Fantastic show.

Totally relentless power until Weather Report.

Some sort of Ruckus at the front during Chino, with a couple of people carted out and security running around.

MES on v. good form.

Sound excellent and good venue for gig, notwithstanding whatever bouncers were up to - about 300+ there but venue could hold more - nice to actually see the gruppe due to high stage and ceiling!

65 minutes 2155-2300

OFHC Showcase
Over Over
Hot Cake
Cowboy George
Bury
I bin Duped (long version)
YFOC-Slipppy Floor
Chino Splashback
Wolf Kidult Man
Weather Report
encore: Sparta FC

It is recorded and sounds good - watch out on Dime in a couple of weeks.

I am SO envious! Saw them there in 87 and one of the blokes I went with then, was going to this - his first time to see them since 87 :o
Glad it was so good.

Well done Pete (Bopper) for review and recording.

Well done Tock for lending out the unit as well!!

That was a long round trip for you, so many thanks.

Roll on Frome

:applaud: :applaud: :D

Cheers Hanley, it was worth the trip, especially as it means home fixture in Liverpool hopefully gets my century up, stairs etc. permitting :rolleyes: !

PS didn't anyone else go?

it was a bit flat for me in general. incredibly the vocals were very loud to the point of distortion. Decent venue with a lot of security for some reason. Mark gave his mike to the crowd where a chorus of 'Mark E Smith' ensued but then he could not do Weather Report as he could not find a suitable mike. It was ok like but it didnt generate an exciting atmosphere. I'm seeing them in Brum soon so we'll see how that goes!

Band and MES on top form - they are a powerhouse! (but agree, the atmosphere was kinda flat)

MES all smiles and I even managed a hand shake with him at the end as he was wandering off.

Quite funny that ruckus at the front - people attempting to clamber on stage... much to the dismay of security, but encouragement of MES :lol:

Typically the song I enjoyed most (Duped) is a song I normally like the least. Certain irony to see poor old Pete singing "I've been duped", whilst furiously strumming away... silently.

What an amazing gig. And bloody hilarious as well.

When the group first came on, sans Mark, it took my ears a little while to get used to the sonics and wailing wall of sound that was being made on-stage; it was only until Mark shuffled on, cool as anything, and began to belt out “O.F.Y.C. Showcase” that things started to come together as his low growling voice synchronised perfectly with Eleni’s harsh sci-fi noise, the relentless drum backing and the blasting guitars coming from either side of him.

I’d say the first few songs, as great as they were, were pretty by-the-numbers with MES doing his usual schtick of looking off into the distance, ignoring the crowd. Perhaps he thought we weren’t particularly into it, as there was quite a gap between the front barrier and the people dotted about behind it. That and the ridiculous amount of skin-headed bouncers patrolling the pit, getting in the way of my bloody photos.

It was only until a chaotic performance of “Chino” that I felt everything began to step up a gear. I love this song, it’s one of my favourites off the new album, and so I began to record on camera the whole shebang. Including a load of middle-aged fellas heroically jumping the barrier to try to shake their idol’s hand, only to be met with a face full of floor and a hasty exit courtesy of the aforementioned balding bruisers.

Mark was loving all this. This was the moment when it became truly memorable and Mark became part of the night’s events, rather than being the distant, aloof artiste that he was until this point. He was cracking up, handing out the mic to excited fans allowing them a chance to sing, dragging security guards around by their coats and fondling their shiny bonces and, rather brilliantly, whacking the cap off the head of one security guard who looked like a right little scally; slouched on the stage totally uninterested. He soon learned what The Fall were about when MES kept tapping the top of his head with the microphone and shouting the lyrics directly at him, whilst pointing and grinning, as if to make this young lad look a fool in front of the diehard crowd of fans!

My highlights of the night were:

“Chino” (for the reasons above)

“Wolf Kidult Man”, with Mark stuttering his lyrics on p-p-p-purpose which sounded superb

“I’ve Been Duped” which was extended massively and then ended with Mark and Eleni almost dueting on the keyboard, Mark whacking the keys making sounds reminiscent of the plinky-plonky, wobbly 80’s sci-fi computer effects on “Auto Tech Pilot”

And finally, the encore of “Theme From Sparta F.C.” which rocked and ended the night on a definite high

Mark was on top form, once he’d got into it, laughing, goading the security blokes and getting up to his usual on-stage antics of holding his mic near the speakers, tossing a mic into the drum kit and walking around dragging his microphone stand behind him, which had fallen over and was then returned to its upright position, only for MES to place it back on the floor again. For reasons only he knows.

