Paul Weller and The Rifles Brighton Centre Dec 2nd 2006..

This was my first visit to the Brighton Centre since I was 18, that night I saw The Jam bow down and Bow out.That was a long time ago.

I have seen Weller a few times since that, never really Getting into him as much live, liking the CD's he put out on the whole but not really digging the man live, perhaps this gig had the added ingredient that I needed to push me along The Rifles as opening act.

you suddenly relise that you know lots of their tunes

The Centre was filling up fine when the Rifles took to the stage, this is a band that crept onto the scene a while back under rave reviews and have held their own since, a debut CD that is full of classic Pop tunes, tunes that will and have suited many generations British Pop.The band strolled through their set never once putting a foot wrong, each Tune played skillfully and sounding just the same as the recorded stuff, now that spells a gelled band to me, the crowd seemed pleased, and it's funny but you suddenly relise that you know lots of their tunes, ok they has been no massive number one but the songs being so catchy you have heard them a hundred times or more on the radio and the TV..

Eric Clapton Mode really boring

Weller well what can you say, he has proved himself over the past 30 years as one of the UK's best songwriters and performers .Tonight he was in Top Voice and Top form, he seemed the most happy I had ever seen him on stage and mixed Solo tunes with Classic Jam Tracks, a highlight being 'Thick As Thieves' BUT am I the only one who really finds his lapse into Eric Clapton Mode really boring, the way the band start to Jam and throw in endless Guitars solo's, nah I cant be the only one ? and this time we were treated to a Steve Wight Drum solo that went on for ages and ages and zzz zzz, what was all that about then Paul ?

did I tell you about the couple who Stunk of Garlic ?

But that aside I found my self really enjoying being up close to the Man.Forget the woman next to me who was throwing her arms everywhere thinking she was the only one at the gig, forget the Couple who pushed through when Town Called Malice was starting, not seeing me and pushing me all over the place and forget the couple in front of us who Stinked of Garlic, Yeah put all that to the side and myself and My Wife were young Mods again jumping and singing along,Great Stuff , oh and did I tell you about the couple who Stunk of Garlic ? course I did.. Blah Blah Blahhhhhhhhhhhh ...