The Skids, The Brook, Southampton, review: ‘A breathless show of pure energy’

It takes something special for me to travel up the road to see a band these days and legendary punk band The Skids were something very special indeed.
The Skids at The Brook, Southampton. Picture: Paul WindsorThe Skids at The Brook, Southampton. Picture: Paul Windsor
The Skids at The Brook, Southampton. Picture: Paul Windsor

 

Last year, they played a storming set at the Isle of Wight Festival quickly followed by a sold-out show at The Wedgewood Rooms. Therefore it’s no surprise The Brook, Southampton, was rammed for this gig.

Opening with Animation, lead singer Richard Jobson thanked the crowd for coming out on a winters night rather than the comfy sofa. I am sure everyone was glad they did for the band put on a breathless show of pure energy that belied their age. 

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Jobson looks fit as a fiddle and still has the passion and the voice intact. Masquerade kicks things off with a break out of dad dancing in the crowd, attempting to emulate his style that we tried to copy after seeing them on Top Of The Pops back in the day.

Needless to say Saints Are Coming gets one of the biggest cheers of the night, with the crowd taking over the vocals whilst the band had a breather. A few isolated cries of Blue Army from the Pompey contingent added to the banter of the evening full of good humour.

But its the classic big hitters Working For The Yankee Dollar and Into the Valley among others that prove why the band are still a big draw these days. Guitarists Bruce Watson and his son Jamie prove they are more than suitable replacements the sadly departed Stuart Adamson.

The band were about to take their final bow when Jobson ordered another rowdy version of Saints Are Coming with the crowd singing into the night. This proved too much much for one Pompey fan who was seen scuttling off to the exit unable to take no more – hilarious.