THE RUTLES | LIVE REVIEW

The Globe, Cardiff, Fri 9 May

“We’re not a real band,” says Neil Innes, referring to The Rutles – or The Prefab Four, as they were known back in the day. Those of you who are too young, or were too preoccupied, may not know that the Rutles – Dirk, Stig, Nasty and Barry – were once bigger than God and have a long history that parallels that of The Beatles. I’d forgotten about their importance on the music scene but as soon as Innes picked up his guitar and began to sing, “Hold my hand, yeah, yeah…” I laughed out loud.

The intimacy of The Globe proved to be just the right setting for the pioneers of the ‘Rutland Sound’ on the Cardiff leg of their 2014 tour. The only original members taking part in this venture are Neil Innes (aka Ron Nasty) and drummer John Halsey (aka Barrington Womble or Barry Wom), but it is Innes that the spotlight falls on – without him there would be no Get Up And Go, Piggy In The Middle, or Ouch. The venue was (nearly) packed with people who were obviously fans and knew all the lyrics – although I wish the hecklers would have shut up and stopped drowning out the witty banter from the stage.

The Rutles were created in 1970 by Innes and Eric Idle (Monty Python) as a short sketch in Idle’s UK television comedy series Rutland Weekend Television.  Innes’ songs are more pastiche than parody and were endorsed by the late George Harrison who even had a cameo role in the Rutles’ 1978 film All You Need Is Cash (remade in 2002 as Can’t Buy Me Lunch). Hits, such as Doubleback Alley (a slanted version of Penny Lane) and Good Times Roll (almost Lucy In The Sky…), were interspersed tonight by ‘contractual advertising’ for Fiasco Express, the ‘sponsors’ of the gig.

Innes (formerly of The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band as well) is a mad genius, and The Rutles, for a band who wilfully stretch the definition of ‘realness’, provide very real entertainment. The tour continues around the country until the end of the month – see www.neilinnes.org/live.htm for dates.

words LYNDA NASH