The Park Series: Ocean Colour Scene
Hitchin Priory, Hitchin - 18/07/25
The Park Series: Hitchin
After a huge weekend of concerts on East Brighton Park back in May, The Park Series has now arrived on the grounds of Hitchin's Priory hotel ready to bring some of the country's greatest musicians to Hertfordshire. James Bay will be headlining a pop filled Saturday, joined by a stacked line-up, before 'Soul on Sunday' sees the likes of Gabrielle, Soul II Soul and Heather Small take to the priory. However it was the Britpop brilliance of Ocean Colour Scene who kicked this year's series off Friday night, joined by the electrifying talents of The Twang and Alex Francis, as well as the legendary Peter Doherty.
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene walked onto the Hitchin Priory stage to a rapturous welcome, which would only get louder as they kicked into their set opener 'The Circle'. This timeless classic set the tone for a night brimming with nostalgia, energy and effortless musicianship. It has only been a few months since I had the pleasure of reviewing the band's Cambridge tour show, which in itself was a prime example of high-level musicality. However, it only took one song on Friday to realise that everything about this night just felt that little bit bigger. Steve Cradock's guitar riffs felt more anthemic, Oscar Harrison's drums were hit that little bit harder, Ray Meade's basslines were that little bit slicker, whilst Simon Fowler's powerful vocals soared through the open-air setting. The musical excellence unfolding was more than appreciated by the Hitchin faithful, who would raise their energy with every song that passed.
Stellar songs like 'One for the Road' and 'July' filled the early portion of the set, with every chorus being belted back with the kind of devotion that comes from three decades of connection between band and fans. One song flowed into the next in a tight succession, with the band letting their music do the talking. That was until the rousing singalong that would unfold at the end of 'Profit in Peace'. The song's peace-driven anti-war refrain carried a striking power, which is arguably more relevant now than when the words were first penned. The Hitchin crowd felt the weight of its message, chanting every word like a declaration of defiance against the current global climate. This prompted Fowler to step back in appreciation, letting the crowd sing the song out, before showing his gratitude to the audience.
The set unfolded with trademark precision, as the band's four core members bounced off one another with effortless chemistry, backed up by the keys and harmonica work of Steve Craddock's son and the percussion of Oscar Harrison’s son Leon. The open-air warmth of the venue beneath the summer sky only heightened the infectious energy of the night, with the audience fully immersed in every chorus and instrumental flourish. It was the instrumentals, in particular, that began to stand out as the set progressed, with Go to Sea and Get Away offering each musician the space to showcase the full extent of their artistry.
The high energy of these songs soon gave way to a hush across the Priory when Simon Fowler stepped onto the stage alone, acoustic guitar in hand, for a beautifully tender rendition of “Robin Hood.” For a track that began life as a B-side, the reaction it elicits at every show is remarkable, and Friday night in Hitchin was no exception. Thousands of voices joined in, transforming the quiet ballad into a communal, heartfelt moment, amongst them Peter Doherty, who rushed to the side of the stage to witness the performance.
When the dust settled on that special moment, the rest of Ocean Colour Scene would rejoin Fowler on stage ready to reignite the energy once more for the closing chapter of the set.
'The Riverboat Song' arrived like a tidal wave, made all the more special by a playful nod to Oasis with a snippet of 'Live Forever' closing the song out, before 'Better Day' and 'Get Blown Away' kept spirits soaring. By the time the final trio of 'Travellers Tune', 'Hundred Mile High City', and the iconic 'The Day We Caught the Train' rolled around, Hitchin Priory was in full voice. The closing singalong to 'The Day We Caught the Train' was euphoric, a reminder of why Ocean Colour Scene remain such a vital live act, not that one was needed given the hour of musical excellence that had preceded it. They not only soundtrack an era of nostalgic brilliance with their ’90s anthems, but their lyrics still resonate with a weight and relevance every bit as strong thirty years on as when they were first written.
Peter Doherty
Friday night's special guest was none other than The Libertines and Babyshamble's frontman, Peter Doherty, who also releases the most incredible solo music, shown on his most recent record 'Felt Better Alive', which came out earlier this year. The last time I saw Doherty live was a couple of months before the album's release, and it was clear then how special a record this would be. However, with the songs now out in the world, and Doherty having had months to perfect them live, they have reached whole new levels of brilliance, reinforced more so by Peter being joined on stage by a deeply talented live band.
Stepping on to the stage with a tongue-in-cheek welcome of "I've waited my whole life to say this. Hello Hitchin!", Peter Doherty instantly set the scene for a set that showcased his sharp wit as much as his musical prowess. It was quite rightly the newer offerings that filled the majority of the evening's performance. Doherty swaggered his way through each one, hat tipped, commanding the stage with a cane in hand, dancing and twisting it like a seasoned showman. However, there was still plenty of time for Doherty's other solo hits like 'Last of the English Roses' to take centre stage, as well as a sprinkling of Babyshambles brilliance from the likes of 'Killamangiro' and 'Albion'.
For those unfamiliar with Peter Doherty's solo work, the absence of any songs by The Libertines may have come as a surprise. However, for a man whose songwriting often mirrors poetry, there are far too many great solo tracks that would otherwise never get the platform they so rightly deserve. Although a handful of covers throughout the set, including, rather surprisingly, a cover of headliners Ocean Colour Scene's 'Robin Hood' and a set closing performance of 'Panic' by The Smiths, meant there really was something for everyone in this headline-worthy set.
The Twang
The Park Series' second act were British indie-scene mainstays The Twang, who, as they enter their third decade, are still as fresh sounding as ever. Their set was almost going to be very different, with drummer Ash Sheehan's flight only landing at Heathrow 2 hours minutes before The Twang were set to take to the stage, with Sheehan only arriving on to the Priory 10 minutes before stage time. Despite this, he, and the rest of the band, stormed the stage with a raw brand of indie that got the ever-growing crowd well warmed up.
Despite having not released new music for a fair few years now, The Twang showcased exactly why so many of their late-noughties hits, like 'Either Way' and 'Barney Rubble', have stood the test of time, backed up by a sprinkling of the band's releases from throughout the 2010s. Their 2017 cover of Bran Van 3000's 'Drinking in L.A.' was extremely well-received by the crowd, who made sure to fill the Priory's grounds early for the four-piece.
Whilst many bands from the indie sleaze era of music have either faded away or become more nostalgia acts, The Twang seem as good as they ever have been. The impressive performance highlighted not just how The Twang's musical ability has stood the test of time, but also just how much the band still enjoy playing these tracks live. Their enthusiasm on stage was infectious, elevating the energy of the night as we headed towards the headliners.
Alex Francis
The evening was kicked off by Alex Francis and his incredible live band, bringing a genre-blending set that combined the very best of indie, folk, pop and rock into a half-hour slot, all brought together by Alex's soulful vocals. With a deep, and largely underrated, discography under his belt, Francis had plenty of feel-good songs to call upon, with tracks like 2019's 'Desire' and most recent release 'We Beat as One' sounding perfect in the summer sun. There was even time for a cover of Hall & Oates' 'Everytime You Go Away' for good measure. However, it was Alex Francis' unreleased track 'Don't Let Me Go' which was the set's highlight, showcasing the exciting future he has ahead of him. The live performance was an absolute joy to watch, and whether it be on a festival stage or a future headline show, I cannot reccomend enough checking out Alex Francis and his band live.
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