(*) There was an opening track but the recordist did not capture it.
A very good recording beset by some phasing and almost constant irritating chatter from a nearby person. The bonus is that Mark's vocal is exceptionally clear throughout.
The last of the Americans? Who can tell - only time I guess. If this is indeed the last gig in the canon with Tim, Rob and Orpheo then it ends on a high with a pristine performance, the band as tight as a ducks chuff and Mark in fine fettle.
Mark resplendent in black complete with "that" glove.....Tim looking like a young Pete Shelley, McCords immense drumming. The significance of this iteration of the gruppe will not be lost to history as it provides a great platform for the re-emergence of Smiths confidence in his band.
Too many superlatives almost to mention but I would single out the whirly synth sound that Elenor produces on "Sparta" as something new and refreshing as well as Tim's exemplary feedback control. There is some excellent keening lead guitar riffing on "My Door" which adds a new texture. In fact Presley is stunning throughout providing a mixture of block chord orchestration and lead work.
"Hungry Freaks Daddy" turns from the para-skank that the band had been providing to a four to floor garage thrash - Mark does a bit of scatting in the middle and allows Tim a short (very sort) solo before launching into an awesome last two minutes of mind numbing aural violence.
"WPRT" is a tad different in places with EP playing the cowbell bits and Mark turning Tim's guitar down. A very good version -probably one of the better of the last few years. Mark tends towards 70s roots at the beginning of "Mountain" which is wonderously funky - vocals are drawled, the guitar is sparse and the whole thing has a space about it which is indescribably fine. The double time drumming from Orpheo at the end is immense and EP lays some visceral analogue sounds underneath.
Surreal version of "Wright Stuff" - you can hear Elenor, which is a bonus - her voice is dominant as is Orpheo's rhythm. The use of "false plastic womens bottoms......" leaps out as the most memorable phrase of the evening. Some stunning phased/chorused guitar from Tim. MES joins in at the end with totally incomprehensible words....
Again the band performs one of the best versions of "White Lightning" heard in an age.
Guttural synth sounds dominant the opening and the body of "Blindness" - space sounds follow - ethereal whitterings - the synth takes the lead throughout with the band dropping back to create a tension- as Mark places his microphone in front of Elenor's amp. The guitar a fractured spasm in the mix. The twin basses kick in at 3:20 in a morasse of impenetrable noise. It struck me whilst listening to this that this track is the perfect vehicle for variation and that the band can construct whatever it wants depending on the mood. What remains is the use of tension and release. A spasmodic solo at 5:15 onwards demonstrates Sun Ra/Cecil Taylor arpeggiation and slowhand technique. Orpheo drags it back with a perfect snare punch and it gets subtly hypnotic thereinafter drawing to a slow climax. A DVD of this tune has been made available which demonstrates the nuances of the performance with Barbato being escorted off stage during the coda
Closing with "Reformation" is perhaps apposite. A hasty little reading with all the interrelated dynamics between this fabulous iteration of the gruppe being displayed. "Whatever happened to the radio they never play the songs you know" says Mark. Indeed. Barbato and Spurr are immense here a rolling leviathan covered by the swirling synths of Ms Poulou and the violent unrelenting noise of Mr Presley and Mr McCord.
Work pleases us......"Good Evening we are The Fall" closes the gig......the crowd howl for more..
An excellent gig with the band at the height of its powers. Miss it at your peril.