Good quality audience tape. All instruments and vocals well presented apart from early on when Neville's backing vocals which are a bit distant. A recorded at the back of a big room feel to it but still very listenable.
The stripped down four piece sound is in fine fettle on this evening. Interesting take on "Touch Sensitive" where Mark scans the song at complete odds with the music, using a particularly interesting stuttering effect - perversely it works very well. Everything is very tight with a speedy yet laconic "Perfect Day". Oddly sparse version of "He Pep" features machines and Neville on backing vox (well backing shouting actually) and is quite an entertaining variation. More machines and some rhythm on "Mad etc" which sort of scurries along in a sort of early Cabaret Voltaire stylee until "F-Oldin'" kicks in with some aplomb.
"The Joke" feels a little limp, its played very well but has no real bite. A short "Hurricane Edward" is a maelstrom of synth squiggles, garbled vocals, keening noises, and loose percussion. It morphs into a martial "Therein" wherein Mark seems a little distant and is beset by feedback. "Antidotes" has a good dense feel to it and a slippery para-funk backbeat which adds to the mystery - some serious howling from Smith on this. The machines kick off "On my own" which is added to with heavily processed guitar from Wilding. No drums or bass apparent on this. However they return with some purpose on "Jet Boy" which is a tad sloppy and where Marks appears to be enjoying himself.
The guitar goes back into FX territory for a progtastic ramble through "Ketamine" which has a slightly different feel to that on the final album version - there are some slightly dodgy guitar parts in places which distract - in fact the whole thing has a sort of half-finished feel to it. Interesting lyrical variation here which requires some analysis I think. A good work-out on "Eve" which features strangulated vocals from Wilding and has a good spacy middle section. Mark joins in on the second part.
At just over six minutes "Prinz" is the longest piece of the night and features more vocal mystery behaviour from Mark who drawls slowly over the riff and plays with the rhythm/scan and internal logic of the tune. Matters conclude with a chunky "Spenser" featuring in a pre-cog type fashion some Tim Presley like note bending from Neville. Mark has a gallows humour vocal delivery here - very eerie indeed.
All in all a bit of an oddity - well worth a listen.
The stripped down four piece sound is in fine fettle on this evening. Interesting take on "Touch Sensitive" where Mark scans the song at complete odds with the music, using a particularly interesting stuttering effect - perversely it works very well. Everything is very tight with a speedy yet laconic "Perfect Day". Oddly sparse version of "He Pep" features machines and Neville on backing vox (well backing shouting actually) and is quite an entertaining variation. More machines and some rhythm on "Mad etc" which sort of scurries along in a sort of early Cabaret Voltaire stylee until "F-Oldin'" kicks in with some aplomb.
"The Joke" feels a little limp, its played very well but has no real bite. A short "Hurricane Edward" is a maelstrom of synth squiggles, garbled vocals, keening noises, and loose percussion. It morphs into a martial "Therein" wherein Mark seems a little distant and is beset by feedback. "Antidotes" has a good dense feel to it and a slippery para-funk backbeat which adds to the mystery - some serious howling from Smith on this. The machines kick off "On my own" which is added to with heavily processed guitar from Wilding. No drums or bass apparent on this. However they return with some purpose on "Jet Boy" which is a tad sloppy and where Marks appears to be enjoying himself.
The guitar goes back into FX territory for a progtastic ramble through "Ketamine" which has a slightly different feel to that on the final album version - there are some slightly dodgy guitar parts in places which distract - in fact the whole thing has a sort of half-finished feel to it. Interesting lyrical variation here which requires some analysis I think. A good work-out on "Eve" which features strangulated vocals from Wilding and has a good spacy middle section. Mark joins in on the second part.
At just over six minutes "Prinz" is the longest piece of the night and features more vocal mystery behaviour from Mark who drawls slowly over the riff and plays with the rhythm/scan and internal logic of the tune. Matters conclude with a chunky "Spenser" featuring in a pre-cog type fashion some Tim Presley like note bending from Neville. Mark has a gallows humour vocal delivery here - very eerie indeed.
All in all a bit of an oddity - well worth a listen.