I took an absolute load of photos and I’ll be uploading them to Flickr shortly (there’s about 100 or more, but I’ll edit them down and choose the best ones, though I reckon I took quite a few nice shots) and I did two videos – the majority of “Chino” including footage of the fan/bouncer fracas (which makes for quite entertaining viewing!) and about the first minute or two of “Sparta F.C.” which I’ll upload to YouTube when I get around to it.

Seeing The Fall is like witnessing true living art. I could sense the nervousness in that room, people there who obviously had no idea what to expect. I know the old Peel quotes sound a bit clichéd now but this gig really showed that with this group you never quite know what you’re going to get, but it’s always fascinating and better than anything else out there, by a million miles.

This is my first post on the forums, after finally being able to post after my application to join the boards had been accepted! Please forgive me for rambling on, I just wanted to express how much I loved that gig and it’s still vividly replaying in my head. Thanks.

(I also met a lovely chap called Jonny, I don’t think he’s a member on here – he was the guy who wore a porkpie hat all through the night, drinking Guinness. We had a good chat for the few hours we spent together before the gig, discussing comic books, people on the dole and teaching primary school kids and I couldn’t have wished to have met a nicer fan. Top bloke)

Here’s a little teaser for you, a few of my own personal favourite photos that I took on the night:









(And one final thing...did anyone hear what I thought to be a remix of “Weather Report” playing during the interval before the encore? Could this remix be a future B-side perhaps??)

^^^ perhaps that was 'Weather Report 1'...?

Great post, Abdominizer. :beer:

Yes, my apologies for rambling on for so long!

I'd actually tried to register on this forum before, but for some reason, the application wasn't processed. So I've used my girlfriend's username to post my review of the gig. I wanted to post my pictures and videos while they were still actually relevant!

I'll be putting the videos I did on YouTube shortly...

I don't see it as rambling, I see it as providing a 'wealth of detail.' B)

I actually lurked here for ages cos I couldn't register on my old computer, it wouldn't send the form accurately. So I know what you mean...

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/...il/article.html

I look forward to more reviews, Abdominizer! :applaud:

Yes great review Abdominizer!

I thought Duped got pretty Sister Ray-like with the atonal keyboards. Not my favourite either but good tonight.

I think Weather Report was only half planned as MES called the band off and the made a split second change of mind before they left the stage so it was pretty ragged. I think he picked up all the set-lists and screwed them up into his pocket too so no record of what they were due to play.

Thanks, guys!

I know for a fact that some lucky so-and-so got the setlist that was by Eleni's feet because they asked the security guard to get it for them. It was a lady who got it, I think for her husband, but can't be sure. So someone definitely has a setlist out there...I was going to ask one of the "league of bald-headed men" to get it for me, but someone else had the same idea! ;)

I'm all a quiver now! I love it when he stutters. I said recently about that gig some were unhappy with, it isn't a painting, but maybe it is really, living art like you say, pure Fall good or bad like someone else rightly said. Nice review :wub:

Well, here are my two videos. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnyIP9MnviQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8p6a10dkzU

And here are my photos on Flickr! I was probably a bit too trigger-happy with the old camera...oh, well.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smthomasson/s...57623873699257/

F'n magic thanks very much The Abdominizer.
Looking forward to Friday at the bush.

My md recording up on dime now. Thanks to Tock

Thanks galore!

This is one of my favourite recordings from recent years in terms of performance and sound.

Burning World

(For those who can't do Dime. I'm not sure of the etiquette of this; if I shouldn't have put this link up, let me know and I'll take it down. I don't know if it's the same recording.)

Bless you, Mr. Cat. I find dime difficult, exclusionary & cliquish. Must be why it's so popular, otherwise, why not MediaFire? :unsure:

Great stuff. Any idea if a recording of the Shepherds Bush set will see the light of day? The extended version of Sparta sounds fascinating, as does Reformation, especially as we weren't treated to that particular song at Keele Uni...

Thanks Aubrey. :beer:

Thank you Mere Pseud :applaud:

Aubs,
Assuming it is my recording without checking, neither Tock and I has a problem with this tho' credit would have been nice from the re-ripper. :rant:

chino - wonderful to see the 'ruckus' from a different angle.

PS: I guess this proves why no man should ever wear trousers with pleats :D

that recording on burning world is excellent. i recommend. the band sound positively beast. the transition from cowboy george to bury is :o

'i hate your fucking guts'.