Funeral For A Friend
Shepherds Bush Empire, London
23/07/2010

It’s the end of an era for Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend, as tonight’s show marks the imminent departure of guitarist Darran Smith after 9 years in the band. So what better way to celebrate/commiserate than with a rare performance of their debut album ‘Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation’ played from start to finish? 

The excitement is palpable as they take to the stage and launch into ‘Rookie Of The Year’, and it’s like being transported to way back when in 2001 where it all began. Emotions are running high for obvious reasons, with frontman Matt Davies declaring “just because you’re not blood, it doesn’t stop you from being family!” in a notoriously shy Darran’s face, before encouraging the gathered audience to point and shout “GO!” at him to segue into the next song. Highlights include the high octane ‘She Drove Me To Daytime Television’ and ‘Red Is The New Black’, before slowing down to a stripped back performance of ‘Your Revolution Is A Joke’ with only Matt and second guitarist Kris left onstage.

After the dying notes of final album track ‘Novella’, the band return for what can only be described as a ‘greatest hits’ set, kicking off with the soaring ‘Into Oblivion’, before The Blackout singer and fellow Welshman Sean Smith gatecrashes the action on ‘The Art Of American Football’. Fevered moshpits abound, with one overexcited individual hurling himself from the first balcony into the throngs below. All too soon it’s over, with a stage invasion of support acts, friends and family for a pull-at-the-heart strings singalong to ‘History’, with a few tears to boot. No clichéd words of goodbye, but a wave from Darran before embracing his soon to be ex-band members says it all.

Jen Thomas