"Couple years late, but we made it!" Gaz Coombes was joking to the Webster Hall crowd about the global pandemic delays on Supergrass' first US shows in over a decade. It had now been 14 years since their last NYC show, which was also at Webster Hall, but apart from a few gray hairs they looked and sounded like the same band who declared "We are young!" when they were still teenagers in 1995 and releasing their debut album. It was a fantastic night of hits -- and a few deep cuts -- that haven't aged at all.
Gaz Coombes' voice, in particular, hasn't lost any of its power, still able to hit all the high notes and harmonies in songs like "She's So Loose," "Late in the Day," "Moving," and "Sun Hits the Sky." Supergrass have always been great musicians -- their instantly hummable earworms are sneakily complex -- and they genuinely sounded fantastic. So many highlights at this show, including "Mansize Rooster," "Mary," "Pumping on Your Stereo," "St Petersberg," "Richard III," "Late in the Day" and, of course, "Alright."
Like at Brooklyn Steel the night before, there was a short mid-set break, and they closed the night with their debut single, "Caught by the Fuzz." Gaz said his mother was not happy about that song at the time, as it detailed his run-in with the law at 15, but "it sold shitloads." Drummer Danny Goffey said that song, and all of their US shows, were dedicated to Taylor Hawkins.
Webster Hall was filled with devoted Supergrass superfans, many of whom were sporting new band t-shirts probably purchased the night before at Brooklyn Steel. They sang along the whole show and some mild pogoing broke out during a few songs. Setlist, photos by P Squared, and videos are in this post.
Local band Heaven opened both Webster and Brooklyn Steel with a nice set of shoegazey, psych-inflected indie rock. Pictures from their set are below, as well.
SETLIST: Supergrass @ Webster Hall 5/17/2022 In It for the Money Mansize Rooster Diamond Hoo Ha Man Mary Moving She's So Loose Time Late in the Day Richard III Going Out Sitting Up Straight Coffee in the Pot
(Intermission)
St. Petersburg Seen the Light Grace Alright Pumping on Your Stereo Sun Hits the Sky Lenny
