April 27, 1999

Glasgow Barrowlands

[B]Jason Perry[/B] scans his audience and counts fewer than five full rows of moshers before him. A poor thing, indeed, when you're as loud as a building site and your mission is to make the kids j

Oh, the self-doubt. A's lead shouter Jason Perry scans his audience and counts fewer than five full rows of moshers before him. A poor thing, indeed, when you're as loud as a building site and your mission is to make the kids jump in time.

It's a shame because from the Beach Boys-gone-bonkers harmonising of new single 'Old Folks' ("they die in December time") to the 'sophisticated' (ie, token slowie) set-closer 'Jason's Addiction', A offer harmless, infectious fun.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, but if your moshers don't mosh, then you've achieved nowt. Playing as many chords as is humanly possible in as short a time may require impressive dexterity, but it's the melodic hooks of songs like 'No 1' that deserve to charm the kids tonight.

Looking like a bunch of trendy janitors decked out in regulation all-white they have the top tunes and sardonic humour to charm many an Offspring fan. Hell, they even have a bassist with the requisite number of tattoos and a stupid beard.

Who knows? It could well be enough to give them a hit before the end of summer. Maybe then Perry will finally stop worrying.