An oddity. Convoluted but compelling performance from an outfit that had allegedly (it depends which version of the story you believe) sacked its drummer the day before and then re-instated him. Oddly inchaote versions of material mostly from "Light User", "Levitate" and "Marshall" with the guitar and then the vocals dropping out in key sections. Difficult to get a sense of the total impact of the gig due to the poor recording but it all seems oddly delivered. Wildings flanged/wah-wah guitar tends to dominate in places. Head is a little wooden in all honesty. A band that generally lives or dies by the power of its percussion is sold short by this.
A short but intense instrumental version of "Shake-Off" leads to a completely loose/free version of what is listed as "Mad.Men-Eng.Dog" but could frankly be described as improvisation.
The crowd warms to a fallabilly tumble through "F-oldin Money" with MES losing the second verse but recovering well. A completely mad version of "Jet Boy" - in the spirit of Alex Chilton - leads to a strangely rock oriented version of "Ten Houses of Eve" - at one point in this song the sound picks up - in the quiet section Smith comments on Wildings' guitar pedal, his shirt and Yorkshire - this is a unique and compelling version of the song.
"Ol Gang" is taken at mid-tempo - and is not particularly memorable - Nagle attempts to add some light and shade - but it is basically down to Wildings dynamics which are inconsistent. Quite a lot of crowd chatter disturbs the song. From this point on there is a lot of noise on the version I have. "Ketamine Sun" sounds well delivered amongst the noise on the recording - serious interference here.
The sound clears for "Antidotes" which is painfully laboured - mostly due to Heads drumming. Crowd noise dominates. The guitar and keyboards are adding something but its difficult to discern amongst the background disturbance.
It all concludes with a clap along "And Therein" - with out of tune guitar - madly untogether - Smith complaining - no drums - crowd singing along - surreal.....
For completists or masochists only........
A short but intense instrumental version of "Shake-Off" leads to a completely loose/free version of what is listed as "Mad.Men-Eng.Dog" but could frankly be described as improvisation.
The crowd warms to a fallabilly tumble through "F-oldin Money" with MES losing the second verse but recovering well. A completely mad version of "Jet Boy" - in the spirit of Alex Chilton - leads to a strangely rock oriented version of "Ten Houses of Eve" - at one point in this song the sound picks up - in the quiet section Smith comments on Wildings' guitar pedal, his shirt and Yorkshire - this is a unique and compelling version of the song.
"Ol Gang" is taken at mid-tempo - and is not particularly memorable - Nagle attempts to add some light and shade - but it is basically down to Wildings dynamics which are inconsistent. Quite a lot of crowd chatter disturbs the song. From this point on there is a lot of noise on the version I have. "Ketamine Sun" sounds well delivered amongst the noise on the recording - serious interference here.
The sound clears for "Antidotes" which is painfully laboured - mostly due to Heads drumming. Crowd noise dominates. The guitar and keyboards are adding something but its difficult to discern amongst the background disturbance.
It all concludes with a clap along "And Therein" - with out of tune guitar - madly untogether - Smith complaining - no drums - crowd singing along - surreal.....
For completists or masochists only........