RED RUM CLUB: LIVERPOOL, UK - 08.11.21
On the 8th of November in their hometown of Liverpool, Red Rum Club graced the stage of the Arts Club Theatre to celebrate the launch of their third studio album, How To Steal The World. After playing Liverpool’s Mountford Hall on their nationwide tour a few weeks prior, in comparison, this show felt much more intimate, and it was an honour to witness such a memorable performance.
As the venue began to fill with enthusiastic fans, the support act Ruby J took the stage. At the age of just 16, her unique voice and passionate guitar playing filled the room. Ruby’s sound is reminiscent of a young dolly Parten which, combined with her mesmerising set of upbeat acoustic originals, left the audience in awe. She ended her set with a cover of the legendary ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High’ written by the Arctic Monkeys. Ruby’s rendition of this song was highly original and incredibly captivating. Her unique spin was certainly placed upon this song, turning a classic into something new.
Before Red Rum Clubs entrance, the crowd sang along to the pre-gig tunes (which included the likes of ‘Chelsea Dagger’ by The Fratellis and ‘Come on Eileen’ by Dexys Midnight Runners) as loud as humanly possible, proving that Liverpool audiences are pure magic. The band hadn’t even stepped foot onto the stage and the energy was already unparalleled. When it comes to live music, no other city does it like Liverpool.
As Red Rum Club made their way onto the stage, the audience erupted with cheers of appreciation and excitement. There is something incredibly special about hometown gigs, especially in a city that has so much pride and patriotism. They opened their set with the title track from the new album, ‘How To Steal The World’, which is certainly a song to dance to. The song, along with the entirety of the album, has a nostalgic feel and paired with a groovy salsa style beat, 70’s disco vibes and feel good lyricism brought a smile to everyone’s face that night. This was followed by ‘Love Me Like You Wanna Be Loved’, another feel-good and light-hearted tune with a sing-along chorus. Vocalist Francis Doran’s tambourine was a perfect addition to this jazzy track and it was so evident how much fun the band was having on stage. Another unheard song played was titled ‘Summer of Another Lover’, which can only be described as a certified bop. The harmonies in this catchy and nostalgic song were fantastic and it features a brilliant trumpet solo from Joe Corby. They also played some old favourites from previous albums such as ‘Ballerino’ and ‘The Elevation’ from The Hollow of Humdrum, their previous album that was released over lockdown. Despite never being able to tour this album, these tracks were evidently well-loved by the audience. Both songs have very high energy, and it turned the arts club theatre into a dance floor that night. Red Rum Club gigs are in essence, one big party.
Halfway through the set Francis Doran began a little speech about the new album. He explained that it was written over lockdown, and it is about looking beyond restrictions and being able to do whatever you want. This felt particularly emotive standing in a room with 500 other people with no social distancing measures.
We are now in that future where we can do whatever we want! He went on to say that the album gets deep at times which was the perfect way to lead into their next song, ‘Come Back, Anna Marie!’ The lyrics of this song are heartbreakingly poetic however it is disguised as an upbeat pop track with the high energy instrumentation.
Francis told the audience that as well as looking beyond, the album is also about looking back and their song ‘Eighteen’ is a perfect example of this. The lyrics “do you ever wish you could wake up eighteen” were particularly hard-hitting and combined with the songs slower tempo and nostalgic melody, creates a poignant feel. The last song of the set was ‘Would You Rather Be Lonely’, which is their most well-known track and fan favourite. The crowd climbed on top of shoulders, sang the lyrics at the top of their lungs, and danced along to the beat. The atmosphere was completely unmatched. Towards the end of the song, they stopped playing their instruments, so all that could be heard were the vocals from the band and from the audience, which was breathtaking. It sent chills down spines and created goosebumps on arms. It was pure magic and the perfect ending to a wonderful evening of smiles, dancing, and fun.