Goodish audience tape - some initial chatter which the band soon drowns out.
With "Middle Class Revolt" released some four weeks earlier not suprising that the new album should dominate the set. And for all those nay-sayers that deride the 1994 album here is the band delivering a fine set containing its' material.
The opening tape is a peculiarly long trundle what appears to be some form of plainsong sung by an ululating monkish type - I cannot make out the words but it is an odd piece indeed hanging somewhere between early music from the monasteries and a muezzin.
That Brix would return two months later is perhaps evident from the intense version of "Hey!Student" which dominates the latter part of the set. Before then the balance of Scanlons' guitar and Bushs' keyboard make for a glorious confection of sound. Not suprising therefore that Smith felt the need to disrupt the very professional sound that this band could deliver.
Indeed, as "Reckoning" develops there is a sense of tiredness creeping in as the band labours through the chord sequence. Fortunate that a baleful charge through "Up too much" follows with over-driven guitar and lumpen drumming supercharged by Hanleys bass. "Behind the Counter" has a great heavy feel to it and is followed by a similarly brutish rendition of "Surmount all Obstacles" which would suggest is superior to the album version.
"Ladybird" starts with an immense extended drum and bass workout replete with synth squiggles and then launches with venom into the song proper. Quite a breathtaking version. "War" gets a similar treatment - the song becoming almost incidental to the dense rhythmic interplay - unforgiving barrages of sound dominate.
"Free Range" starts with an amazing clamour of guitar and synth sounds and Hanley plays with the riff to create a funkier feel. Things are no less intense for "Middle Class Revolt" which is filled with chittering alien sounds and a searing guitar sound. "Glam-Racket" has a great slovenly feel to it which is followed by an intense seven and half minute version of "Hey! Student!" which defies description.
"Return" motors along nicely and "Dead Beat" features swirling "Silver Machine" synth sounds. It concludes with a lengthy "Life Just Bounces" which is dominated by the keyboards.
All in all a good gig with a fine choice of material played with evident gusto by the band.
With "Middle Class Revolt" released some four weeks earlier not suprising that the new album should dominate the set. And for all those nay-sayers that deride the 1994 album here is the band delivering a fine set containing its' material.
The opening tape is a peculiarly long trundle what appears to be some form of plainsong sung by an ululating monkish type - I cannot make out the words but it is an odd piece indeed hanging somewhere between early music from the monasteries and a muezzin.
That Brix would return two months later is perhaps evident from the intense version of "Hey!Student" which dominates the latter part of the set. Before then the balance of Scanlons' guitar and Bushs' keyboard make for a glorious confection of sound. Not suprising therefore that Smith felt the need to disrupt the very professional sound that this band could deliver.
Indeed, as "Reckoning" develops there is a sense of tiredness creeping in as the band labours through the chord sequence. Fortunate that a baleful charge through "Up too much" follows with over-driven guitar and lumpen drumming supercharged by Hanleys bass. "Behind the Counter" has a great heavy feel to it and is followed by a similarly brutish rendition of "Surmount all Obstacles" which would suggest is superior to the album version.
"Ladybird" starts with an immense extended drum and bass workout replete with synth squiggles and then launches with venom into the song proper. Quite a breathtaking version. "War" gets a similar treatment - the song becoming almost incidental to the dense rhythmic interplay - unforgiving barrages of sound dominate.
"Free Range" starts with an amazing clamour of guitar and synth sounds and Hanley plays with the riff to create a funkier feel. Things are no less intense for "Middle Class Revolt" which is filled with chittering alien sounds and a searing guitar sound. "Glam-Racket" has a great slovenly feel to it which is followed by an intense seven and half minute version of "Hey! Student!" which defies description.
"Return" motors along nicely and "Dead Beat" features swirling "Silver Machine" synth sounds. It concludes with a lengthy "Life Just Bounces" which is dominated by the keyboards.
All in all a good gig with a fine choice of material played with evident gusto by the band.