The Fall Live - 2007

21/01/2007

Teatro Cervantes

 In the repository not yet reviewed

Malaga

05/03/2007

Robin 2

 Review

Wolverhampton

09/03/2007

Windsor Suite, King George’s Hall

  Review
 

Blackburn

10/03/2007

Carling Academy

 Review

Liverpool

12/03/2007

 Liquid Room 

Review

Edinburgh

13/03/2007

Liquid Room

 Review

Edinburgh

14/03/2007

The Tunnels

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Aberdeen

15/03/2007

The Tunnels

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Aberdeen

16/03/2007

The Ferry

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Glasgow

17/03/2007

The Ferry

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Glasgow

21/03/2007

Irish Centre

Review

Leeds

22/03/2007

Picturedome

Review

Homfirth

26/03/2007

The Point

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Cardiff

27/03/2007

The Phoenix

 Review

Exeter

28/03/2007

The Fez Club

Review

Reading

29/03/2007

The Old Market

Audience tape which suffers from the band feeling a little distant and the crowd surrounding the taper being a little too close. However some of it is very clear when you can work out what is going on behind the chattering yahoos that pervade. Particularly annoying is the young lady who does not seem able to keep her trap shut. A Hanley/Dynamik presentation which is not quite up to their usual excellent standards.

By all accounts this was a classic gig. Pity that from the start the recording is so "live". Mark is very clear but bathed in large hall reverb fog, the drums are soggy and hissy at the same time, the basses are mostly inaudible, and the guitar appears distant, the only thing that gets a half decent sound is the keyboard.

What can I say? It is difficult to review this with the distraction of the recording. Suffice to say the band appears to be in good form and are very tight. By the time the band get to "Fall Sound" there is a small improvement in the sound although Orpheo's cymbal play oddly dominates.

There is a serious glitch at the start of "Wright Stuff" and then the sound tends to improve and I have to say the version of "Blindness" is memorable, and "Reformation" is simply exceptional, with some exquisite peroration from the meister and with some mention of "Basingtoke" which appears to be developing a conceptual continuity all of its own on this tour. The audience gets the microphone towards the end and behaves in an entirely peculiar fashion.

Hopefully someone has an alternative recording less beset by the chattering classes of Hove.

Vaguely disappointing given this was held up as a classic gig by attendees. Worth it for the closing two tracks alone which are the band at the zenith of its powers.

Hove

Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (3:58)
Pacifying Joint (3:42)
Over! Over! (2:40)
Fall Sound (3:29)
Theme from Sparta FC (4:06)
My Door (4:33)
Wrong place, right time (3:21)
What about us? (8:20)
White Lightning (2:54)
The Wright Stuff (5:03)
Blindness (8:33)
Encore Call (1:44)
Reformation (8:03)
"It don't get much better than that" (0:47)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboard, Vocals
Tim Presley - Guitar, Vocals
Robert Barbato - Bass, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Orpheo McCord - Drums

31/03/2007

Pavilion Theatre

A stunningly wonderous Hanley-Dynamik corp audience capture. Keyboard tends to dominate for most of the gig. Bass is a little too low for my aged ears and Dave is close and Rob distant. Tim is strangely missing in parts of the mix on this recording. Orpheo makes his presence felt but there is a unique sort of 60s Joe Meek feel to the whole thing.

Another intermission wherein someone called Mark Howard gets a mention - I wonder who that could be?(!) White Lightning gets a good fallabilly kick and has the required amount of frug to elicit a serious head shake from J Travolta & Olive from "On the Buses" John.

My inside source tells me that the Heineken was groovy and that MES was not happy with sound engineers.

Brighton

01/04/2007

Hammersmith Palais, London

Excellent audience recording. Very clear vocals , drums a little low in the mix.

Last gig ever played at the (in)famous Hammersmith Palais.

Notable for the dual guitar antics of Pete and Tim which adds another layer of mesmerising sound. Everything sounds fuller and more complex which only adds to its intensity and attractiveness.

Some significant verbal extemporization by Meister Smith tonight including a brief visit from the 50 year old man at the beginning of "Over! Over!" and commentary on the press in relation to the English game during "Sparta". Also it appears that Barbato was told to shave his beard or face the sack earlier in the day as an April fool

There appears to be a slight interruption by a stage invader during "Wright Stuff" which has the clearest vocals so far on the tour from Elena.

All in all an exceptional performance with highlights being an almost complete "Hungry Freaks", a twisted psychedelic reading of "My Door" which had echoes of Quicksilver Messenger Service with its continuous soloing, and the usual mammoth version of "Blindness" which seems somewhat faster but altogether more funkier than usual on this occasion.

