I think the last time I saw Super Furry Animals was in a tent, at V festival many moons ago. It's that long since I have visited the V festival!
At that time, the band in crash helmets if I recall correctly, were one of the hardest working outfits in the land, yet our very own home-grown version of the Flaming Lips seem destined to be just that, a hard working band who had reached their capacity audience.
Fast forward 6/7 years or more after the band members have been off to do their own thing such as Gruff Rhys; successful solo ventures and Guto Pryce and his wife Lindsey Leven's outfit Gulp and now the band have reformed for a sold out UK tour and festival appearances (including Glastonbury and a headline slot at the Green Man Festival).
Rest assured the band have returned, healthy, refreshed and full of all the madcap mayhem of the legendary gigs that preceded their hiatus.
Kicking off the tour are three sold out nights in the 1,600 capacity Great Hall of Cardiff University's Students Union and the place is wedged by the time the band took the stage at 8.45 pm, following a gritty opening set from The Magic Numbers.
The evening with Super Furry Animals is actually a joyous 2 hours and 15 minutes worth of greatest hits. Even with the re-issue of Mwng the next day, it's pretty much all the albums getting an airing. Everybody seemed happy up on the stage and the 25 song set really motored with the added attraction of dry ice and laser for added effect.
Gruff brought out the famous helmeted face for the lengthy encore which ended with band in their yeti costumes blasting out 'The Man Don't Give a F*ck'.
A very special gig indeed as I am should everyone will experience a show on this tour. A national treasure, or more music to come, at the moment I don't think anyone knows so, her's looking forward to the same all over again at The Green Man Festival in August!
Pete
SET
(A) Touch Sensitive
(Drawing) Rings Around The World
Do Or Die
Ice Hockey Hair
Demons
Northern Lites
Ymaelodi â'r Ymylon
Y Gwyneb Iau
Nythod Cacwn
Pan Ddaw'r Wawr
Run! Christian, Run!
Hello Sunshine
Hometown Unicorn
Zoom!
Arnofio / Glô in the Dark
Something 4 the Weekend
Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar y Blaned Neifion
Slow Life
Juxtapozed With U
The International Language of Screaming
Golden Retriever
Receptacle For The Respectable
Fire In My Heart
Mountain People
The Man Don't Give a F*ck