Beans on Toast, Wedgewood Rooms, review: ‘Lyrically brilliant’

Reviewing Beans On Toast conjures up images of a new TV show called Student Masterchef.
Beans on Toast was at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea.Beans on Toast was at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea.
Beans on Toast was at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea.

But no, I'm at the Wedge to witness an alt-folk hero take the stage.

Beans on Toast enters the fray and begins playing instantly, the crowd settling into singalong mode straight away.

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He's joined by a bassist, drummer and keyboard player, and takes the opportunity to put his guitar down and strut around the stage like an under-dressed version of Madness frontman Suggs. 

He's engaging from the word go, and the terrible weather outside is forgotten in favour of a warm and cosy atmosphere. It might be the music, it might be the heating, either way we're all toasty.

Mr Toast leads the crowd in a dance while he touches on subjects such as fracking, politics and, er, drinking.

I spent most of the night wondering who I'd have a drink with given the choice. This is another example of the songwriting that is lyrically brilliant yet so accessible and engaging to the average Joe Bloggs.

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The whole evening had a festival vibe to it, which does make sense as Beans on Toast is something of a Glastonbury favourite. 

As the set draws to a close, the impact of the set’s protest songs and social commentaries means I'm left feeling defiant in the face of corporate greed, and the question on my lips is: how long before the Amazon warehouse is bigger than the Amazon jungle?