The South

Two Paul Heaton aficionados. Two Felixstowe Radio colleagues. Two men who probably spend far too much time compiling lists about absolutely anything.

That was me and Neville on a road trip to Norwich to see The South.

Neville and I share a fairly deep appreciation for the songwriting of Paul Heaton, so an evening built around the catalogue of The Beautiful South was always going to appeal.

The journey itself, on a damp Sunday afternoon, quickly descended into lists.

Nev asked for my Top Five childhood crushes.

In no particular order:

Jenny Hanley (Magpie)
Sally James (Tiswas)
Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman)
Joan Collins (Dynasty)
Margaret Thatcher (yes, I know)

After the shock of that final entry, Neville offered his own list. Hanley and James survived the cut, but Debbie Harry, Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt replaced Carter, Collins and Thatcher. I had to agree with his three alternatives. Possibly the three best-looking women ever to sing a song. Am I allowed to say that nowadays?

Eventually we arrived in Norwich, slightly wiser about each other’s questionable taste. Probably mine more than his. We had a rather wonderful meal at a local Turkish restaurant before heading to a somewhat under-filled Epic Studios.

The South are not a stripped-down nostalgia act. They travel with a nine-piece band, recreating the full arrangements that made those Beautiful South records stand out in the first place.

Fronting the group are former Beautiful South members Alison Wheeler and Gaz Birtles. Since original singer Dave Hemingway stepped away in 2016, Gaz has moved forward to share lead vocals with Alison while still picking up the sax when required.

To keep the traditional Beautiful South mix of male voices, trumpeter Gareth John also steps up to handle some vocals before handing things back to Gaz and returning to brass duties.

Behind them sits a tight band of experienced musicians:

Alison Wheeler – vocals
Gaz Birtles – vocals / sax
Gareth John – trumpet / vocals
Phil Barton – guitar
Steve Nutter – bass
Dave Anderson – drums
Karl Brown – percussion
Su Robinson – sax
Andy Price – keyboards

Together they recreate the distinctive, layered sound that made those Beautiful South records such a huge part of British pop in the late eighties and nineties.

As for the gig itself, I will admit I arrived with a degree of apprehension.

These are songs written and delivered by Paul Heaton, and his voice, phrasing and dry delivery are such a huge part of what made The Beautiful South special. The question sitting in the back of my mind was simple. Could anyone else really do these songs justice?

That doubt lasted about thirty seconds.

From the moment the opening song began it was clear that The South understand exactly what these songs need. They do not try to reinvent them, and they certainly do not try to impersonate the originals. Instead they lean into the arrangements and let the songwriting do the work.

The first 45 minute set leaned heavily into the ballads and slower numbers. At times Gaz Birtles seemed to channel a touch of old-school crooner charm. There were moments when he went almost full Sinatra on us, delivering those witty, slightly sardonic lyrics with real warmth.

Alison Wheeler was outstanding throughout the night. Her voice carries the same clarity and strength that Beautiful South fans will remember, and she handled the female vocals effortlessly. On a few songs she also stepped across to take the male parts, which worked surprisingly well and added a fresh dynamic without losing the spirit of the originals.

After the interval the second set shifted gear. The tempo lifted, the brass section kicked in and suddenly the room felt much more like a party. Epic Studios may not have been packed, but the people who were there made up for it. By the closing stretch the crowd were on their feet.

Well, most of them.

I was enthusiastically swaying, which is about as far as my dancing tends to go these days.

Of course the inevitable question always crops up when a band like this takes the stage.

Are The South a tribute act?

That debate will probably rumble on for years. But when several of the musicians on stage were actually part of the original band’s story, it feels less like imitation and more like continuation.

Not a tribute in the usual sense.

More a celebration of a catalogue that still stands up remarkably well.