Just another Wednesday in sleepy Devon for most, but not for anyone crammed into Things Happen Here. For the lucky few who snagged tickets to this sold‑out show for The Bluetones, Dartington briefly stopped being sleepy and became something closer to electric.
The venue, now firmly established as the stop on the South West touring circuit, was heaving long before doors opened. Even the pizza bar had to halt orders to keep up with demand, a sure sign that something special was brewing. The crowd outside buzzed with that unmistakable mix of nostalgia, anticipation, and the thrill of seeing a band who shaped the listening habits of an entire generation.
Colour TV took the stage first, armed with fresh material they were clearly eager to road‑test. A late start and a tight schedule meant their new songs didn’t get the airing they deserved, but the band made up for it with a blistering finale: a ferocious, full‑tilt version of Pavlova.
Sam spun like a dervish, the rest of the band locked in with that polished, punchy energy that’s become their trademark. It was a great set — but you couldn’t help wishing for an airing of the new material. Next time.
The Bluetones stepped out just after 9pm, greeted by a room already running hot. They launched straight into a set blending beloved classics with fresh cuts from Atlas, their latest album — still warm from the oven, as Mark Morriss joked.
Mark was in fine comedic form throughout, riffing on their “stunning fashion choices” (t‑shirts, slacks, trainers), the trials of being an “older band,” and their Fawlty‑esque hotel in Paignton — complete with a magician performing card tricks over dinner. That surreal detour became the perfect setup for ‘Cheap Hotel’.
They glided through a brilliantly balanced set, blending familiar favourites with deeper cuts and fresh material from Atlas. Tracks like ‘Big Problem’ carried a renewed relevance, the latter a reminder that some issues never quite leave the world stage.
‘Marblehead Johnson’ spun the room straight back to the 90s, while ‘Slight Return’ arrived in its full fat form that still held every ounce of its original punch, the harmonies and trademark “whoos” sounding immaculate. Mid‑set, Mark paused to thank Chris Chudley on sound for keeping the night running “smooth and easy,” before the band launched into a tongue‑in‑cheek lounge‑style number performed just for him, complete with improvised vocals and a knowingly silky delivery that had the room grinning.
‘Into the Red’, their irresistibly catchy take on the 2008 US mortgage crash, landed with real bite, and ‘Down at the Reservoir’ shimmered with Beatles‑esque harmonies, accompanied by Mark’s playful jab at the audience for “deserting them in the charts” back when its sister single flopped. They closed the main set with ‘Never Going Nowhere’, before returning for an encore that opened with a mystery track that allegedly charted at #19, followed by the newer ‘Lux Interior’, a jazz‑club‑styled twist on ‘My Way’, and finally ‘If’, which sent the room into a huge, satisfied cheer.
Mark played Things Happen Here solo in 2025, but bringing the full band this time elevated everything, the atmosphere, the sound, the sense of occasion. The room was sweaty, loud, and utterly locked in.
A sold‑out Wednesday night in Dartington, and a band who once ruled the 90s proving they can still command a crowd with ease.
Bravo indeed.
