Electric Circus, Edinburgh (30th Oct)

Hug and Pint, Glasgow (31st Oct)

After meeting the inescapably brilliant Dodgy at Mugstock earlier this year, the Mumble Team were delighted to put up the band on their recent tour – the Scottish leg consisted of a gig at Edinburgh’s Electric Circus last Friday, followed by a gig at the Hug & Pint across in Weegieland the next day. The Edinburgh gig was a cracker, by the way, a hugely appreciative audience digging the blend of new & old material, among which is My Mended Heart, a future classic. After the gig, & before they shot off to Mumble Towers for the night, the Dodgy lads very kindly came down to the Safari Lounge on Abbey Hill for a few acoustic numbers – earning their keep so to speak!

Popping back to the ranch the next day, me & my lass were delighted to find the tv had NOT been chucked through the window & the Dodgy lads had indeed, washed-up. After watching the Liverpool-Chelsea game for a bit (the drummer Mathew Priest is a Liverpool fan) the lads headed west towards the next leg of their tour, where Clare Crines takes over…

…With no support band The Dodgy Now tour proved from the outset that they didn’t require one. Dodgy were fantastic live – flinging in some very good Scottish imitations – and had us all belting out the words and pensive lyrics that reflect their social conscience. We were transported to a place in the past. Not that they live there,

‘ If you don’t live now you’ve lost control of your future

And all you’ll have is your past

To remind you of what you have lost.’

The loss of stage crew lighting technician Andy Moore caused Dodgy to reform and they have been gigging since 2007 at festivals up and down the U.K. A short interview with frontman Nigel Clark after the gig revealed his musical influences, an eclectic mix of punk from The Sexpistols, The Clash, Ruts, Dead Kennedy’s, to more hardcore bands like Crass, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and The Who also influenced him and no doubt informed songs of regret such as If your thinking of me which they played early on in their set.

I’m searching for the rights, that I’ve got in my mind

Sympathy and understanding then there is no better time

No one ever shows you how to learn

They’d all stand around and watch you burn

With Mathew Priest on drums and Andy Miller on guitar clearly loving performing again with Nigel Clark they have penned a new album which is untitled as yet following their 2012 album Stand Upright In A Cool Place. This is due for release March 2016. They prefer to play their current songs which sets them apart in a good way from re-formed bands who rely on earlier success. After seeing Dodgy you are guaranteed to be humming the new stuff as well as the classics from the 90’s for weeks to come. Magic!

Reviewer Clare Crines