Gavin Rossdale: Camden Underworld - Review

a review and a description of the Camden Underworld show on 06-11-08

Rossdale gets back to his roots| Music | This is London
Thrusting himself into the front row, gold guitar in hand and drenched in sweat, Gavin Rossdale was every inch the rock star. And the mixed crowd at Camden Underworld adored him for it; even, in fact especially, the grungy fans that preferred a good old head-banging track to the calmer type.

Thrusting himself into the front row, gold guitar in hand and drenched in sweat, Gavin Rossdale was every inch the rock star. And the mixed crowd at Camden Underworld adored him for it; even, in fact especially, the grungy fans that preferred a good old head-banging track to the calmer type.

It was a little unusual to see said fans proclaim their love for Gavin before resuming the more subdued image but in the heat of the moment they got away with it. The musician’s enthusiasm was infectious.

The more intense the song, the heavier he would play. His band followed with the frontman bashing drum cymbals in between vocals. To say his performance was energetic would be putting it mildly. If the day job ever wears thin, there is definitely scope for a Gavin’s Onstage Workout fitness video.

The 40-year-old is best known as the former lead of Bush, who made it big in America and secured a dedicated British fanbase. Things have changed a lot since the early days. Gavin now has a wife (Gwen Stefani as it happens) and baby to think about and with the alterations come a new, less angry style.

In most good gigs there is a stand out moment; the one that seals the deal. For this show, it was a toss up between the stunning Glycerine and Chemicals Between Us, both Bush numbers.

But this isn’t to say the new material was dismissed. Things look promising as far as the latest album, Wanderlust, is concerned. With time, these records will be better known and have the potential to make the same impact.

This was a big show crammed into its intimate surroundings. ‘This is a hometown gig,’ the Londoner said. ‘I could just walk back to my house.’ He probably didn’t but he did look excited to be getting back to his roots. ‘Bush played at Camden underworld just as we were going up,’ he added. Let’s hope the same will soon be said for the singer’s solo career. No doubt, he deserves it.

Gavin Rossdale: Chemicals between us live

Gavin Rossdale/Bush - Chemicals live@ London 11/06/08
Chemicals between us live at Underworld, Camden

Gavin Rossdale: Glycerine - Underworld

Check out this fan video from a Gavin Rossdale concert @ Underworld, Camden - sounds like they crowd is really familiar with Glycerine - cool one

Gavin Rossdale/Bush - Glycerine live@ London 11/06/08
Gavin Rossdale performs Glycerine @ Underworld, Camden

Gavin Rossdale plays Bush hits in Camden

sounds like London was treated with a great show - set list below

Gavin Rossdale plays Bush hits at London gig | News | NME.COM
Singer performs in UK for first time in years

Gavin Rossdale played his debut UK solo show last night (June 12) at Camden’s Underworld.

London-born Rossdale, who now lives in Los Angeles with wife Gwen Stefani, played a set packed full of hits by his former band Bush, including ‘Swallowed’ and Glycerine’.

Taking to the stage with his band just after 9.20pm (BST) Rossdale, wearing a black shirt and silver chains and basked in a red light, launched straight into Bush song ‘Machine Head’.

Before the second track Gavin nodded and smiled to the gathered crowd asking: “Hello, you alright?”

After playing a few more tracks, which saw the already clearly excited crowd chanting back word-for-word, a now sweat-drenched Rossdale told the crowd: “It’s been too long, it’s real good to see you.”

Then Gavin took off his guitar and pulled the mike off the stand to perform new solo song ‘This Is Happiness’.

Then after another two solo album tracks Rossdale said: “Thank you, I just want to say a special hello to all my friends who came down - all the locals.”

Then the band launched into Bush’s biggest UK hit, ‘Swallowed’, that saw Rossdale show off his guitar skills with the solo near the end.

Before the encore Rossdale said: “I played here with Bush when we were coming up and I love this place.” He then launched into a spine-tingling rendition of his old band’s hit ‘Glycerine’, which received an abundance of cheers.

The band joined him again and after another two songs an obviously touched Rossdale, now drenched head to toe in sweat but still smiling, said: “Thank you so much. We look forward to coming back to play to you in London real soon, if I had my way. But thanks for coming out we appreciate that.”

Gavin Rossdale played:

‘Machinehead’
‘Frontline’
‘Can’t Stop The World’
‘Everything Zen’
‘The Trouble I’m In’
‘This Is Happiness’
‘If Youre Not With Us You’re Against Us’
‘Love Remains The Same’
‘Swallowed’
‘The Chemicals Between Us’
‘Glycerine’
‘When Animals Attack’
‘Comedown’

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