Gig review: Dodgy

THIS early evening acoustic show in the King Tut’s bar probably wasn’t the best opportunity to assess where Britpop trio Dodgy rank on the shrugometer of public indifference to improbable reformations by ephemerally successful bands. It was free for one thing, tempting in a decent-sized but mixed crowd of singalong fans and casual observers – many of them fuelled into shouty spirits by the unseasonably warm weather and special offer “Dodgy Cocktails” .

One particularly soused group of ladies in the front row typified the noisy but good-natured atmosphere with their assertion that, on the basis of frontman Nigel Clark’s forename, the Londoners must be “posh boys”. “Only people from Glasgow,” retorted drummer Matthew Priest, “could think that we’re posh.” And so went the banter.

In their mid-1990s prime, Dodgy – who split in 2000, and got back together in 2007 – penned more minor hits than they’re given credit for. None of them was done much justice here by wonky drunk-uncles-at-a-wedding harmonies, but the inherent catchiness of Staying Out For the Summer, Making the Most Of and Found You was hard to deny. Dreaded new material – presenting a more mature and down-tempo take on their trademark Beatles-y pop-rock with hippyish lyrical flourishes – proved not that dread-worthy.

Dodgy’s penultimate and best-known number arrived with a confession. “I’m going to let you in on a secret, Glasgow,” Clark whispered over the intro chords, “everybody knows Good Enough, but not everyone knows I was stoned when I wrote it.” It was hard to tell if he was being ironic, but it went down a storm.

MALCOLM JACK