The Mekons seemed to be having the time of their lives at Johnny Brenda’s, and their good humor and great tunes put us in a similar state of mind.
It was a strong set and a true joy from start to finish, with high points including “Thee Old Trip To Jerusalem” (the history of English socialism distilled into a three-minute pop song, as Jon Langford said), “Millionaire,” “How Many Stars,” “Harar 1883” and a volley of jokes about Mick Jagger between Langford and Sally Timms.
Fond Farewells opened with their own engaging performance (“Home” sounded particularly lovely), and the opportunity to see Megan Reilly was a rare treat.
—M.J. Fine; photos by Chris Sikich
