Live Review: The Wildhearts at Manuscript Bar, Ostend

A rejuvenated Wildhearts wrapped up a rare but welcome European jaunt with an intimate gig in the vibrant seaside Belgium city of Ostend. With its abundance of restaurants, cafe’s, a casino, shopping and some simply stunning views, Ostend is well worth a weekend visit.

As per usual when in a foreign environment we arrived at the venue early to confirm guest list and get an overall lay of the land. On walking into the Manuscript bar I was amazed at the main rooms size and capacity, a mere one hundred and twenty. It was really tight inside with a small stage in the left-hand corner and one well-stocked bar. The bands smiley bones emblem was proudly hanging in its usual place behind Ritch Battersby’s impressive drumkit and Gingers spotted scarf was draped over the central microphone stand. To give you an idea on the length and breadth inside The Manuscript I could walk from one side of the room to the other in less than three seconds. My journalistic eye immediately spotted the familiar stamp of Danny McCormack ensconced at the end of the bar drinking a bottle of chocolate milk and chatting with fans while signing anything put in front of him. “We’ve hit the big time Guy,” he said while laughing with his hand outstretched. There aren’t many more welcoming musicians than Danny and he genuinely seems to be relishing being back in his first love, The Wildhearts. Duncan is busy setting up and after a quick hello he merely says “the sounds great in here” and he’s off into the to do what he does best. We leave DM to his chocolate milk and roll-up’s and head off into the Ostend night to grab some delicious local chips and mayo. On returning just before seven-thirty we find Danny’s still sitting at the bar with the owner, an absolute gent called Glenn who still can’t believe he managed to book one of his all-time favourite bands to play his humble hostelry. He further explained that he’d come to England a couple of years previously to see the band play at the Koko (in London) and that he himself also used to play in Marky Ramone’s band as the evening got more surreal with every passing conversation. By eight ‘o’clock the Manuscript is packed with a mixture of curious locals, a few Brits and some salivating Belgique rock fans. We take our place against the wall to the side of the stage and watch as the band walk through the crowd from the upstairs dressing room and climb onto the stage. It may have been the draft Stellas or having that, no work tomorrow, luxury but I can’t remember enjoying a Wildhearts gig more than this one and there’s been a few. Being able to see the band at such close quarters was just a mind-blowing privilege. The nights set-list didn’t differ much from previous gigs on the tour with the mighty ‘Diagnosis’ rightly keeping its place as the inflammatory set opener.

The song just keeps growing on me with each listen and the same can be said for the second song of the night ‘Let ‘Em Go’. ‘I Wanna Go’ is bellowed back (by me and Angelina mainly) before a booming ‘Sick Of Drugs’. CJ and Ginger harmonise beautifully in time across the board as ‘Mindslide’, ‘Caffeine Bomb’ and a heroic ‘Red Light, Green Light’ keep up the gigs blistering and unrelenting pace. ‘Anthem’ with Danny on lead vocals is always a liver shaking highlight as is just witnessing DM sharing a stage with Ginger, Ritch and CJ once more. Ritch’s thunderous drumming on ‘Vanilla Radio’ crash around the room and I suddenly catch sight of the owner Glenn, his disbelieving red face is decorated by a beaming smile with his arms in the air dancing behind the bar completely and utterly lost in the moment. It turns into a live blur from there on and as the encores whizz by I just fall in love with going to gigs all over again.