While the late Chris Bailey continued to front versions of The Saints on and off, Ed Kuepper left after their third album, 1978's 'Prehistoric Sounds', to pursue other musical endeavours.
Having explored his formative years before with The Aints, by playing live and recording contemporary written material, this is the first time Ed has reclaimed the mantle and presented himself as The Saints.This current project, presented as The Saints '73-'78, is tied to the planning for the upcoming reissue boxset of their seminal debut album, '(I'm) Stranded', which had been considered to commemorate the band's 45th anniversary, and had Bailey not passed in 2022, it's possible he may have been a part of this tour, 50 years on from their beginnings.
Fronted by grunge stalwart Mudhoney's Mark Arm (no stranger to guesting on lead vocals having previously participated in a live reiteration of MC5), his involvement had been suggested by Mark and Ed's mutual acquaintance Dave Butterworth, not coincidentally fronting support band Double Agents – having reconvened after 14 years prompted by his cancer diagnosis.
Barely breaking from an established formula of squealing garage blues, their performance is based on Ryan Tandy's predominant lap steel and Myles Gallagher's drumming, along with Dave on guitar and Mick Stylianou's bass topped off by Kim Walvisch-Bukshteyn's growled vocals and occasional keyboard work suitably filling in the gaps.
Besides Ed on guitar and Mark Arm on vocals (not having even met until rehearsals days before this show), The Saints '73-'78 (presenting the band's early period 1973-78) consist of original drummer Ivor Hay, ex-Bad Seed Mick Harvey on guitar and keys, returning collaborators the Sunnyboys' Peter Oxley on bass and Eamon Dilworth among a three-piece brass section.
Opening with 'This Perfect Day', from the start it's apparent what we are experiencing actually does work. Mark's vocal delivery honours Chris Bailey while not being an exact imitation, and in this context it's understandable how perfect a fit this is.
Early on, Ed is the most physically active member of the band, the others remaining relatively static while their leader is in his own bubble, his idiosyncratic rocking back and forth, controlled energetic playing leading the rest of the band through the intense driving exercises.
The punk ethos of playing hard and fast dominates during the set, but there is greater diversity to be found in these songs passed a cursory listen and immersed in this live context that gradually becomes more apparent as the set goes on.
By the fourth song, 'No Time', Mark lifts the mic away from the stand to pace the stage, and after the horn section joins the band for 'Swing For The Crime', the gnarly groove inspires Peter to start to move about and the band, gradually as a whole, start to loosen up physically.
Between songs Ed quips: "It's only our first show. . . You are guinea pigs," and it almost seems prophetic that Mark nearly comes in early a couple of times during Ed's meandering soloing during 'Story Of Love'.
There is a dark thematic and musical turn with the pairing of 'Brisbane (Security City)' and 'The Prisoner', further demonstrating how suitable a replacement Mark really is. The pop sound of 'Everything's Fine' and Mick's carnival-esque turn on keys with '(I'm) Misunderstood' is another about-face.
Following what Ed calls "some incredibly obscure songs," (which doesn't quite get the cheer he was hoping for) in 'All Time Through Paradise' and 'A Minor Aversion', the band huddle momentarily before launching into '(I'm) Stranded' and then 'Know Your Product' during which some members of the audience lose themselves in the moment within the performances of this doubleheader.
Not discounting what came before, this final run of songs is definitely worth the wait with the lyrics to 'Messin' With The Kid' conveying a fitting sense of autobiography and 'Nights In Venice' simmering before the band brings it to boiling point. The set ends with 'No, Your Product', Ed then asks: "How do you feel now that it's all over?"
During the encore of 'Demolition Girl' and 'River Deep, Mountain High', in the moment, Mark's characterisation of Chris drops away like an actor losing their accent as he sings with his more familiar Mudhoney drawl while Ed is in his element, in a trance, riffing.
At this point, it seems almost like it could all fall part in a second but it doesn't and the band holds together perfectly until the end when Ed tells the audience: "Because we're a new band we don't have any more songs. Thank you, good night."
I can state without doubt that this was a room full of satisfied people without any disappointment, audience and band alike.
