Crowdsurfing, Geordie Propaganda and free pints are just a few words to describe this gig.
Turn the Page, the opening track on debut album Original Pirate Material, and appropriately for this show too, sees Skinner make his first appearance in the crowd. Followed by security, who I’m sure weren’t quite expecting the job they had on their hands throughout the set, Skinner runs through the crowd creating a mosh pit. The crowd's energy is only increased with the next song; Who’s Got the Bag, released as a single lockdown about the initial 21st June ‘freedom’ date. Skinner actually claims this song was banned by radio 1 due to its profanity surrounding the government. However, Newcastle didn’t feel that same hostility towards the song; it was belted around the venue as though we were taken back to the time we were released from the first lockdown.
Don’t Mug Yourself, Skinner’s opportunity to show off his storytelling skills, transitions into Could Well Be in, preparing the crowd with two iconic songs representative of 2000s British culture for the ultimate Streets song; Has it Come to This? The dance track had us all shouting “Original Pirate Material, you’re listening to The Streets, lock down your aeriel,” perhaps the most memorable lyric of their entire discography.
While the middle of the set did arguably lack the same energy of the beginning, possibly the absence of Greentea Peng’s verse in I Wish You Loved You as Much as You Loved Him had something to do with this, support act Master Peace’s reappearance on his featured song Wrong Answers Only was undeniably one of the best moments throughout the set, including, of course, more of Skinner’s crowd surfing.
On The Edge of a Cliff sees Skinner standing on a man's shoulders in the middle of the crowd throughout the duration of the song frequently shouting “get this man a two pint cup!” providing yet more, iconic Skinner entertainment.
The energy is soon picked up again with Troubled Waters, one of two songs played from the latest album, and Weak Become Heroes, both dance tracks getting the crowd moving again, giving Streets frequent collaborator Kevin Mark Trailer his chance to shine. Skinner also performs Fred Agains, Mike (Desert Island Duvet), which he collaborated on, hyping up the crowd for the highlight of the show.
If you ask anyone to name a Streets song, the majority of people would say Fit But You Know It from the sophomore album, and the live performance certainly did not disappoint.
The encore sees the crowd come together in a way I never have before. Skinner, noticing the rowdiness of the largely male crowd, encourages the ‘women to show them how to crowd surf,’ and they don’t miss this opportunity to do so. The amount of crowdsurfing during Blinded by the Lights again saw security leap into action, dragging people over the barrier. However, despite the amount of security involvement and the rowdy crowd, Skinner somehow managed to bring together a crowd that felt undeniably safe. Although we were all from such different demographics, we were all together, just safely breaking the rules at that gig.
Dry Your Eyes, their only UK no1 single, sees us once again unite as an audience, as we revel in Skinner’s heartbreak. Take Me As I Am, Skinner’s most ambitious electronic dance song, is the perfect way to conclude the set, leaving the audience on a high.
Skinner took his final moments on stage as an opportunity to remind us of what makes Newcastle “Lucozade, windscreen wipers and Greggs.” Clearly, he had done his Geordie research, as many of us were unaware that Lucozade and windscreen wipers originated here. Not only are the Streets’ gigs an opportunity to enjoy their music with full crowd engagement from Skinner, but they are also apparently a history lesson.
We all know Mike Skinner, and we all knew what to expect from this gig, but nothing can quite prepare you for just how impressive Skinner’s crowd engagement is. I’ve never seen a crowd of such a wildly unique demographic come together in that way; setting its apart from other gigs, making it truly one of the most enjoyable performances ever.