Starry Eyed And Laughing / 100 Club     

LAST TIME I saw S.E.A.L. they were OK, but rather sub-Byrds. This was some months back. When I caught them in action at the venerable 100 Club this week, I was pleasantly surprised – this may be heresy but I’m not sure that even The Byrds performed better good-times stuff.

The show was opened by “Bottleneck Bill, Sonet Recording Star” according to his box of an amp. By all accounts, B.B underwent an extremely nasty accident a while ago, and his hard times are reflected in his torturous and very convincing blues renditions. Sitting some way back from the mike, he created a highly authentic blues sound, just like an ethnic, battered 78 waxing. 

Starry Eyed etc. came on like a breath of fresh air. What a charming, fresh faced bunch of lads. Tony Poole in particular with his golden halo and cherubic expression, bounced around like there were no winter shortages on the way.

The boys in the band must be sickened by now by constant comparisons between them and da Boids. They bring it on their own heads, mind you. Two singers, both of whom sound uncannily like a certain Mr. McGuinn? No lads, you’re lumbered. But they do perform a sizeable amount of self-penned material, e.g. “Living In London Is Driving Me Crazy” (“With special reference to Hampstead,” someone said dourly).

The playing was very springy and exuberant on numbers such as “You Better Stop Now” and that familiar evergreen, “Oh Susannah.” “Money Is No Friend Of Mine” (which I think also has a place on their latest single), got the old acapella treatment and very fine too. Altogether, the music flowed along merrily, the current never let up, and after a bit of hesitation, the band were called back for three encores.

The very last was the most fun. Would you believe, “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere?” with everyone singing along and enjoying it a lot. Anyway, I went in there feeling grotty, and left with a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and so on.

It’s better than Little Liver Pills any day. Try it sometime.