Goodbye Mr MacKenzie / Rescue Rooms / Nottingham
I have to declare a personal interest on this one…. You see, I’ve been waiting a long long time to see Goodbye Mr MacKenzie again. In fact I’ve been humming along for weeks to the Sinead O’Connor classic Nothing Compares to You, with my own (dreadful) lyrics going round in my head…. “It’s been 141 days and 33 years, since you took your love away”. I was a big fan back in the day, and I last saw the band live on 6 May 1989 at Trent Polytechnic Student’s Union, which ironically is only a couple of hundred yards away from the Rescue Rooms.
Former in Edinburgh, and consisting of Martin Metcalfe (lead vocals), John Duncan (guitar), Fin Wilson (bass guitar), Shirley Manson (keyboards & backing vocals), Rona Scobie (keyboards & backing vocals) and Derek Kelly (drum) Goodbye Mr MacKenzie released their debut single Death of a Salesman in 1984. But they rose to fame in 1986 with the release of the single The Rattler and a string of hits followed by Goodbye Mr MacKenzie and Open Your Arms (1988), and Goodwill City (1989). 1989 also saw the release of their commercially most successful album “Good Deeds and Dirty Rags”. They went on to record four studio albums.
The band split in 1993 with Martin Metcalfe, John Duncan, Shirley Manson and Fin Wilson going on to form Angelfish. Manson left in 1994 to join Garbage and they played their last live show together in 1995.
In 2019 Martin Metcalfe announced the band was re-forming for a string of Scottish shows. They’ve overcome some significant hurdles, with Rona Scobie not having played keyboards for 20 years and Big John’s diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. Martin has said how in awe he has been of John’s ability to overcome the issues this has caused, and re-learn his guitar parts. A documentary about their reunion was made called “Until the End of the Road” and it’s well worth a watch.
So this one for me was personal, and I was kind of scared. I keep thinking about writing an article on the top ten most influential albums for me and without a doubt “Good Deeds and Dirty Rags” is definitely in the top three and to this day, I still slip on my 1989 first issue vinyl copy for a spin. I’ve wanted to see them again for so long, what if it’s disappointing ? It could tarnish my memories, of what are, quite frankly an amazing band.
As the lights dimmed, Big John Duncan walked out onto the stage, followed by Jim Brady, now added to the line up on guitar. The crowd erupted in applause as he took his seat on the stage, before Martin Metcalfe and the other band members joined him on stage. As well as Jim, they are now joined by Tippi Hedron on vocals. Martin strikes a formidable figure on stage in long dress coat and hat pulled low over his eyes as they opened with the lively 1988 single (and fan favourite) Open Your Arms. Immediately, I felt 21 again ! The delivery was spot on and it really got the crowd into the mood. This is followed by Hard (from their final album “Five” 1994) before another classic fave in the form of His Masters Voice rages out at us. Jim and Tippi feel so natural in the lineup, and in particular the addition of a second guitar gives the tracks added depth.
We get a particularly in your face brawny rendition of Love Chid before we dip back into “Good Deeds and Dirty Rags” for You Generous Thing You. Next up is Sick Baby from 1991’2 “Hammer and Tongs” which is brilliant. Talking to a few of the other fans on the night, and reading comments online afterwards, everyone LOVED the way this one was presented.
The hits just kept on coming with the classics Green Turn Red and Deacon Brodie next up. Martin is in fine form by now, owning the stage, hat and sunglasses off so we can see the Michael Stipe-esque (R.E.M.) black eye make-up as he sits on the edge giving the show an air of intimacy, before climbing down on to the security barrier get right close and personal with the fans. Tippi took the vocal lead for Normal Boy
Climbing back on to the stage Martin takes a break from vocal duties, and hands the reigns to Big John Duncan, for The Way I Walk much to the enjoyment of the crowd, who give him yet another huge round of applause.
As the main set comes to a close we enjoy Now We Are Married (from Hammer and Tongs 1991) before a duo of majesty in the form of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie and their seminal hit The Rattler (both from Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989) involving more climbing down and singing with the crowd, shaking hands and kisses.
Clearly with John’s mobility limited the band don’t exit the stage waiting for the usual clamours to return. Martin handles it so beautifully, simply advising the crowd that most bands go off and wait etc…. “But we’re no ordinary band…. We want an encore from you !” I’m strke by the sensitivity of it. Immediately we dive headlong into raucous deliveries of Blacker Than Black (from 1991’s “Hammer and Tongs”) before we finish off with a lively and audience participation of perhaps my favourite MacKenzies track Goodwill City.
And that was it, as the band filed off the stage smiling and waving, leaving Martin and John on stage. There was one last surprise as Martin launched into a solo vocal (abbreviated) version of The Rattler encouraging the crowd to join in, and we all enthusiastically and very badly in my case !) shouted the lyrics back at him. It was a beautiful moment.
So…… the 6 million dollar question, did they deliver or was it a flop ? I would love to have heard Dust, Niagara and/or Amsterdam but you can’t have everything, and what we got was outstanding….. Martin Metcalfe’s vocals were just as powerful as ever, the musical skills were second to none and the show built and built in intensity to a dramatic and loud crescendo.
Everyone is different; for me it was a wonderful trip down my own memory lane, but it was far far more than just that. What struck me most as I drove home was that the songs were just as good, as relevant today as they had been in the late 80’s. It sounds vibrant and joyous.
This short run of shows has come to an end, but I so hope this is not the end of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie. I’d love to see them again, and I’d love to hear some new material too real soon….. (please). I just cannot recommend it enough as a live experience. Simply put, still Scotland’s finest and there’s some pretty bloody good competition !
Set List
Open Your Arms (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
Hard (Five 1994)
His Masters Voice (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
Love Child (Hammer and Tongs 1991)
You Generous Thing You (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
Sick Baby (Hammer and Tongs 1991)
Green Turn Red (Fish Heads and Tails 1989)
Deacon Brodie (Fish Heads and Tails 1989)
Normal Boy (Five 1994)
The Way I Walk (The Way I Walk EP 1994)
Now We Are Married (Hammer and Tongs 1991)
Goodbye Mr MacKenzie (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
The Rattler (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
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Blacker Than Black (Hammer and Tongs 1991)
Goodwill City (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags 1989)
In support we were introduced to local band Young Decades, who are a self-producing band from Leicester, who only former 2 years ago and started live shows in 2021. As well as performing they also promote shows in the area helping to build a thriving local scene and have seen interest from BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, as well as Amazing Radio, and featuring in BT Sport’s UEFA coverage. Since forming, they have released 10 singles and the Let You Down EP, perhaps the pick of the bunch being their latest release She Needs the Pain.
Mixing guitar & bass with keys and laptop electronics, they create a wonderful pop-rock sound with a surprisingly full sound.
The set started with the 2020 single Islands which reminded me a little as it started, of The Slow Readers Club (no bad thing at all lol). I really liked how the drums on this one sonically take centre stage and are real clear, setting a great beat for the rest of the track with guitar and keys layered on to add depth. She Needs the Pain is a real highlight – with subtle verses allowing the vocals to do the work before building to a powerful chorus section with energetic pop keyboard stabbing riffs. Great stuff. They ended the set with the 2021 single Sinner which has a real catchy instrumental, almost anthemic section in the middle.
I have to say, considering how recently they got together, Young Decades felt much more mature, with a more developed sound. I really enjoyed the set and was tapping away to every song. A most enjoyable way to start the proceedings.
Set List
Islands
Good As Gold
No Sleep
She Needs The Pain
Man On Mars
Sinner
