The Cribs @ The Ritz, 05/02/09

The Ritz, as Ryan Jarman points out, is the scene of Johnny Marr’s first gig. About 11 people were in attendance, but 27 years later it is packed to the rafters with Cribs fans. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Johnny adds his trademark jangle to proceedings, a contribution which gels successfully with the sound of his fellow Cribs (he is now a card-carrying member).
The original Jarman brothers rip it up in their usual style, barely pausing for breath between songs in the hour that they’re on stage. The set includes five of the new songs they’ve written with Marr, which maintain the band’s rowdy spirit while adding musical depth. These are quietly but gratefully received. ‘We share the same skies’ includes the recurring line “This town has dragged you down”… sound familiar? It is clear that Johnny has become an integral part of the band as he and Ryan share a moment of guitar intimacy, facing one another as they play the intricate outro to one of the new songs. The rest of the set proves how strong The Cribs’ back catalogue really is, as they enjoy the luxury of cherry picking past classics.

Highlights include 2005’s punchy ‘Hey Scenesters’ and the epic ‘Be Safe’, featuring vocals from Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo (in video form). There’s no messing around, no encore, but judging by the crowd’s rapturous reaction, it’s a shame they didn’t play for just a little longer.

Rating: 4 stars