Somewhat appropriately things are brought to a close at the Palais with a very fast "Reformation" preceded by the interaction of an angry punter who has a go at all and sundry for not showing enough respect. Stage diving and heavy handed security cuts the song short and
Mark closes matters by thanking all concerned for allowing "us" into the "security area" and advising that the band is "off to civilisation".

Great gig with some historical importance. Full team out as well.

London

Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (4.59)
Pacifying Joint (3:35)
Fall Sound (3.55)
Over! Over! (3.00)
Theme from Sparta FC (3.58)
Hungry Freaks Daddy (5.44)
Wrong Place, Right Time (3.00)
My Door (6.33)
The Wright Stuff (5.02)
White Lightning (3.00)
Blindness (12.41) (actually 9.00 but including an encore break featuring a rant from a member
of the audience)
Reformation (4.18)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboard, Vocals
Tim Presley - Guitar, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar
Robert Barbato - Bass, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Orpheo McCord - Drums

03/04/2007

Zodiac

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Oxford

04/04/2007

Zodiac

Thanks go to "Pike 1957" for a very good audience recording,

Penultimate gig of the Spring 2007 and the band are in magnificent form. A massive bludgeoning beast of a thing tonight locked in perfect rhythmic ferocity.

All musicians are in fine form but particularly notable is Tim's sinuous velvety guitar sound. Notable tonight are the extended "Hungry Freaks" and the spacey kraut rock "My Door" with its sleek guitar solo intro morphing into a new lead riff. Mark is also very fond of the telephone trilling noise and most tracks get a sample of it somewhere. EPs vox on "Wright Stuff" is a little too low, however Rob has got the synth part down well and it has a nice analogue feel to it.

After "White Lightning " we get a short keyboard solo and encore break followed by a blistering, I might say unforgiving, reading of "Reformation" and then the second big surprise of the tour with the return of "Big New Prinz" after quite an absence (almost a year to the day since its appearance in Lausanne I think). The last thirty seconds of "Reformation" are simply breathtaking and then the familiar pounding riff kicks in - Mark gets his scanning wrong on the first few lines but after that it's an immense swinging version. Mark is as laconic as hell, EP plays a sultry analogue lead line and the boys throw everything behind Orpheo's backbeat. Mark improvises and the audience gets the microphone from about 3.30 in - not the best audience performance of the tour I have to say(!) until about 5.00 where there is some exemplary chorus/unison singing.

And if that was not enough after a short encore break (wherein someone close to the taper says "Wow") the band return for an immense/intense version of Blindness - Mark corpses on the opening lines and does some interesting mixing of Rob's sherman tank bass. There is quite a bit of fun being had here with Spurr doing rising bass lines and McCord bashing the life out of his drums. After a Tim/Orpheo section the basses are turned up full notch and its riotous noise until they are mixed down for the MES keyboard solo, and then kicked back up to full force for the last ninety seconds which grinds to a shuddering halt. Amazing stuff.

A worthy addition to the pantheon of great Fall gigs.

Oxford

Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (3:40)
Theme from Sparta FC (3:35)
Pacifying Joint (4:20)
Fall Sound (5:25)
Hungry Freaks Daddy (6:45)
I can hear the grass grow (3:15)
My door (5:10)
Over, Over (2:15)
The Wright Stuff (3:55)
White Lightning (3:05)
Keyboard Solo-Offstage (2:20)
Reformation (5:35)
Big New Prinz (7:00)
Offstage (1:45)
Blindness (8:34)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboard, Vocals
Tim Presley - Guitar, Vocals
Robert Barbato - Bass, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Orpheo McCord - Drums

09/04/2007

Jilly's Rockworld

An excellent Hanley-Dynamik realisation in sophisticated sensurround. One of the best recordings of the tour. Last date of the universally accepted excellent Spring 2007 tour. An exceptionally clear audience tape with great clarity and a good live mix.

There were some general gripes about this gig on the 'net but I have to say it sounds pretty damn good to me and the return of Pete Greenway adds some extra content to the sound.

Interesting linear guitar figures played by Pete on "My Door" give it a completely new feel. Very spiky Bramahesque/Scanlonesque note work which gets the bendy Germanic contrapuntal from Tim later into the tune. Some evocative lick trading/string bending reminiscent of early Amon Duul II with some exceptional inspirational drumming from the boy McCord gives a wonderous full performance of uniqueness - probably the best live version of the song so far.

