Tommy Guerrero, The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
- Written by Jono Coote
Last night, I should have been laid up in a hospital bed filled with painkillers; a spot of non-major surgery still requires enough tranquilising for you to be expected to stay in overnight for observation. However much this may seem like a sensible procedure, sometimes you’ve just gotta split. I worked out the pros and cons and realised that seeing a skateboarding legend and his band playing at my local was very much one of these splitting occasions, so after some sweet talking of the medical team I was let loose with an arm full of metal and pocket full of painkillers to see Tommy Guerrero at the Brudenell.
I walked in to find the crew already filling out the place, with skateboards scattered throughout the bar room and smoking area giving a hint as to who would be turning out tonight. The laid back vibe is something only possible when the Universities are closed for holidays, with the lack of students giving me some welcome room to manoueuvre in an oversized cast. Not managing to catch the support act is an unfortunate byproduct of my earlier surgical activities, but I am in time for a quick smoke and a visit to the bar before the headline band hit the stage. The sun has been shining, everyone (bar me) has been skating or blazing in Hyde Park and the music which is drawn out tonight is the perfect match to this. Bluesy funk instrumentals with the occasional foray into Latin, hard rock or Morricone-esque Western licks create a soundscape in which it is hypnotically easy to lose yourself.
The music is much like the Guerrero’s skating itself; loose and relaxed, but with an underlying tightness that is necessary both to cruise those S.F. hills and to hold a jam together and keep it from sprawling. One of these is held in the legs and brain of the slim, goateed man on stage with his guitar. The other is a responsibility divided between the whole band and one that they step to admirably, a combination of talent and probably hours of rehearsal time ensuring that wherever the music turns, they are always on top of it. A clear enjoyment of what they are doing obviously helps facilitate this, with Tommy clearly at ease and chatting with the crowd between songs.
One moment in particular catches my ear, as he espouses living each day as hard as possible, ignoring a sedentary lifestyle in favour of ‘hammering yourself into the ground’ – it is aimed at those older audience members who haven’t slowed down, but for those younger skaters like myself who have been recently mangled by four wheels, a plank of wood and a whole lot of concrete it is still a rousing call. Many songs sound familiar - snatches having been used in numerous skate videos - while others are completely new to me, but both are played with a flair which leaves the crowd shouting for more when they leave the stage. An encore, another Red Stripe and a pizza finish my night off nicely as my body starts feeling the effects of the day. It’s not often that you can finish a day spent in surgery smiling and stoked, but Tommy Guerrero, his band and the Yorkshire crew rolling deep managed it with style!