The third time in Portsmouth for this underrated Scottish indie band, and the second night in a row for this particular reviewer.  Having played to a virtually full Mean Fiddler the previous evening, you would have expected Arab Strap to be disappointed to visit Portsmouth and find a Wedgewood Rooms barely a third full on a Thursday night.  After a solid performance from Eva, and a much-talked-over acoustic self-indulgence from The James Orr Complex, Arab Strap take to the stage surprisingly full of themselves and in good spirits.

Apologising for their last, abrupt performance in Portsmouth (apparently due to a "tiff" between vocalist Aidan Moffat and guitarist Malcolm Middleton), Arab Strap seemed to react positively to the small crowd, playing as if they had something to prove following their last gig down this way.  Working their way through some nineteen songs, mostly lifted mostly from their fine new album 'Monday At The Hug & Pint', Arab Strap seemed more at ease when compared to the previous night's gig, sounding more coherent, better mixed, and with better musicianship.  Perhaps they are still easing into this European tour, but on tonight's evidence, this will be their most well received set of gigs to date.

Enhanced by a trumpeter and a modest two-piece string section, some of Arab Strap's early tunes such as 'Blood' and the classic 'Here We Go' were given welcome rearrangements.  By far the best songs tonight were the latest tunes from the new album.  'Fucking Little Bastards' was as dramatic and loud as the recorded version promised, recent single 'The Shy Retirer' sounded as crisp and original as its vinyl counterpart, and 'Serenade' has the potential to be the best Arab Strap single so far, with its clever key changes, poetic lyrics and thoughtful string arrangement.

Perhaps the only shortcoming of this gig was the lack of material from 2001's 'The Red Thread', by far their best album.  Only 'Scenery' got an outing, but the absence of occasional singer Adele Bethel prevented several classic Strap tunes from being played anyway.  The night ended up feeling like a secret gig, with the small audience creating an intimate atmosphere that suited the music.  The nice touch of allowing the crowd to request acoustic renditions during the final encore added to the cosy feel of a private music club.  Having seen Arab Strap five times now (including The Reading Festival) this was the best of the lot, down here at the other end of the British Isles to where the band originate from.

Review: Andrew Morrison
(This review also appears at Arab Strap's official website ArabStrap.co.uk.)