You know that I'm a massive
Sleeper fan. The second time I saw Sleeper, they had signed on to open up for
Elvis Costello
on an eight US tour.
According to my ticket stub, with taxes and fees, it was slightly over
$30 to see about a 30-minute set from my then-favorite British band.
Sleeper at Mod Lang flyer (1996)
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I had a really fun time in Berkeley that August 30th, 1996. I
distinctively remember heading over to my favorite Britpop shop, Mod
Lang, early to meet and get autographs for my Sleeper singles and
vinyls. I was possibly the first person in line, now that I think about
it.
From my poor memory, there were only about ten or so Sleeper fans and
some fans got back in line to get more items signed. Louise, Jon, Andy,
and Diid, they were more than happy to signed
everything though
(in fact, if I had known, I would have brought my entire discography for
them to sign). The look on their faces, it felt like they were
surprised anyone showed up at all. I know the band was big in the UK
(appearing on various magazines and weeklies), but in America, it was a
struggle for them to crack the US market.
Anyway, according to various flyers, the meet & greet was at 3:30pm, and their stage appearance was 9pm.
I might have also mentioned that I've regretted the fact that we left
Costello's set mid-way. I was with friends, and they wanted to leave...
so I blame them!
What's interesting to note is that by 1995-1996, Costello was a huge
Britpop fan. He had various artists like Lush and Sleeper covering his
songs (and in fact, Costello returned the favor to Sleeper by covering
their song "What Do I Do Now?")
While obviously many Britpop bands failed to transition to the modern
age, Costello proved that he's more than just a fad. He's still
actively recording music and playing live shows... with an upcoming US
tour. Pump it up, when you don't even need it!
03/01/15 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
03/03/15 Lincoln, NE Rococo Theatre
03/05/15 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater
03/06/15 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
03/07/15 Springfield, MO Gillioz Theatre
03/09/15 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
03/10/15 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
03/12/15 New Orleans, LA The Civic Theatre
03/13/15 Mobile, AL Saenger Theatre
03/14/15 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
03/16/15 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
03/17/15 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center
03/18/15 Fort Lauderdale, FL Broward Center
04/26/15 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Here is a review of the Sleeper set, originally published by
Consumeable. The website is no longer online, so this is for archival
purpose. It is written by one of my friends, and having re-read it, I
had forgotten that Louise Wener was barefoot on stage! We had pretty
bad seats, that's all I can remember.
Sleeper, Greek Theatre, U.C.Berkeley - Robin Lapid
originally published on Consumeable
It's a shame that the British press continues to slag off Sleeper
for music that's often described as rehashed and banal. The truth is,
the British quartet's female-fronted pop group does not make innovative
or even original music - but with acts like Bush and Hootie and the
Blowfish on the American airwaves, this isn't necessarily the most
heinous crime). However, Sleeper does put out tuneful songs with enough
good hooks and catchy refrains to warrant them consideration as a fun
listen and a potentially enlivening night out. And in an era where
male-dominated groups still domineer the music charts, singer-guitarist
Louise Wener's sexually potent and politically incisive lyrics add zest
to the scene. As the opening act for Elvis Costello and the Attractions'
current U.S. tour, however, some of the band's more appealing live
qualities may have gotten lost in obscurity. The largely thirtysomething
crowd filtering in throughout the set seemed more in need of a fix to
get off their high of seeing Sting a couple of weeks ago than to test
drive the latest indie music hopefuls.
Sleeper do not necessarily make easy-listening music. Sure, there
are some by-the-book pop riffs and the occasional backing horns which
lend a respectable gravitas to their repertoire. But underneath the
bouncy, grooving sounds lurk spiky rhythms and a sardonic sense of
musical self-control. During a half-hour set to an anxious crowd of
Elvis followers, Sleeper delivered songs from their debut release Smart
as well as their recent domestic release The It Girl. Backed by
the laudable musicianship of lead guitarist Jon Stewart, bassist Diid
Osman, and drummer Andy MaClure, Wener pens songs which find their own
niche within the female-fronted indie scene. Edgier than Velocity Girl
yet more refined than Elastica's bare-bones pop, raspy-voiced Wener
sings the lives and loves of modern life a la Blur lyricist Damon
Albarn. But this time it's from the perspective of a clever woman who
makes no bones about the state of female sexuality rather than from a
clever man who obsesses over the fears of a numbing patriarchy gone
awry.
Barefoot and clad in figure-hugging jeans and t-shirt, Wener bounced
around a bit and delivered the band's friendlier pop numbers but
managed to sprinkle in the odd tune that bespoke their more sinister
side, not just in the lyrics but in the music itself. The closing song,
"Alice In Vain," demonstrates this perfectly. It's a hard-driving tune
which languishes in the rhythmic stupor of the displaced heroine ("Oh
ah, such a pity/ She's not even pretty").
This is the type of music best suited for the typical "indie" scene,
with an intimate mass huddled together, jumping about within the dim
confines of a dingy club. As an opening band at an outdoor ampitheatre
filled with couples and families huddled under blankets and packed
dinners, it's an entirely different mood. Elvis Costello fans clapped
graciously while waiting for a musician who certainly excels in his own
right. Though satisfying, Sleeper's set was a deceptive one, providing
pleasant pop but with some of its fangs removed.
Greek Theatre, Berkeley (30 Aug 1996) 
