10 December 2006 (gig)
11 December 2006
Seeing Billy Bragg is a bit like visiting a favourite uncle. You know that he’ll have prepared something special for you, will undoubtedly pull out the shot glasses and a good night will be had by all. Such was the feeling as I entered the newly refurbished Hackney Empire.
The first little gem came in the form of Nizlopi whose brand of acoustic beatbox kept the crowd suitably entertained until Billy showed up brandishing his guitar.
'Alright, how you doing?’ were the first words to drop from his mouth before he strapped on his guitar and got to work. Twenty-five years on Billy looks a little more rounded than he did back in the day but that honest cockney wit has not abandoned him. Still a rebel rouser at heart his spit and sawdust attitude to life is as refreshing as it ever was. With new songs a plenty, old classics and a host of funny stories Billy could now be regarded as a socialist raconteur /musician. The large banner behind Bragg read Hope not Hate Tour 2, Stop the BNP, essentially Billy is still doing what he always did standing up for his beliefs.
'To Have And Have Not’ with its soul consuming 'Just because you’re better than me doesn’t mean that I’m lazy’ lyric soon resounded around the Hackney Empire followed by 'The Saturday Boy’ and 'Must I Paint You A Picture’. New track 'Farm Boy’ was also revealed along with the seemingly welcome news that General Pinochet had died.
Shivers began to traverse the spine as an acoustic version of 'Sexuality’ was welcomed with applause. A Woodie Guthrie number followed and the crowd were asked to choose which cover they would like Billy to play, Bob Dylan or The Carpenters. A mass show of hands announced The Carpenters victors and the rendition complete soon Billy was back on his anti-fascist stance telling us that these gigs were all about recharging the political batteries although never forget 'I'm a punk rocker at heart’. 'Waiting For The Great Leap Forward’ lifted the spirits further and returning for the encore with Nizlopi Billy brought the night to a close with 'A New England’ asking the audience to 'sing it for Kirsty McColl'. A truly majestic night of passionate music and debate. Uncle Billy still rocks.
