Torsdag 3 July 2025
Just after playing Glastonbury, Supergrass arrvied in Tønsberg and played a first-rate, animated, joyous set under the high-stretched canvas, sheltering the Foynhagen beer garden from the evening sky, visible only around the edges where the timber stood apart from the covers. They are probably the perfect choice for a warm summer evening by the waters of the fjord where they ease their way into Tønsberg’s harbour. They are out on the road celebrating thirty-odd years of “I Should Coco”. The several hundred-strong audience were of the right age by and large to remember it, and they were on their feet from the get-go, from the intro music. All the numbers from Coco got a loud reception, starting with “I’d Like to Know”. Gaz Coombes held the whole audience on a single note on his guitar between the second and third verses in “Caught by the Fuzz.” He seemed bemused when he greeted the crowd, laughing gently as he thanked them for their immediate sustained applause. “My Norwegian is fucking terrible, so I wish I could say more, but we’re really glad to be here”. From the sound in the enclosure, you’d have thought there were many more people here. It wasn’t just the easy enthusiasm of a summer night fuelled by utepils. Coombes asked if anyone had seen them in Norway in the ‘90s, and a fair few called out. Deeper cuts like “We’re Not Supposed To” and “Sitting Up Straight” got a fan-favourite reception. “Wonderful Tønsberg, it’s our joy and privilege to play this for you this evening”, said Coombes introducing “Sofa (of My Lethargy)”. This longer, more open piece went down a storm. It’s a recent addition to their touring set, and I suspect it is one for the hardcore fans. So, they were in good company down in Tønsberg. “Late In The Day” and “Mary” came early in the set, which made for a good change in dynamics, as the early material otherwise had a relentless quality, the youthful energy of the music still there, despite the thirty years behind it.
They may have been feeding off the audience, or perhaps it was just Danny Goffey’s forceful playing, charging pell-mell through his parts. At times it felt like the wheels might almost come off, on early and later material alike – the time-keeping wasn’t metronomic, but they got away with it partly from the character of the music and partly the low-key setting. Nothing but praise for Mick Quinn on bass, who never missed a beat and held things together, all the while providing backing vocals at a variety of pitches. That said, the sound balance was generally good for such a cut-down setup. The vocals were largely clear and bright, the guitar lines strong. The bowed passages on “Mary” were dirty, full of menace. Rob Coombes’s keyboards were lush and well foregrounded when needed. Coombes’s voice was also in great shape. “Moving” brought in his upper range, high and powerful. The circuit hasn’t taken its toll so far. It also demonstrated the articulation of his lead guitar playing. The solo here and on “Late in the Day” were both well turned out, full of meaning and atmosphere. “I was really getting into that. I didn’t want to stop” said Coombes. I think we all felt a bit like that. It was one of those nights.
“Alright” had the audience singing along in numbers. Not for the first time in the night, there was dancing, not just in odd clusters, but whole lines of people. The soloing here was at the other end of the spectrum, raucous, mischievous, Peter Green at double speed. “Time” brought the set back to its early character, fast, rich in sound, with the sixties ensemble vocals and changes in pace and colour. That’s what we’d had all through. A whole minute’s applause at the end of that, and then “Richard III” arrived with barely a breath in between. Here the pacing was at its best. Energy without total loss of control, and the rhythm was more obviously tight and measured, despite the intensity. You could hear Coombes feeding off the crowd, wringing the notes out of his guitar right up to the end. “Grace” in this live presentation also felt more akin to the earlier stuff. Not for the first time, the crowd spontaneously started to clap during the middle eight. “Thank you very much – we’ve got one more little thing to sing.” This was “Time To Go”, in a very low key arrangement, with Goffey on bass and Quinn on lead guitar. They took the applause well, with the lights raised for a moment.
It was quite a noise that summoned them back for the encore of “Sun Hits the Sky” was eased in, at half-time, which gave Coombes time to thank the crowd. “I’d like to thank you all for coming. We’ve had a great time. Quite a beautiful town you’ve got here.” And then the encore exploded with full choral vocals from the audience. But the band were in no hurry. There was time for an extended keyboard obligato from Rob Coombes in the middle eight, taking the sound down and then building the piece up again to full power. It had been no hit parade. “You know what’s coming”, teased Coombes, sliding his finger up and down across one tone. Yes, it had to be followed, directly, without a breath, by the inevitable “Pumping on Your Stereo” sending us on our way at fever pitch. 5/6
Text: Alex Maines
Photography: Anne-Marie Forker
