The Crypt, Middlesbrough, 11th October 2005

I've moved this thread to the reviews section. Hope I'm not tempting fate after Stoke

i really like the new album BTW.



http://www.ents24.com/web/venue/1927/Middl...Hall_Crypt.html

I'm just going to ring them!

[the phone was dead]

the ticketline link showed 'tickets available soon'

http://www.ents24.com/web/event/1021573/The_Fall.html

fuck it, i'll just show up. hope the fall do...

where's a nice secure place to park?

Yarm!

even yarm can be wild. i remember the indian there was good. a balti place? cobbled streets makes it easier to fall over and fight QED.

It wasn't in the Reviews section - it is now...

can you delete the duplicate below. ta very much

Done

And amended topic title to the Forum style

gracie,

fall forum format eh? whatever next... and the fall band member format being:

The Crypt, Middlesborough e d a b

I've never been to the crypt but i hear it's a pokey hole and probably not the best venue for an 8th night on the trot MES.

sounds like panto season has started early in the Fall gig season. he's behind you! in the balcony! shall we do a big panto style boooooooo and hisssssssss when mes walks on stage? maybe not.

was jimmy saville at the stoke gig?

the A60,
Alphaville

It's gone 10. Any news?

Yeah, come on mate, some of us are staying up all night for this.

no news is good news

Yes. Or alternatively, no news could be bad news.

COME ON!! It's after midnight!! They can't STILL be on!!!

just got back from the gig, and just savouring the evening with a large laphroig. not as big as jcc's. i thought it was a cracking gig. tight as a gnat's chuff. i though the venue was ace. no smoking too. council types. i'll post this, let this whiskey kick in and grab my notebook. salem.

I arrived in time to see the support bands last 2 songs. I arrived too early. My 1st visit ti the Crypt was 23 years ago (that's scary) to see Chelsea and Major Accident. It was pretty empty when I got there but filled up later- maybe about 150. The worst part of the night was waiting for an eternity for JCC to come on with some god awful dance music playing. JCC was brilliant but only did a short set-the last time I saw him he was (undeservedly) canned off but I'd certainly go and see him again after tonight's performance. The Fall appeared almost immediately, started well but ended up going through the motions. MES never spoke and didn't join the band for the encore. The drummer and bass player were excellent, I wasn't too impressed with the other 2. Not a bad gig, but I've seen them a lot better, and JCC took the honours.

After the usual ordeal with night time public transport, I've just got back from my first ever Fall gig. I've waited for ages and I wasn't disappointed. The Fall I'm familar with is the 21st century Fall, from The Unutterable through to Fall Heads Roll. Tonight's set was a mixture of the latest album and the last album. 'Sparta' is an absolute belter, enjoyed by both the band and the audience.

Got there literally 30 seconds before they came onstage. It was crazy to be so close to MES, a true hero who I've seen and heard so much about. I thought the band played really great, particularly in light of MES's usual unpredictable stalking and tinkering, but that's all part of the fun.

I enjoyed the loons at the front of the audience too - two skinheads going wild (wouldn't like to meet them in a dark alley, but they were having a hell of a laugh tonight) and a tall gadgie going even wilder. I think their crazy dancing and provocative Fall-worship had MES sneering down his nose at them, the guitarist frowning at them, and Elenor almost laughing. The audience was a good mix of long term fans and curious youngters. It felt good.

Great night, for me anyway. I'm too tired to write anymore. MES didn't come out for an echore, but who cares? I didn't expect him too. And on a final note, how nice is his wife? I fancy her.

set list

the cd you hold in yr hand
clasp hands
sparta
aspen
what about us
mountain
p. joint
wrong place / grass grow
that quiet track near the end of the lp track 12? the one before or after breaking the rules
touch sensitive
blindness


encore


open the box (smith doesnt come back) left to the bassist to do the 'open the box' etc

ok, theres the hard facts out the way.

all songs were tight, smith was in control, on time and excelent on keys!

very little amp tampering, he turned ben's guitar completely off on the last track and gave us an 'and this day' type keyboard segment working his way off stage. gesturing a trombone(?) to spen on his way - an alternative cut across the neck gesture?

pissing it down outside, which is probably not good. i do NOT recommend the hairy lemon pub, i should have known better really, and a nutter came over and insisted 'i drank my bottle of dog' from a pint glass an not from the bottle. after telling me he was a bare knuckle fighter from belfast and was completely hammered I made a long descision to pour my drink into his used pint glass he insisted i used. the bar man came over and he introduced me, i made my excuses and fucked off over the road to the aptly named crypt.

cracking venue. sparse crowd, the venue will be hosting aled jones v shortly! i read aled's tour posted and noted he never played more than four consequetive nights on his extensive uk tour taking in skeggy and other venues.

john cooper clarke was very good.

there was a big queue at the gents, came out and the cd you hold in your hands was belting out. i was told smith had necked a bottle of whiskey that afternoon and was chilling all evening prior to the gig. whatever happened in stoke it was not in evidence tonight. i am critical sometimes, but tonight i thought they were sharp and focused - all members 10/10.

i looked for the dragon t shirt but didnt see one. a very enjoyable gig. good crowd, good venue, a strange city center and my car was there when i came out.

Up The Fall, see you in Leeds.

So they played Early Days of Channel Fuhrer ? The one with references to coffee and snow and stuff ? Wow !

bear wiv me ("my best is yet to come") i'll go and get the cd out of my car and confirm the track

yep, early days of channel fuhrer

i havent heard em do breaking the rules live yet. a couple of gadgies jumped on the stage and snaffled the set list and i'm sure they'll appear on the tinternet to confirm.

have you noticed the 'intelligent' advert for Yarm hotels at the bottom of this thread! ha ha ha.

i followed a car over the moors back tonght and they turned off in Wrelton. I did wonder if they'd been to the gig as i got lost and ended up on the 'redkerr' road. pea soup over the top, leaping frogs and one pour dead sheep lying neatly in parallel to the edge of the road before the lion inn. i did enjoy that gig tonight. good night.

If you saw them do Walk Like A Man during 2004, you've seen them doing Breaking The Rules with different words

Thanks for confirming - that just leaves Trust In Me as the only track not done live yet off FHR - I suspect this one may have to wait for the US tour for the guest vocalists to be available.

Of course, I'm sure Dougie James could be persuaded to learn the lines

i saw walk like a man a couple of times, Oldham is sharp in my mind. mes' sisters were there, yes, the painter of hey luciani cover. not the bossy one. that was a good single. i wonder if smith gets worked up about dan brown like he did CHRIS CARTER! if i have another big whiskey, no i'd better shut up. listen to doc shanley on levitate. CHRIS CARTER! probably the red rag to a bull equiv.

http://www.chriscarter.co.uk/

dont think its this one. i sit on the fence where throbbing gristle are concerned...

anyway, i'm turning this fall lp off now and gonna listen to the new Silver Jews LP

good morning

Any chance of hearing the gig, Pike? (he asks in hope...)

i only recorded it with my pen and notepad. soz.

That's OK. What's the sound quality like?