Bemis at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea: 'Here’s to another 30 years of Gareth and Richie' | Review

Tonight is celebrating the 30-year friendship of Gareth Howells and Richie Leo, the duo at the heart of Portsmouth-based folk-rockers Bemis. While the band itself didn’t come into being until 2006, the pair met and began collaborating back in 1993.

For the first half, it’s an hour-long acoustic set of just the two (plus occasional additional harmonies and, erm, ‘ethereal loveliness’ from Bemis bandmate Ian Scarbro) which takes us properly back to their folk roots. They dig deep into the back catalogue, so we get the first song they ever worked on together, Morning Light, and Sisyphus which they haven’t played live for ‘about 15 years’.

There’s an easy-going, freewheeling charm to proceedings, and they’re definitely among friends here – how often do gigs feature a ‘shout-out to my D&D crew’? And the chemistry between the pair, both as friends and musically, is abundantly clear.

As ever, there are a couple of well-chosen covers – Simon and Garfunkel’s The Boxer, complete with the audience on ‘cymbal crashes’, and set closer Bob Dylan’s Masters of War.

After a short break, the full band take to the stage. While Howell’s son Louis – an integral part of the band in recent years – is unable to be here, there are still between five and nine people onstage at any given moment, even a trio of saxophonists at one point, and sees them leaning much more into the ‘rock’ side of their make-up.

Drummer Kayleigh Thomas and bassist Dillon Hughes combine to make an assured rhythm section, while guest Joe Houghton-Gisby joins the band to provide some electric, in every sense, lead guitar for a couple of numbers – particularly on Machismo.

Former drummer Nathan Shervill is brought back for an epic version of The Lines from their second album, Dreams For Sale. A rarely played track, this slow-burner is extended to nigh-on 10 minutes, and it’s a real high point.

Sadly, after nearly two hours of singing and with several songs still to go, Howells voice is starting to show signs of wear, as he quips: ‘Can someone go to the bar and get me a voice?’ However, he struggles gamely on.

People Live On is a live favourite for the band, and Howells poignantly dedicates it here to those we’ve lost too soon: ‘If you can make a difference that's what keeps you alive.’

The finish the main set with the singalong of DNA, before a brace of covers in the encores to finish – Prince’s Starfish and Coffee, which impressively takes in a detour into the Fraggle Rock theme song…

While the trademark harmonies may have taken a bit of a battering by the time they close with Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London, a regular finale for the band, they more than make it through on musicianship and force of personality.

Even after all these years, it would be short-sighted to dismiss Bemis – here’s to another 30 years of Gareth and Richie.