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The Waterboys
Friday 9pm
 Watch the performance.
Hard to believe, but this is the first time The Waterboys have played at Cambridge. They rise to the occasion with a set largely drawn from their Fisherman's Blues era, the apotheosis of their beguiling blend of rock and folk that won them legions of fans in the late 80s.
Kicking off with When Ye Go Away, a highlight from aforesaid album, it's obvious that head Boy Mike Scott is clearly enjoying his reunion with fiddle maestro Steve Wickham. Wickham, of course, was instrumental in moving Scott away from stadium rock and into what may be referred to as his Irish phase.
And I must say it's fairly enjoyable from the audience's point of view. There's clearly many here for whom The Waterboys provided an easy access point to all things folk and acoustic. This notion is reinforced by the cheers greeting such Fisherman's Blues era classics as Strange Boat, nicely augmented by tasteful Hammond flourishes.
I must also take my hat off, put my hand on heart and admit that yes, I did miss the boys playing Fisherman's Blues, as many of you have pointed out my previous review was innacurate. Having been urgently called away from my vatange point, I managed to return just as they finished with Saints and Angels. And damn, am I sorry. So, to all you people who e-mailed pointing out my gross stupidity, I can only say that I have since sacked myself and am currently taking the matter to a tribunal...
We did get a couple of songs from Scott's sadly underrated 1994 solo album Bring Em All In, which gain appreciative applause, but nothing approaching that which greets the opening chords of Sweet Thing. Scott, an avowed fan of Van Morrison who shares many of the old grumpy geezer's New Age tendencies if not his demeanour, practically makes this song his own.
A solid set, showing that Scott has lost none of his characteristic honesty and sincerity, but perhaps not what was expected by a festival crowd lusting for some of the transcendent magic of the glory days of 87.
Mick Fitzsimmons
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What's this about not playing Fishermans Blues ? the previous reviewer obviously went to the bar before that (excellent) tune!
Neil, Cambridge
Mike Scott and the Waterboys were magic. It was particularly good when he got the interfering cameras out of the way and got on with the music and the crowd. It was mature and inspiring music and reached out. Great tight band.
"A professional who gave a quality performance" says my friend Tracy. So enough of this it wasn't transcendent guff - it was.
Rick, Cherry Hinton
Bizarre review of the Waterboys at Cambridge... implies that the band didn't play Fisherman's Blues, yet they did, straight after "Sweet Thing" which the reviewer enthuses about! Was he so taken with the boys' fantastic rendering of the Van Morrison classic that he fell asleep before FB started??! It is a nice relaxing song, definitely, but one to fall asleep to? Clearly the reel at the end didn't wake him up!! :-)
Sean Miller, Glastonbury
You can say what you like about the Waterboys: I thought Mike Scott was a pretentious poser. How dare he have a go at the man who was trying to film his act - presumably he knew the festival was being televised and bigger stars than him put up with it. It wasn't intrusive at all! Then he made that big show about going over to the keyboards and playing a simple five finger exercise that my nephew (aged 8) would find pathetically easy! What a poser! Entertaining though - we were right at the front because my husband wanted to see Tarouk de Haidouks and thought the Waterboys might be worth a watch.
Chris Murray, Cannock
Err, was the reviewer watching the same Waterboys set as I was? Until seeing Mr Scott in action, I always felt that he was slightly arrogant, but after sitting thought this I have changed my mind. I have never seen such a load of egotistical twaddle in my life. Music stretched to Deep Purple length for solos, especially the piano bits. It was well noted by my wife that he was the only artist that did not help out with the setting up of the stage and had a helper to hold his guitar before showing off his piano skills.
This was the most awful concert experience of life, and this from somebody who has seen various 80’s heavy metal acts in his time.
Tim, Dudley
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