STONE FOUNDATION| LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Thurs 26 Oct
If the medium is the message then the message is undoubtedly feelgood soul when it comes to Stone Foundation. This Midlands-based eight-piece have been steadily gaining a grassroots following that has resulted in pure people power pushing their last album Street Rituals into the top 25 of the UK album charts, despite limited radio play and indifference from the music business. Thankfully Paul Weller knew a good thing when he heard it, taking the band down to his Black Barn Studios to produce the album.
The Stone Foundation sound has a distinct soul pedigree with infusions of jazz and blues – think Style Council meets Dexy’s and you’ll not be far off. The last time they came to Cardiff was two years ago, to a much smaller but loyal crowd; the audience was a lot fuller at this Globe gig, with many people curious about the Weller connection judging by the number of feather cuts in the room. Stone Foundation are used to packing out gigs and were due to play the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London the following night – even so, this was no warmup for them.
Vocalist Neil Jones was determined to deliver, encouraging the crowd to get involved at every opportunity. By the second half of this 90-minute gig the crowd were sold on their infectious grooves and their uplifting message, with songs such as Love Uprising and Season Of Change. Like their soul forefathers of the 70s, there is a deeper lyrical content here, and this is probably why the band attract artists such as William Bell and Bettye Lavette to perform on their records.
An enthusiastic encore of singles Beverley, Tracing Paper and a cover of Ann Peebles’ Tear Your Playhouse Down sealed the deal for those who had come to find out what all the fuss was about. Stone Foundation have something to say – let’s just hope Wales were listening, because next time they are in town it might just be a little harder to grab a ticket.
words CLAIRE MAHONEY photos SARAH MORRIS