Blimey!

Setlist (I wrote it down):

1. Our Future Your Clutter
2. Strangetown
3. Wolf Kidult Man
4. Slippy Floor
5. Cowboy George
6. I'm Not From Bury
7. I've Been Duped
8. Funnel Of Love
9. Chino Splashback
10. 50 Year Old Man
11. guitar/bass-only instrumental
ENCORE 1:
12. Over! Over!
13. Mr Pharmacist
14. Reformation
ENCORE 2:
15. Psykick Dancehall

On: late-ish (10:25 approx?)
Off: 11:30

After 'Reformation', the band fled and the lights came on. Mass exit began, only for the lights to go off again. Elena shouts 'Is there anybody there?' Band thrash into 'Psykick Dancehall'.

Much of the gig was absurdly distorted, presumably due to Mark's knob twiddling. His voice also had echo effects on it.

Mark on good form, making some comments about the Koko's architecture during 'Wolf Kidult Man'.

The 'unseen knowledge...' lyrics appeared in at least three different songs, as did the words 'Our Future Your Clutter', but the first track is a distinct new song.

The show was loud and scary in some parts, 'professional' in others.

Overall, not sure what to make of it.

Shot various videos which will go on YouTube over the next few days:

>> 2. STRANGETOWN <<
>> 4. SLIPPY FLOOR <<
>> 5. COWBOY GEORGE <<
>> 7. I'VE BEEN DUPED <<
>> 9. CHINO SPLASHBACK <<
>> 10. 50 YEAR OLD MAN <<
>> 11. GUITAR/BASS INSTRUMENTAL (some of it, anyway) <<
>> 14. REFORMATION <<
>> 15. PSYKICK DANCEHALL <<

good report - many thanks

Thought the build up of tension after a delayed start was great, and I really enjoyed the first few songs. I thought the set peaked early on with Slippy Floor which I found incredible. After that the mix of (IMO not-quite-complete) new songs and standards from IWS was good, but didn't hit the same heights. I'm Not from Bury didn't match up to the Hamburg recording, although Chino Splashback was a standout. Reformation was fun and lasted a long time after a mic was spread around the front row and Psykick Dancehall was a very pleasant surprise after we'd all started filtering out.

Really enjoyed it but, having only seen the gruppe in Hackney this time last year, I don't have much to compare it to.

Cracking gig all told, to be honest. :applaud:

DML were excellent-they're only one killer single away from being major stars, if you ask me.

The Fall, featuring the new slimline Kieron (or Gaz, as I call him :D) were by turns vicious and joyous. Highlights were the continually-evolving slab of greatness that is Cowboy George and a killer I've Been Duped. "New Instrumental"/"Your Clutter, Our Future" is a stunner. Eleni and Pete were awesome throughout-the more they turn her up, the better she sounds.

Great to see a host of Fall folkz there-Hi to John, Phil, Mark, Geraldo, Steven, Pete, Shayne+Posse, Max, Michael, Toby and many many more-apologies to all those I've missed.

It's fucking great being a Fall fan, innit? :)

Only 65 mins? Seemed a lot longer to me.
Ears ringing, I've no voice left; highlights 50 YOM, Chino, Bury and much improved Funnel.
Southampton later today. :applaud:

Rare to have my ears ringing after a Fall gig for some reason.

Got off the bus a few stops earlier on the way back to walk in the rain and think of gigs past - tomorrow day is written off.

Had the good sense to buy a box of Stella and cradle it home like a bairn before i went out = fridgeful. Resented paying £3.90 a skull for a CAN in Koko. Sweet Jesus.

Managed to catch Darker My Love and glad i did so.

Tim and Rob will always be immortal in a Fall sense natch, but great to see them in their "real" work. Pretty surprised by the glorious West Coast racket, in a good way. Always had the idea that it was a bit more prog like/dreamscape sounding, but no, better. Particularly loved that number with the tambourine scraped up the fretboard. MES tossed it behind the drums later when The Fall came on. Couple of numbers sounded like ferment era Catherine Wheel. No bad thing. Tim looked like sex-on-a-stick and i don't really go that way. :wub:

The Fall came on about 10.25 and with a time curfew in mind i feared a short set - no worries, it was pretty much as per Stephen's notes.