"Mountain Energie" appears to have a good injection of funk tonight and is played with exemplary zeal - very swampy and with great crowd howling. Noticeably EP plays the less is more role on the synth and it works really well. Some great fills from Orpheo give the whole thing a sense of bravado.

"Wright" gets an early appearance and is stunning. Ace performance from Elena and some great synthing from Rob - her voice could be a little louder but all in all a superior and confident stream of conciousness over a tumbling rhythm.

Interestingly a quicker version of "Blindness" tonight - imperceptably quicker and with great clarity from MES on the vox (initially apparently delivered by off the stage)...there is a hell of lot of going on here and the band seem to be able to shift the emphasis each time they play it. Mark actually uses the word "Blindness" which is pretty rare, also he adds "and TLC traitors" to this ... interesting and exceptionally fine reading of the classic track with some amazing walking bass and octave leaps on the synth. An incredible wall of sound - uniquely Fall-like in its magnificence. Hypnotic!

More encore call and then a slightly mutated "Reformation" full of boisterous end of tour cathartic fun. "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Cheese States" and joyful abandon, almost a sense of relief that's its all over and the final purging of the tour demons. There is a palpable sense of playful joy and recklessness in the performance. Memorable fret-worrying from Mr Presley overlays a chaotic rhythmic race as Mr Smith worries the song into a state of intoxicating wonderment. From about five minutes in with MES leaving the proceedings there is some exceptional playing - a total sound - laminal and extemporific.

Get it now you skinny rats!!

Manchester

Intro Tape (o:30)
Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (4:02)
Theme from Sparta FC (3:59)
Pacifying Joint (3:50)
Fall Sound (3:53)
My door (7:02)
Mountain Energei (6:16)
The Wright Stuff (6:05)
White Lightning (3:50)
Encore Call (2:05)
Blindness (10:58)
Encore Call #2 (2:23)
Reformation (7:03)
Crowd howls for more and is not rewarded - strange music is played(3:52)

Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Tim Presley - Guitar
Peter Greenway - Guitar
Rob Barbato - Bass, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Orpheo McCord - Drums, Vocals

01/06/2007

Estrella Dram

(*) 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.

Barcelona

Missing Track*
Pacifying Joint (3:26)
Fall Sound (3:54)
Over Over (2:27)
Theme from Sparta F.C. (3:45)
My Door (4:28)
Hungry Freaks Daddy (5:04)
Wrong Place Right Time (3:12)
Mountain Energei (7:01)
The Wright Stuff (3:36)
White Lightning (2:50)
Blindness (7:47)
Reformation (5:27)

Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Elenor Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Tim Presley - Guitar
Rob Barbato - Bass, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Orpheo McCord - Drums

01/07/2007

The Ritz

Two recordings available - both audience and both decent quality. HPAFBs version gets the review and the superior accolade due to slightly better balance on the instruments and less audience intrusion. The Yousef version (*) adds the spoof literary reading from Daren at the start. In both Spurr is somewhat under recorded.

Mixed reviews on this but the majority go for it being one of the better ones of late. No American cousins on this evening but the Motherjohn rhythm section and ex-Fringer Pete Greenway back to support the Smiths.

To these ears this is an excellent gig albeit a little sloppy in places - that is to say not as tightly honed as the Presley/Barbato/McCord group however it is quintessentially a Fall performance. Indeed "Pacifying Joint" appears to have regained some of its initial fire. It starts with a muscular non-vocal "Wolve Kidult" until the meister enters with the usual crap-rap which appears to pay passing reference to the festival. Please note that the version of "Wolve Kidult" here is nothing like the version played at the Bilston gig earlier in the year. The Bilston version was built around a four note ascending riff - this version is built a round a ten note descending riff (thanks to Mike for pointing this out!!). "Fall Sound" is excellent and "Perverted by Language" gets a name check. "Over! Over!" suffers a little from feedback at the beginning and has some structural problems as Mr Smith appears to be distracted in rearranging the "health and safety" threat of the numerous leads crossing the stage.

"Sparta" is very well performed with Greenway getting the riff down right - some interesting microphone thumping and good rhythmic interplay. An interesting take on "Hungry Freaks" which moves from the soulful para-skank of the Americans to a fast paced garage version revolving around either a single riff or some serious note bending. Keiron appears to be playing the drum part from an early Free number on "Wrong Place" which works quite well in places but suffers from too much cow bell and some instrospective comments from Mr Smith about the lyrics.

A comment from MES about "Always encouraging everybody in the local arts" presages an excellent version of "My Door" with some great guitar from Greenway, and a rock steady bass riff from EP on the synth.

