Dutch Uncles - O2 Academy, Liverpool, 1/12/2013

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 14 / 12 / 2013

intro

At the O2 Academy in Liverpool Dixie Ernill watches indie pop act My Life Story play a barnstorming set on their twentieth anniversary tour

Being heckled by an ex-girlfriend in the crowd may put some performers off their stride, but not Jake Shilligford, the irrepressible front-man of the recently resurfaced Brit Pop chancers, My Life Story. It may be a cold Sunday night in Liverpool at the end of a first UK tour for nearly a decade and a half, but Shillingford hasn’t lost any of his charm, and, on the back of a barnstorming opening couplet of 'Sparkle' and 'The King of Kissingdom', the playful teases from the aforementioned young lady are merely a momentary distraction to a stunning review of the band’s back catalogue. The line-up may be without their live ‘orchestra’, which makes their London show later in the month such a wonderful prospect, but Toni Krause’s keyboard still brings 'Sparkle' in particular to life in the tight surroundings of this venue. Like the Brilliant Corners’ track 'Why Do You Have to Go Out with Him, When You Could Go Out with Me?', 'If You Can’t Live Without Me Then Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?' has the goods to match such a provocative title and, rather fortuitously played after the heckling incident, leads into the band indulging us and Shillingford with a couple of old Exileinside (a two album project he embarked on after My Life Story called it a day at the tail end of the 90’s) tracks that have a darker Suede-like feel to them. 'Marianne' is especially worthy of inclusion in the set. 'Motorcade' races by before a crowd sing along to 'Strumpet' and 'It’s a Girl Thing# bring a short, but enjoyable, set to a close. Shillingford returns for a touching rendition of 'You Can’t Uneat the Apple' with just piano backing from Toni before the rest of the band come back for a riotous finale of '12 Reasons Why (I Love Her)'. On this showing My Life Story is clearly not over.

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