No D. Spurr at first, he came on with Mark who looked in fine fettle with plenty of smiles and no discernable limp which was really noticable in June.

Not sure if it was amp settings alchemy or purposeful, but there was a great echoey reverb thing going on after Slippy Floor, i think. Lasted to the end of the gig. Bit tired of 50 year old man now, but it really added to it. Bury and Chino not as good as some versions i have heard from other recent gigs but future classics i'm sure. Made a change to hear Pete's guitar for the first time in ages.

Figured it was curfew time when the gruppe trooped off sans Pete and the Eagle. Didn't much care the the noodling wankerey that ensued. I love 'em and all but it didn't seem or sound Fall-like. Whatever that means.

Anyway there was a proper encore of Over! Over! (glad it's back in the set), Mr. P, and Reformation. Tim and Rob watched the whole gig from the wings, Tim having the bollocks to flaunt the smoking laws :applaud:

Thought that was it but, "is there anybody there?" PD sounded a bit flangey and ragged but seems a fixture for a while at least.

Best place to have been in London tonight by a country mile. :applaud: Off now to have a proper drink/smoke in peace and praise be i never lost my love of The Fall.

Maybe the new single will be on my doormat later...Hmm.. may push on 'til dawn and wait for the postman.

Kudos to meet Mark (hanley played) H, and Foxyducker :) Sorry i aged Foxy by 7 years, but at least you have epic hair and take as much care of it as i do my own. :beer:

Great gig!

Kieran keeps getting better and better - never seen a drummer add this much to a gig. I've never been a fan of the Gruppe's version of Funnel, but K simply beat the shit out of it tonight, and it just took off! Pete & Eleni were both on fine form, and for once on top in the mix, at least where I stood. Everyone seemed to really be into it; even Dave was animated (legs further apart than usual, clearly enjoyed himself, great bass sound).

Highlights for me were Slippy Floor, Cowboy George, Chino, Reformation & Dancehall, with Strange Town, Wolf & 50yr not far behind. Interesting use of vocal reverb on Over! Over! - sounded like Mark was doing Tim's parts at times.

Nice to see y'all again, and see most of you again later tonight, I hope.

More new songs, please!

Either Bob's turned into Hagrid from Harry Potter or I've shrunk in the wash?

I forgot about Funnel. That was first played over a year ago. Looking forward to the definitive (studio) version.

Spot on about Kierons drumming, there. Collossal at times, but not in a pomp or overt rock way.

I hope you chided him for not selling the Musicmaster bass to a blighty-Fall-hound. :D

If I learned one thing from last nights gig, never run up some escalators which are not working……

Yet another stunning performance by our gruppe! :applaud:

High point of the night, quite clearly: Eleni diligently reconnecting the mic and throwing it back into the crowd (when Mark had failed to do so earlier). They've got that silly "security zone" there @ das Koko. Loved Mark's microphone "installation", like a tree of tangled mics, constantly re-arranged, then destroyed/dragged about. His new echo-phone sound is fantastic! Eleni had brought two handbags and a carrier bag (from which she produced some gadgetry) again. She was wearing a black skirt with two t-shirts on top of each other. V. charming! The dudes were toe-derly awesome, too, their retro/psychedelic act now perfected (comes complete with guitars strapped to their chests (necks?)). Was my second dudes show (first one feat. Orpheo, though), will definitely go and see them again.

My favourite: 50 Year Old Man. Which everybody seems to 'have gone off' these days. :rant:

The 'rhythm section' an unstoppable juggernaut now.

This one was special.

From London, I'm the unseen.

'Slippy Floor' vid I filmed. Apologies for quality.

Such were the levels of cameraderie and bonhomie in the Victoria that I singularly failed to keep any check on how much London Pride I was drinking. As a result, by the time I'd downed my second or third Guiinness inside the venue I had almost totally lost the capacity for judgement or reason. Frankly, the whole gig was a bit of a blur.

