When Andrew Fearn comes on to plug in his laptop there’s long and held applause which is met with bashful laughter from Fearn. Sleaford Mods have become one of the UK’s most respected and cherished groups by their fan base and for good reason. There’s a very genuine quality to their music which strikes a chord with their fan base. Their biggest critics often come from people who have made their minds up about the duo before giving them a chance. They’re often framed like a set of political anarchists. Yet whilst politics are prevalent in their music, they want to provoke thought, not orchestrate a riot.

The fans celebrate Sleafords for voicing a truth which some feel they would be excluded from expressing. You can turn your head away all you like but there really is no way to ignore the band any more. Genuine passion is in such supply it can be almost shocking to hear, like having ice water thrown on you. With each album they’ve cemented their place and proved their relevance.

When they come on at the Brighton Dome everyone is washed with a first Christmas-style excitement. They are treated as though they are heroes and, if I’m honest, I see them as such. They open with a run of songs from English Tapas, songs like ‘I Feel So Wrong’, ‘Army Nights’ and ‘Just Like We Do’. Jason Williamson sings more and their new songs sound more conventional but still with all the grittiness that makes Sleafords so good.

Taking this into a huge venue like the Dome makes it immediate and exciting. It feels like there’s no wall behind the band and audience. It’s such a vulnerable live set up that when Jason takes to the mic, it’s all the more thrilling because of how fierce his delivery is.

Jason’s at the mic, Andrew’s behind his laptop and, whilst Andrew’s role in a live scenario is less apparent, he certainly is the unsung hero of the band. A common criticism is that the tunes are minimal and so they are, but they are the perfect counterpart to Jason’s vocals. Because it’s simple people think anyone can do it, but they just can’t. It would be totally wrong if there was a live band or even huge lavish sounds coming from the laptop, it’s true to them just as it is and the fact that they’re so genuine is why they’re so adored. Hearing Andrew’s backings fill the Dome whilst he’s casually having a beer is an amusing sight at such a huge gig. He’s grinning from ear to ear throughout the show.

‘TCR’ is what takes the audience into overdrive and the crowd get more enthused. The audience are very friendly; everyone is singing with each other and during the encore hugging each other. Sleafords do ignite a flame in people, their passion is infectious and spreads like wildfire. Jason is very engaging with the audience, taking breaks to speak to the room, he comes across as very excited, often swaying around like a chimp and pulling faces.

It’s often overlooked that they’re actually very funny and their music has a lot of humour in it. It counters the kitchen sink realism in their lyrics and jibes at other people and tend usually to hit the mark. It’s part of what makes Sleafords so endearing, they strike a chord with you. Whilst they set about putting England to rights, they do it with a cheeky smile and a sense of humour.

The setlist tonight is really all you could’ve hoped for. There’s a strong mix of new and old and singles and album tracks. On ‘Fizzy’ Jason takes a moment to apologise for not turning up to a show at The Prince Albert a few years back. He apologised for it the last time they played the Dome too and he’s very genuine. Nobody in the room is holding it against him but he apologises several times and you have to respect that. Between each song the applause is held, and I mean held. When they leave the stage people demand the encore even before Andrew’s walked off. They come back and play ‘Jobseeker’, ‘Tied Up In Nottz’ and ‘Tweet Tweet Tweet’ all of which make the Dome erupt with jumping. At times you can’t hear Jason over the audience singing back at him. He uses the encore as a chance to make his goodbyes, even saying that he wants to move to Brighton “It’s lovely down here”. They exit with Jason addressing the room “Class this, class that, we are all one, we are the Sleaford Mods”. As the Dome files out everyone is clearly buzzing with excitement knowing that they’ve seen a very special group and arguably a bit of music history in the making.

Chris Middleton

Website: sleafordmods.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SleafordModsOfficial
Twitter: twitter.com/sleafordmods