Paul Weller + Emeli Sande + Miles Kane + Ben Elton: Crisis Benefit Concert – Hammersmith Apollo – 19th December 2012

A timely concert in aid of a very good cause. Ben Elton marches onstage and does a very good job of bigging up the charity before announcing the first act: The Crisis Skylight Band. They start off with some acoustically strummed Christmas songs and carols, before doing two songs which I think are their own: Marley and Take Away The Pain. They are only performing a short set and finish with I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. These are not professional musicians. Indeed, they are all former homeless people who have benefited from the Charity. However, they put in a pretty good performance and give a collective face to those whom the Charity helps.

After a brief interlude featuring more campaigning from Ben Elton, Miles Kane and his band take the stage. Miles and his band are dressed in immaculate threads, but there is a sneaking suspicion that this may be a case of style over substance. Kane’s 60s-inflected pop is perfectly serviceable, but it does seem to lack depth. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a world of difference between some of his material and the likes of McFly.

About four or five songs into the set, Kane announces a new song called You’re Gonna Get It which is a co-write with Paul Weller, and is duly joined by the man himself! There is more energy in this song than in all of those which preceded it put together! Kane seems energised by Weller’s guest spot and proceeds to grab the next song by the scruff of it’s neck and give it a good kicking. Kane’s final song starts well with feedback and a slow heavy riff which speeds up, and then turns into a rather formulaic Small Faces style stomp. Hmmmmm.

Miles Kane is lucky in that by dint of some deft changing of horses in mid-stream he has been able to develop his art by releasing three albums on different labels with The Rascals, The Last Shadow Puppets, and now solo. Many artists are dropped if they don’t make it big with their first album. However, Kane is now at the point in his career where he needs to decide whether he wants to be a serious artist or whether he just wants girls to scream at him. Maybe the Modfather can give him some hints…..

Next up we have Emeli Sande, who seems to have been the victim of gross mis-billing. If this was a charity gig with an eclectic bill her presence would be fine. However, she doesn’t really stand a chance in front of an audience of beered-up blokes chanting WELLAH! WELLAH! WELLAH! The audience reaction isn’t hostile as such, it’s just disinterested and mute. Not surprisingly this impacts on Sande’s performance as she sounds timid rather than soulful. However, by halfway through her set she has regained her mojo and declaims as if she’s standing behind a pulpit somewhere in the deep south.

The moment most people here have been waiting for arrives as Paul Weller takes the stage and rips into an adrenalized From The Floorboards Up from his As Is Now album. Weller is joined by his son Natt for Come On / Let’s Go from the same album before dipping into The Jam’s back catalogue for the first time tonight for Start! Subsequent highlights include That Dangerous Age from Sonic Kicks and Carnation from The Jam’s The Gift album (which celebrated its 30^th anniversary this year!).

Emeli Sande returns to guest on People Get Ready, and Weller reminds us of his current Krautrock leanings with Kling I Klang. Weller doesn’t ignore his past with The Style Council and treats us to My Ever Changing Moods. However, the place erupts when Weller plays Strange Town – causing me to seriously worry for my safety!

The set closes with Echoes Round The Sun, which sees the return of Miles Kane, and Steve Cradock showing off his keyboard skills. Weller and his cohorts leave the stage for only a short while, and return with Bradley Wiggins who rather worringly is wearing a cherry red Gibson 335 around his neck. The band quickly break into That’s Entertainment, and Wiggo shows that he can actually play his 335. It’s probably best not to listen too closely to his rather interesting backing vocals though.

All in all this was a great night. Not just entertainment-wise either. All of the artists donated their fees to Crisis by playing for free. Lovely!