The Amazons in your local HMV, it is a Thursday afternoon treat for sure!

We are standing between two rows of CDs in the Rock and Pop isles waiting for The Amazons to come out. To our left are two young ladies who have come all the way from Paris especially to see them play here. To our right is guitarist Chris Alderton’s Dad, recalling stories from the band’s early days. It is both a strange and delightful little crowd for a gig.

This really is the ultimate Reading Indie Life gig. Reading’s favourite Indie sons in their own back yard enjoying moments of nostalgia and looking forward to what is next. Matt Thomson is very chatty between songs. He says that whilst it has been great meeting people up and down the country the last week it is wonderful to be back in Reading with the best people on Earth. ‘What a time to be alive in Reading,’ he mutters. A lady in the crowd shouts out, ‘Why’s that?’ ‘Because the club have got new owners and a new Amazons album is out,’ he replies with a cheeky grin. For those not paying attention to football owner Dai Yongge has been causing all sorts of problems with the club. Reading have been docked 18 points across the past three seasons, during which the club have also been under a series of embargoes for defaulted payments. The Amazons, who got together at local secondary school Theale Green are huge supporters of the football team. They played a live set outside the ground only a week ago.

Thomson is on acoustic guitar this afternoon, giving the songs a slightly different sound in places. Alderton and Briggs are still plugged in and there is no drummer. They sound fantastic. The new songs from 21st Century Fiction all shine, confirming it as their best effort to date. We get ‘Night After Night,’ ‘Pitch Black,’ Love Is a Dog from Hell’ and ‘Joe Bought a Gun.’ Thomson recalls how they went to try a gun range during a tour of the United States and what had had been intended as a bit of fun had brought home what an uncomfortably violent experience guns were.

Before ‘In My Mind’ Thomson talks about how they appreciate the way their songs have become the soundtrack to parts of people’s lives and that is where the magic happens. We then get ‘Junk Food Forever’ from their debut EP, nearly 10 years old now. They haven’t played that anywhere else on this record store tour, a treat for the hometown crowd. The 45-minute set comes to a close with ‘Black Magic.’ We could have happily listened to another 45 minutes but for £1 on top of the price of the CD we get to keep forever it has been more than enough. They stick around to sign albums and take photos with fans until everyone who wants to has had the chance. They are a class act, champions of their hometown and the people who live in it.

They are playing the Readipop Fiesta in September at the University before touring, including a gig at The Roundhouse in October.

The Amazons’ New Album: A 21st Century Rock Revival from Reading