of possibility that a person could be allowed to enjoy their music played live. So when it was announced that The The were playing the Waterfront it was a dream come true, especially as they are going on to play Alexandra Palace and the Brixton O2 amongst other renowned venues on this tour. I felt like the luckiest girl alive.

The Waterfront was, of course, sold out and boiling hot, to the extent that I couldn't see much of what was happening on stage except for sometimes half of Matt Johnson's face, and trying to get to the bar for some water was impossible. But oh the sound! The sound was just extraordinary. Matt Johnson and his band played with strength, confidence and charisma, the organ and harmonica particularly evocative for me. We got an hour and half of timeless classics like the slinky Dogs of Lust, the jagged Infected and the melancholic Good Morning Beautiful as well as the belters Armageddon Days Are Here (Again), That Uncertain Smile and This Is The Day, to which we danced sweatily and smiled heartily. The audience was happy and a bit overwhelmed that actual Matt Johnson was playing for us right here in Norwich, and he seemed cool, calm and collected, grateful for our gratitude. His voice is something else, as strong as ever, and his lyrics on the biggest human realms of death, love, religion, war and grief ring just as true now as they ever did. We were also treated to new material which was dense and exciting. Thank you The The, for giving Norwich fans a night they never thought they would see - hoping to see you back here one day although I feel like it was a once in a lifetime experience on a hot TheThersday night.

10/10 Lizz