Music review: Supergrass, O2 Academy, Glasgow

Supergrass, O2 Academy, Glasgow ****

Maybe it was rescheduling fatigue, maybe it was the lower-than-expected turnout, maybe it was the muddy sound, maybe it was holding something in reserve for the Killers stadium support slot to come, but this latest round of the great Supergrass comeback did not quite have the pzazz of the Barrowland bonanza of early 2020 – a gig to make you weep for the lack of live music in the ensuing 18 months.

And yet, the Supergrass set list never lets you down. Early highlights on this outing included the hep new wave of I’d Like to Know, with baroque'n' roll organ flourishes from Rob Coombes, the heavy glam sound of Diamond Hoo Ha Man, beefed up with fuzz guitar, and the soaring pastoral pop of Moving.

The catchy tearaway rocker Mansize Rooster is typical of their mid-90s imperial phase, when the original trio of Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey swaggered forth with an indecent amount of adolescent personality and pop sophistication. The psychedelic rock-influenced Going Out, meanwhile, is a typical example of an epic Supergrass symphony, seamlessly stitching several song ideas into one sweet suite.

Elsewhere the heavy, driving Richard III, acoustic St Petersberg and low-slung Lou Reedisms of Seen the Light showcased their eclecticism and erudition, while Grace, the joyous Alright and Sun Hits the Sky, with its groovy Moog solo, were all singalong medicine.

In such company, it was quite difficult to save the best until last but the teasing classic rock intro to the hell-for-leather Lenny showed the power trio in full effect, while the Bowiesque strut of Pumping On Your Stereo and pell-mell debut single Caught by the Fuzz were contrasting gems which finally roused the crowd to the reaction they deserved.