Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S.Media. December 23rd 2011.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The anticipation amongst the near capacity crowd in the o2 Academy was electric. This was a date that had been keenly looked forward to amongst the music lovers of Liverpool since the news had broken that Space were going to reform and play an end of year gig in the city.

Through the smoke and sweat, Tommy Scott, Jamie Murphy, Franny Griffiths, Phil Hartley, Ryan Clarke and Allan Jones came striding out with grins on their faces, a purposeful look in their eyes and a determination to prove once again why this city has missed them and the incredible music they perform.

There are moments of musical importance that happen in Liverpool in which the rest of the country wouldn’t get or understand. However to the people of the city and the satellite towns that makes up Merseyside, the sight of seeing this band get back together is akin to Paul McCartney coming home or Amsterdam announcing a permanent residency alongside Ian McNabb at the Philharmonic Hall. Their value to the city’s musical heritage shouldn’t be understated or ignored and as the first notes Mr. Psycho filled the Academy’s hall proved and the roar from the crowd echoed its approval.

After doing the rounds on local and University radio the last few weeks any thoughts of burnout any of the crowd may have had were quickly dispelled as Tommy and Jamie rolled back the years with their differing vocal styles to go through a set that was both high drama and surreal imagery. This image was completed with the title track from the forthcoming album Attack of the 50 Ft Mutant Kebab. If this little taster of the album is anything to go by then if there is any type of justice in the music world; it will propel the band back to where they belong, back to the top of the musical pile.

The crowd were sent wild all night after song after song, stuffed full of memories were played. With tracks like Avenging Angels, 1 o’ Clock, Begin Again, Female of the Species and a Liddle Biddy Help From Elvis being part of the set list the band couldn’t go wrong.

There was a very touching moment when over the top of heads of the band members was the projected image of the groups original drummer Andy Parle who sadly passed on a couple of years ago. It would have been a night he would have loved to have been part of.

The guys from Space finished off the set that hopefully heralds a new dawn with Neighbourhood. The crowd’s appreciation of what the band had managed to do was as electrifying as the anticipation at the start of the evening. There can be no doubting the appetite and desire to see Space succeed, and if any remaining doubt lingered the band came on stage after the encores to give the audience a final Christmas send off with a reprise of Female of the Species.  It’s rare to see a crowd go that nuts for a song being played twice but it was so gratifying to see.

A gig of epic proportions!

Ian D. Hall