The Hoosiers - Are A ok with me

***1/2

Catchy evening of Indie Pop

The Hoosiers *** 1/2 In case you were wondering a “Hoosier’ is a native of  Indiana in the good old US of A, which is where band The Hoosiers were first formed back in 2003, in 2007 they released their debut album ‘The Trick to Life’. Almost ten years to the day they are in Bath performing it in its entirety. This seems to have become quite a feature of bands in the last few years, especially revisiting classic albums.

‘The Trick to Life’ was certainly their most acclaimed album and a mixed crowd of current students who may vaguely recall the songs and hardcore fans make up a pretty full venue. For those of you familiar with the album, I am sure you know what song they kicked off with, but it was on everybody knew and got the crowd going from the start, following a volley of glitter cannons, ‘Worried about Ray’. Probably one of their best known songs and Irwin Sparkes their lead singer certainly had some help singing the chorus. 

I know they have to play the whole album and it is traditional to do it in the order it first appeared but it was odd to hear their biggest hit ‘Goodbye Mr A’ just  three songs later. We are so used to bands leaving the hits to the end now it somehow seemed a bit out of place. But whenever in the set it was performed it was also going to get yet another sing along going and certainly didn’t disappoint in this regard.

The other singles from the ‘The Trick to Life, Cops and Robbers’ and ‘Worst case Scenario’ of course also got appreciation from the crowd. Unfortunately, to date, they have not managed to replicate the success of their first two singles and while the atmosphere remained good and everybody was enjoying it, it was also clear that many in the crowd did know any beyond that initial duo which did create some noticeable chatting noise over the top at times.

 
They are a very good live band and I hope that this resurrection of such a loved album starts to build them up to where they belong to be again. With a sense of fun from the crowd banter to the monochrome outfits they wear. There was even a moment when the crowd had their lighters in the air during an acoustic number, amazed that security didn’t have a fit these days.

The set finished with a great cover of ‘We didn’t start the Fire’ and a rapturous jamming session. It would have been nice somehow for their own hits to have been saved though, perhaps these album playbacks can be a bit more lax, play all the songs but in an order fitting a more traditional set.  

Review by Jon Cooper and Photo's by Steve Owen (Icarus Photography)

Check Out! the Video for 'Goodbye Mr. A' Below...