You no longer get a ticket in front of Huxleys. Desperate men are already calling out on the street: “Do you by any chance still have a ticket?” But you’re not here by chance. Paul Weller, modfather and king of British blue-eyed soul, performs in Berlin between a Kik branch and a betting shop.
Two things rankle for this artist, who is very famous and enormously successful in England: In Germany, he still performs in so-called medium-sized clubs. They are full though. But there are no halls. And he has the counting disease like George Michael used to: at every performance in Germany he mentions the position of his last record in the German charts. A little bit higher lately. And Paul Weller, who has made at least four of Britain’s greatest pop records, is proud.
Also, he is 64 years old. And looks like a god. Nobody looks better in a casual sweater. The audience reflects all of Weller’s phases since The Jam, but Fred Perry, striped T-shirts and blousons still predominate. Weller’s program is also heavily eclectic: he has rediscovered the Style Council, just as everyone is rediscovering it. After the pounding “From The Floorboards Up” he plays “My Ever Changing Moods” in one of the most beautiful versions since 1984.
Two drummers – one more of a percussionist – Steve Cradock on guitar, a bassist and a saxophonist and flutist form the incredibly casual band. In the mind’s eye of memory, Mick Talbot is front left as Weller intones “Headstart For Happiness,” one of the Style Council’s earliest and best songs, followed by a bit of “Sonik Kicks” and a new song. Then “Stanley Road” and “All The Pictures On The Wall” by “Wild Wood”: “It only reminds me of it all.”
Then follows the experimental phase with “Fat Pop” and extended instrumental passages before Weller announces “an old piece”. It’s “Shout To The Top”. Beside me, Carsten says: “I bought the maxi single back then.” If there had been maxi singles, I would have bought them from “Above The Clouds” and “Into Tomorrow”, both from Weller’s first, well: solo album from 1992 .Both beautifully arranged.
Now Paul Weller announces another Style Council song: “It’s a Very Deep Sea”. Because that’s the third thing that bothers him: “Confessions Of A Pop Group” was not understood in 1988 (nor was it bought). And he plays this piano ballad again and again. Then comes the perfectly fitting ‘Peacock Suit’, the straightforward ‘Stop!’ by The Jam, the always great ‘The Changingman’ and the dreamy ‘Porcelain Gods’. Closing: “Wild Wood” on acoustic guitar and “You Do Something To Me”. Next to me a couple is cuddling like they did in May.
I would have liked “The Paris Match” and “Long Hot Summer” but you can’t have everything even with Paul Weller.