It's a Gig Thing
My Life Story frontman, Jake Shillingford.
My Life Story, Hare and Hounds, Birmingham on 8 June.
Review by David Court
The genre of ‘Brit pop’ – first coined in the early nineties – was an amorphous, all-consuming beast, often used as a lazy categorization for bands that didn’t quite belong in it. ‘My Life Story’ were one such band, unfairly grouped in amongst a whole heap of derivative groups – both a blessing and a curse. However, in the age of identikit musicians, ‘My Life Story’ were a breath of fresh air. Fronted by charismatic frontman Jake Shillingford, they were pop with a baroque edge – never quite meeting the same lengthy success of similar artists such as Neil Hannon’s Divine Comedy, but unique enough to stand out in a crowded genre.
Defined by their whip-smart lyrics and their flamboyant orchestral sound, they achieved six top 40 hits – and after a gap of nearly two decades, their last album, ‘World Citizen’ was released in 2019 to critical acclaim.
Now, midway through a UK tour, ‘My Life Story’ have returned to Birmingham for the first time since the 2017 ‘Star Shaped’ tour which saw them join several other popular BritPop acts from the day, including ‘Space’ and ‘Sleeper’.
Jake after the gig.
The Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath, Birmingham is a small yet intimate venue – where on my first visit to the place I’d seen the similarly eccentric band ‘Barbara’ play to a small yet enthusiastic crowd some months earlier.
Jake is the only remaining member from the original line-up, now a tight knit five piece as opposed to the dozen musicians that often formed the group in the early days. There are no strings here tonight, but there’s barely the need in here – the crowd are in fine form.
The gig is a whistle-stop tour across the history of the band, of course taking a particular delight in alighting on some of the bigger hits. 1997’s ‘King of Kissingdom’ goes down a storm, and Jake is in his element – perhaps as a man in his late fifties not quite as capable as performing the high-kicks he’s known for (and duly immortalized on the bands T-shirt merchandise) but as lively and energetic a front man as he’s ever been.
Jake is an entertaining presence between songs as well, bantering with an audience where the mutual love between both is apparent. As, towards the end of their set, the band launch into a rousing triptych of three of their biggest hits – ‘It’s a Girl Thing’, ‘Strumpet’ and ‘Sparkle’ – there’s barely a soul in the room not singing along, belting out the words – and for a few moments, it feels like we’re all back in the late nineties, not a care in the world.
The set list - signed.
'12 Reasons Why I love her’ – the bombastic ode to the quirks that attract us to our significant other – falls towards the close of the set, and the triumphant response makes it clear that it’s this song that a lot of us are here for. It’s a fist-raising sing-along, and proof that Shillingford is as good as he ever was – and a reminder of how capable a songwriter he was and remains.
Overall, a glorious gig in a perfect venue – big enough for a reasonable crowd, yet small enough to be adequate intimate surroundings for some of the quieter numbers. Proof apparent that there’s a lot of life in ‘My Life Story’ yet…
