Very good audience tape. A few minor glitches but generally excellent. Some minimal audience chatter. Many thanks to Ocelot for making this available.
Now then......this is a good one.
Excellent penultimate gig of the 2002 Autumn tour. EP settling into her new role as gruppe keyboardist on a brace of numbers. Band tight as a ducks chuff. MES in excellent shape with excellent delivery.
Not sure who is doing the "Hey, hey, hey, hey" on Touch Sensitive.... I assume its Ben/Jim?
Interesting points amongst other things include MES launching into Dropout Boogie towards the end of Cyber Insekt and Ben's subtle manipulation of the "Touch Sensitive" riff.
The highlight is a breathtakingly fantastic "Enigrammatic Dream" monologue morphing into "Ketamine Sun" - Smith delivers a unique vision of modern sport and then drives the band into the dream world of the ketamine user.
The variety here is amazing. "Unutterable" dominates the set list but the other selections reflect the bands history as well as a disparate set of musical styles. Oddly Milner drops the beat on "B-Town" but it is delivered well thereafter......smart and nippy version of "Ghost" played with suitable aplonb and slatternly decadence....followed by the speedy Ben riff version of "The Classical" and an unexpected set of vocals from a member of the audience as it develops it sounds nothing at all like the version on Hex....MES's country-billy favours are covered well throughout especially well realised on a powerful "White Lightnin'" - mighty, mighty pleasin' indeed.
After a short coughing intro MES launches into an exceptional version of "Buck's" - tight, muscular and unforgiving - at some point MES's explains about the perils of "rhinocerosis" and "cannabis" and launches once again into "Dropout Boogie".....in the realm of Tong things are increasingly funky. If that wasnt enough Ben transforms "Way Round" with some nifty guitar work and the band powers through it whilst MES drawls with fey insouciance.
It ends with another dropped beat and resolves into more funky mores on an excellent and growly "Prinz". Smith delivers a subtle monologue of the "Hip Priest" lyrics effortless as part of the "Prinz" structure. Stops suddenly.
An excellent gig with a great recording. A variety of excellent material. Highly recommended.
Now then......this is a good one.
Excellent penultimate gig of the 2002 Autumn tour. EP settling into her new role as gruppe keyboardist on a brace of numbers. Band tight as a ducks chuff. MES in excellent shape with excellent delivery.
Not sure who is doing the "Hey, hey, hey, hey" on Touch Sensitive.... I assume its Ben/Jim?
Interesting points amongst other things include MES launching into Dropout Boogie towards the end of Cyber Insekt and Ben's subtle manipulation of the "Touch Sensitive" riff.
The highlight is a breathtakingly fantastic "Enigrammatic Dream" monologue morphing into "Ketamine Sun" - Smith delivers a unique vision of modern sport and then drives the band into the dream world of the ketamine user.
The variety here is amazing. "Unutterable" dominates the set list but the other selections reflect the bands history as well as a disparate set of musical styles. Oddly Milner drops the beat on "B-Town" but it is delivered well thereafter......smart and nippy version of "Ghost" played with suitable aplonb and slatternly decadence....followed by the speedy Ben riff version of "The Classical" and an unexpected set of vocals from a member of the audience as it develops it sounds nothing at all like the version on Hex....MES's country-billy favours are covered well throughout especially well realised on a powerful "White Lightnin'" - mighty, mighty pleasin' indeed.
After a short coughing intro MES launches into an exceptional version of "Buck's" - tight, muscular and unforgiving - at some point MES's explains about the perils of "rhinocerosis" and "cannabis" and launches once again into "Dropout Boogie".....in the realm of Tong things are increasingly funky. If that wasnt enough Ben transforms "Way Round" with some nifty guitar work and the band powers through it whilst MES drawls with fey insouciance.
It ends with another dropped beat and resolves into more funky mores on an excellent and growly "Prinz". Smith delivers a subtle monologue of the "Hip Priest" lyrics effortless as part of the "Prinz" structure. Stops suddenly.
An excellent gig with a great recording. A variety of excellent material. Highly recommended.