Reasonable recording. There is (obviously) no bass to reference. The audience is intrusive and noisy at times.
The second night at Dingwalls with the three piece Fall (and "guests") is historically recognised as the better of the two - I have to disagree.
Its unrecognisably a Fall performance - it just lacks a bass guitar to give it some heart. Ms Themen copes admirably.
The "band" romps through the latest material - best described as "techno" reading of the songs with Mark intoning over steady drums and sparse keyboards. A remarkable version of "Hip Priest" sticks out for me. Kate has not got the rhythm at all and sort of shuffles through - the audience chatter away - Mark carries on oblivious - you have to admire the mans cohones. Its painful.
"Masquerade" has a bit more about it....and "Eve" is mostly driven from the MIDI and sort of works in a very minimal way...there is lot of hostile noise from the audience....."Ol Gang" is cut short and there is a "five minute break" with the crowd calling upon Onan for deliverance....on return the band is tighter and more focused. The timing listed above reflects the two attempts at the song with the ten minute bit removed.
"Pearl City" recovers some of the heart of the band, albeit limited by the reduced number of musical instruments......."Levitate" is dominated by loud guitar from Julia and is dangerously slow in starting - audience noise dominates - the band picks it up eventually.
"Powderkeg" starts with a painful slew of keyboard playing and doesnt get much better. "Touch Sensitive" redeems somewhat but seems to stop and then start again. You get a sense of the real genesis of this song here. It certainly warms the crowd up.
Apparently a member of the audience guests on guitar on "Jungle Rock" - there is some evidence of MES attempting to play at the beginning and then the offending beast is handed to the crowd. The performance itself is fair under the circumstances.
Reading the historical reports of this gig the balance of opinion was that the band just about got away with it. I guess you had to be there.
Essential - the Fall in a primal state - unlikely to be repeated.
The second night at Dingwalls with the three piece Fall (and "guests") is historically recognised as the better of the two - I have to disagree.
Its unrecognisably a Fall performance - it just lacks a bass guitar to give it some heart. Ms Themen copes admirably.
The "band" romps through the latest material - best described as "techno" reading of the songs with Mark intoning over steady drums and sparse keyboards. A remarkable version of "Hip Priest" sticks out for me. Kate has not got the rhythm at all and sort of shuffles through - the audience chatter away - Mark carries on oblivious - you have to admire the mans cohones. Its painful.
"Masquerade" has a bit more about it....and "Eve" is mostly driven from the MIDI and sort of works in a very minimal way...there is lot of hostile noise from the audience....."Ol Gang" is cut short and there is a "five minute break" with the crowd calling upon Onan for deliverance....on return the band is tighter and more focused. The timing listed above reflects the two attempts at the song with the ten minute bit removed.
"Pearl City" recovers some of the heart of the band, albeit limited by the reduced number of musical instruments......."Levitate" is dominated by loud guitar from Julia and is dangerously slow in starting - audience noise dominates - the band picks it up eventually.
"Powderkeg" starts with a painful slew of keyboard playing and doesnt get much better. "Touch Sensitive" redeems somewhat but seems to stop and then start again. You get a sense of the real genesis of this song here. It certainly warms the crowd up.
Apparently a member of the audience guests on guitar on "Jungle Rock" - there is some evidence of MES attempting to play at the beginning and then the offending beast is handed to the crowd. The performance itself is fair under the circumstances.
Reading the historical reports of this gig the balance of opinion was that the band just about got away with it. I guess you had to be there.
Essential - the Fall in a primal state - unlikely to be repeated.