In these times of unnerving uncertainty, the regular touring cycle of Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart is a welcome constant. More likely to play Newcastle-under-Lyme than Newcastle upon Tyne, this time around ex-Public Image Ltd bassist and postpunk renaissance man Jah Wobble has chosen the Welsh capital to do his thing.
And an early Saturday evening start at Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach caught out many – only a handful witness the opening low-slung groove earthquake, propelled by a seated Wobble, and dialled-in bandmates. Still, as the momentum gathers the crowd swells, adding to the sense of an impromptu sonic happening, rather than a straightforward gig.
The tone shifts from prog to jazz (which Wobble apologises for), plus movie soundtrack snippets and metal-tinged covers and deep cuts, as the four-piece Invaders Of The Heart rumble through a stellar set. This included a slick run through of the Get Carter theme, and Fleetwood Mac’s Formula One-adjacent banger, The Chain. As a self-proclaimed cinephile, these nuggets are a welcome addition to a wildly varied set.
More close to the catalogue, 1991’s Sinéad O’Connor-assisted Visions Of You sounds utterly hypnotic and fresh. Similarly, a manic and metallic restructuring of PiL’s Socialist, suddenly finds itself smashed into by the classic reggae standard Liquidator, keeping everyone on their toes.
The glorious, cascading, bass-driven lurch of Poptones, from PiL’s seminal Metal Box album is undoubtedly the highlight. Thrillingly preceded by a bracing Shakespeare soliloquy, the reworked classic sounds fresher than ever. (Wobble also notes how, amid the revered silence, the “cultured Celts appreciate the Bard” – unlike the “ignorant English”.)
Not only do the musical delights come thick and fast, so do the self-deprecating anecdotes. Genuinely funny, Wobble’s tales range from life as a pioneer at the punk coalface to warm abuse of his very talented and able colleagues. One story, centred on a hands-free toilet experience, resulting in a smashed cistern at a friend’s Victorian house, emerged as a highlight. Maybe you had to be there. Maybe not.
The significant swathe of latecomers are even treated to a second airing of PiL’s debut single Public Image, performed in a suitably rearranged, dubby majesty. This re-imagining of the classics underpins how Wobble and co appreciate the past while embracing the future. An utterly enjoyable live set from a stone-cold national treasure.
Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Sat 4 Apr
words JAMES W ROBERTS
