The Wedding Present - The Hit Parade

It’s 1992 and once a month I take a short walk from my office at the University of Teesside’s Students’ Union to Alan Fearnley Records, as I know that he will be the only record shop in Middlesbrough to stock The Wedding Present’s monthly collection of 12 limited edition 7 inch vinyl only singles – collectively known as the Hit Parade. As the singles are limited, I always made sure that I’m there on the day of release so that I didn't miss one!

The year ends with me seeing the band play the Hit Parade live at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Tonight we are in Wolverhampton and The Wedding Present are revisiting their Hit Parade. This is the 8th time I've seen them perform live, and it’s probably one of the best shows of theirs that I can remember.


I felt uncomfortably old before the gig, knowing that I'd be seeing the band perform a bunch of songs that I last saw them play over twenty years ago. That feeling doesn't last long as there's a real joy to tonight's gig, it doesn't feel like an exercise in nostalgia,

As well as the 12 songs form the Hit Parade, there’s a great mix of early (Brassneck), mid (Montreal) and late period (Interstate 5) songs from their repertoire. This is one of the most passionate and exciting incarnations of The Wedding Present. The final two songs are the classic My Favourite Dress and a cover of the Monkees ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday ( a Hit Parade b side), much to the crowd's, and the little Middle Aged Mosh Pit in the middle's , delight.