What I would say though, is that I really do fear the MES may have lost the ability to sing with anything approaching clarity. He's never been Frank Sinatra I know, but for the second gig running I had absolutely no idea what any of the words to any of the new songs were. For a lyricist of his undoubted quality, this is a great shame. It wasn't helped last night by the horrendous echo effect that drenched much of the vocals, particularly in the second half of the set.

This reminded me a little of the Astoria gig a couple of years ago which suffered, I felt, from sludgy sound and a distinct lack of light and shade. Now, as then, I'll probably be in the minority.

I enjoyed seeing DML again (I thought they were better than The Fall actually) and it was a pleasure to be in the company of Acton, Mike Bed Dim, Shayne (and Tom Phobic), Mr P, Systematic Pete, Max, Gerardo, Andrew Callsign, Hanley, Toby, Ducky, Snowy, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch.

My mate Simon, who hadn't seen The Fall for five years or so, thought it was absolutely awesome and, given my state of incapacity, is probably a far better judge that me.

Back to the crushing hangover.

Rockin' Rockin'

:thumbsup:

What a great night! Fuck!

Meeting-up-with-mates-hassles meant I couldn't get to the Victoria, when we did meet up a bizarre and personal spat erupted out of nowhere and with one thing and another yesterday by the time the group came on I wasn't really in the mood to do anything except sit, which was obviously out of the question. I doubt even Orbital, or a duel-bass rendition of Winter could have raised my spirits. Weird that.

Almost tempted to drive down to Poole or Southampton to shed the memory.

That's just great. Almost makes up for not being there.

Tell us more. I bet EC started it, didn't he? Did he throw a bottle at you?

No, nothing to do with any FOFers, it was really shocking and bit shit. :(

Oh... sorry.

There were a few idiots throwing beer during the early part of the set. Why do people do that?

Thanks, R.T., re: vid. Many more to follow. Quality varies from fairly bad to truly dire.

To show how rich they are? It is London, after all.

I usually throw cocaine and money.

I like your style Stephen.

I've made a few Hanleyvision vids from last night as well.

They play on my camera alright, but the quality is that dreadful, my posh Vista PV refuses to load them.

No so much a firewall, but more a shitwall.

That's OK, to be honest, EC standing on the sidelines shouting "leave it, he's not worth it" might have improved the atmosphere.

The 'Reformation' clip I shot is so distorted that you will find it painful to listen to. Not sure how much of that was due to the live mix or whether my camera just gave up trying to make sense of recording it.

Incredible, as with Action, DUPED was outstanding, as was 50 year old man, and the guitar/bass-only instrumental was different - hope for more of that sound on the new album.

Atmosphere was fantastic too, cracking night, seemed long than an hour set.

Went with an old time fall fan, who avoided the swerling mosh pit, but he said one of the better Fall performances he'd seen for a time.

Looking forward to the soton gig for more of the same tonight.

this sounds/looks great. is that Tommy Cooper on the backdrop?

I had a shit time at the recent Leeds gig due to getting into a fight with a total twat which utterly ruined my Fall experience, so I sympathise. Nevertheless, onwards and upwards. Whup!

I was once threatened with a stabbing at a Divine Comedy gig in Oxford. True!

Sorry about that, but you did insist on making Father Ted jokes all the way through.

Neil Hannon doesn't take kindly to stage-invaders kissing him.

Waste not, want not! :rant:

My best mate got laid out with one punch from a drunken sailor at a Joboxers gig in Portsmouth in 1983.

God, that sentence just gets worse and worse as it goes along, doesn't it?

Full story, please.

:lol:

Yes.

You can see my woeful out-of-focus attempt at a photo here.

There's not much to tell. They were playing somewhere fairly small like the Zodiac (it must have been a warm-up gig for a festival or something) and the place was totally packed.

I felt someone shoving me in the back, once, twice, three times, and turned round to tick him off. A bad idea. I was expecting to see a typical Divine Comedy fan in a smart suit and a cravate, but what I actually saw was a little rodent-faced youth who'd clearly come along to the gig as a pleasant change from syringing Temazapam into his eyeballs and stealing a police car.

Words were exchanged. A knife was brandished. I let him through. At the bar later, I saw him again and it was evident from his steady gaze that the incident still rankled with him.

Charming. I wonder if he hummed along to 'Songs of Love'.