An audience tape of middling quality. The sound suffers from being recorded in what appears to be a large echoey hall. The drums are muffled, the bass non-existent but the guitars and vocals are reasonably presented. Conjecture as to whether the version is incomplete
Supporting the Buzzcocks the band are in venomous mood. Scratchy, scribbly and angry. The audience noise is acceptable on this lo-fi recording with Mark sounding like he is singing in a large metal can. A vital record of the bands first American tour and a precursor to the following nights better recorded gig in Cambridge Massachusetts. Notably this is one of the handful of three currently available gigs from the nine date tour.
Interesting to hear the impact of Mike Leighs drumming at this time which is replete with rolls and drives the band into a raucous turn of sound soon to be replaced by the more stripped down Paul Hanley version the following March.
I am trying to picture how an American audience would have reacted at the time to this particularly English sound. Notably the applause is reasonably fulsome around the taper and there are a fair few whoops and hollers but the general impression gained is that the band did not captivate the whole audience.
Memorable also is Smiths’ reading of “Flat of Angles” with the psychic yelp of the other material being replaced by a sardonic and emotive mix of wordplay.
Probably for obsessives only but historically important.
Supporting the Buzzcocks the band are in venomous mood. Scratchy, scribbly and angry. The audience noise is acceptable on this lo-fi recording with Mark sounding like he is singing in a large metal can. A vital record of the bands first American tour and a precursor to the following nights better recorded gig in Cambridge Massachusetts. Notably this is one of the handful of three currently available gigs from the nine date tour.
Interesting to hear the impact of Mike Leighs drumming at this time which is replete with rolls and drives the band into a raucous turn of sound soon to be replaced by the more stripped down Paul Hanley version the following March.
I am trying to picture how an American audience would have reacted at the time to this particularly English sound. Notably the applause is reasonably fulsome around the taper and there are a fair few whoops and hollers but the general impression gained is that the band did not captivate the whole audience.
Memorable also is Smiths’ reading of “Flat of Angles” with the psychic yelp of the other material being replaced by a sardonic and emotive mix of wordplay.
Probably for obsessives only but historically important.