An audience tape of middling quality. Sounds like it was recorded at the back of a very large room. Guitar and drums dominate - Smiths vocals are audible if a little distant. There are some whoops and hollers from the audience but no obvious chatter. There is a dull reverb sound to the overall soundscape which detracts.
The first date of a month long tour of the US and Canada. It starts with the first live outing of M5 which suffers from phrasing difficulties from Mark but offers a good first indication of the potential power of this Fall staple.
A lively version of "Ladybird" is followed by a moody "Lost in Music". Hanley is mostly inaudible - a dull burr under the scratchy Scanlon rhythm. Inter-song spoken word tapes are in evidence.
I am assuming K Burns played on this gig although there is some evidence he was sacked at some point in the tour there is however some clear double drum sound on "Prinz". "Grudgeful" is overlong and a little laboured "Free Range" appears to lack a rhythmic centre - this might be something to do with the recording. Mark tries to push it along but it feels a little stilted. An interesting stripped down version of "War" - guitar dominated with a Bonham like slow beat over racing chords has a certain hypnotic charm. Mark is particularly articulate here and Bush's synths gradually emerge from the murk. "Idiot Joy" centres around a particularly manic 4/4 beat and sort of meanders, " A past gone mad" is a little constipated, matters are somewhat redeemed with a chunky fuzzed up charge through "Glam Racket" which has oddly inchoate vox from MES.
"Spain" suffers from low vox and meanders a little until the drums begin - it also goes on forever and features spoken word tapes. A bit of cut short karaoke madness leads to a heavy reading of "Strychnine" - probably the most Fall-like moment of the evening. Slightly limp version of "Bald-headed" disappointments - the missing Hanley bass a key distraction. a very long version.
After a short interlude with more spoken word there is a goodish version of "Hit the North" with some interesting extemporising from MES. This is followed by an extended Can like ramble through "Hurtz". Matters conclude with a matter of fact "High Tension Line" and an initially listless "15 Ways" which picks up but at which point the recording develops a strange clicking noise which is extremely distracting.
Not the best recording or performance in the pantheon but a significant first outing for a new line up and "M5".
The first date of a month long tour of the US and Canada. It starts with the first live outing of M5 which suffers from phrasing difficulties from Mark but offers a good first indication of the potential power of this Fall staple.
A lively version of "Ladybird" is followed by a moody "Lost in Music". Hanley is mostly inaudible - a dull burr under the scratchy Scanlon rhythm. Inter-song spoken word tapes are in evidence.
I am assuming K Burns played on this gig although there is some evidence he was sacked at some point in the tour there is however some clear double drum sound on "Prinz". "Grudgeful" is overlong and a little laboured "Free Range" appears to lack a rhythmic centre - this might be something to do with the recording. Mark tries to push it along but it feels a little stilted. An interesting stripped down version of "War" - guitar dominated with a Bonham like slow beat over racing chords has a certain hypnotic charm. Mark is particularly articulate here and Bush's synths gradually emerge from the murk. "Idiot Joy" centres around a particularly manic 4/4 beat and sort of meanders, " A past gone mad" is a little constipated, matters are somewhat redeemed with a chunky fuzzed up charge through "Glam Racket" which has oddly inchoate vox from MES.
"Spain" suffers from low vox and meanders a little until the drums begin - it also goes on forever and features spoken word tapes. A bit of cut short karaoke madness leads to a heavy reading of "Strychnine" - probably the most Fall-like moment of the evening. Slightly limp version of "Bald-headed" disappointments - the missing Hanley bass a key distraction. a very long version.
After a short interlude with more spoken word there is a goodish version of "Hit the North" with some interesting extemporising from MES. This is followed by an extended Can like ramble through "Hurtz". Matters conclude with a matter of fact "High Tension Line" and an initially listless "15 Ways" which picks up but at which point the recording develops a strange clicking noise which is extremely distracting.
Not the best recording or performance in the pantheon but a significant first outing for a new line up and "M5".