09 November 2017 (gig)
18 November 2017
Following an almost ten year hiatus, Milburn are truly back up and running. Having announced their return last April with four sold out shows at the 02 Sheffield Academy, the band have been busy touring and writing new material leading to the release of their much anticipated 3rd album, ‘Time’ just a few weeks back
The once indie urchins of Sheffield have matured, and with that so too has their sound. More contemplative and less high tempo than the days of first album ‘Well Well Well’ but still plenty in there for the indie guitar aficionado to feast on
By the time I arrive, the main hall of ULU is already full and the chorus of ‘Milburn, Milburn, Milburn’ is already ringing out. I like ULU, I find it a quirky place. It’s been hosting live gigs for as long as I can remember but it still seems slightly out of place on the music circuit with its canteen area stage right and it’s brightly lit ‘community hall’ bar at the back where the usually rowdy Milburn gig goers form an orderly queue for their pints…… only of course until the band hit the stage and those pints get launched into the middle of the moshing crowd!
The band take the stage and start proceedings with album openers ‘Time’ and ‘Midnight Control’. ‘I bet you were thinking we’d gone soft’ says Joe Carnall with a wry smile having delivered a full throttle performance of ‘Send In The Boys’. The loyal Milburn crowd are in full flow and rolling back the years, crowd surfing and throwing beer at every major riff
The band are tight as usual. Joe himself is relatively quiet, not showing the enthusiasm and charisma from previous Milburn gigs I’ve attended. The rest of the band are always quiet, leaving their music do the talking. Joe Green is mesmerizing on skins and simply an outstanding drummer
The band deliver a beautiful slowed down version of ‘Storm in a Teacup’ and just when you least expect it, they also play their traditional curtain raiser ‘Well Well Well’
The set finishes on a high with an acoustic version of ‘Roll Out The Barrel’ and ending on ‘What You Could Have Won’. ‘London, you’ve got 45 seconds left!’ cries Joe which signals an explosion on the dance floor and the end to another great Milburn gig.
The boys may have matured from their teenage years but they’re still incredibly young and have a huge amount to give. Along with the rest of the Milburn faithful I’m looking forward to it!