This is followed by the first live outing of "I've been duped" a chunky fast tune featuring Elena on vocals. The lyrics are difficult to decipher but it appears to concern a moan about something or another. A great football chant chorus has the boys shouting "I've been duped" and Elena repeating in a call and response fashion. This will take a few listens to get into but it appears to have the makings of a classic with a strong melody line echoing a sparse 80s garage sound.

"Mountain Energie" gives Spurrs previously quiet bass to shine. Marks microphone has the reverb/echo effect still on from the chorus singing on the previous track and he soon replaces it with a non-FX'd version and abandons it to the floor with a resounding thud. A nice laid back version of the tune - with minimal guitar and a nice understated feel.

Another premiere with the reading of a song called "Strange Town" which features a repetitive walking riff and a general rant in the first part and then a second slower section which builds into yet another riff. This would be another new Fall classic in the making with a fantastic structure and extensive word play if it were not for the fact that after repeated listening and a shaking of the old memory cells that the realisation finally hits you that it is of course a cover of the Groundhogs song from the "Thank Christ for the Bomb" album. There is some interesting howling from Mark giving it an alien feel. Some excellent drumming and riffing in the coda leave the listening wanting more. Exciting stuff.

The first encore is another mammoth reading of "Blindness" it starts with visceral bubbling synth sounds and Mark intoning as the drums kick in. Mark has picked up the microphone with the reverb on it and it takes a while for the mixing desk to get it sorted. Again Pete is restrained to great effect. In some parts its just Mark, Dave and Keiron giving a great sense of tension. However this soon builds to a dense wall of sound with an exceptional atonal solo from MES forms part of an exceptional ending with a massive wall of sound and slabs of guitar noise.

"Reformation" is not up to its usual muscular standard and there are some structural problems - the audience appears to have got hold a microphone in places as there are some odd squeaks and shouts. Pete seems to leap into a completely new riff in places which does not fit. Keirons drumming is very good but the whole thing feels a little unfocused. During a second encore break part of "Enigrammatic Dream" is played.

The band return to close with a memorable "Senior Twilight" with some great guitar and synth noises. Mark provides some sparse vocals which are a little indecipherable. Again there is a good sense of structure here with the song moving through a series of segments. "My work is done" exclaims Mark at the end. More spoken word concludes the event.

Another line-up and new songs and generally a great gig despite some sloppy moments. Essential for the first outings of "I've been duped" and "Strange Town".

Manchester

Spoof literary reading by Daren (2:33)*
Intro (0:41)
Wolve Kidult Man** (3:13)
Pacifying Joint (4:48)
Fall Sound (3:41)
Over! Over! (3:08)
Theme from Sparta FC (4:24)
Hungry Freaks, Daddy (4:47)
Wrong Place, Right Time (3:07)
My Door Is Never (6:01)
I've Been Duped (4:52)
Mountain Energei (5:52)
Strange Town (3:39)
Encore Break (1:30)
Blindness (9:56)
Reformation (3:10)
Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (4:14)
Outro (0:44)

Mark E Smith - Vocals, percussion
Elena Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Keiron Melling -Drums

14/07/2007

Ashton Court Festival

In the repository - not yet reviewed

Bristol

17/07/2007

Carling Academy

Exceptional "Hanley" audience recording. Very good sound indeed. My only complaint is Mr Spurr is his usual inaudibile self for the most part.

The first of four consecutive nights at the Carling Islington venue and by all accounts the most effective of the four. Reviews at the time varied between "I hated it" and "It was the best show I have ever seen" - my view is that its a damn good show and probably the best of the four in the run in terms of invention and variation.

"Stock Replacer" is developing nicely from the simple riff with Pete throwing in some clever variations and Keiron showing some great dynamics especially when the meister enters the proceedings.

I'm not sure what this version of the band are doing with "Over!Over!" but its subtly different and sounds like its been transformed as a result of such. Some evidence of on-stage mixing in the guitar area here. "Joint" is taken at a fair lick and is probably the least satisfying thing of the evening. I'm not sure it fits in this current set if I am honest. "Sparta" also sounds a little tired/overplayed and perhaps it needs a while on the subs bench to get its game together.

First outing for "Ponto" a new song built on a five note riff with some lovely silky guitar lines from Pete and minimal vocals from Mark. No doubt this will develop. An oddly sparse opening to "Mountain Energie" leads to an entertaining rant about tobacco bans and I think gas commercials. "My Door" at least at long last has some evidence of Dave Spurr's amp being turned a notch. A more guitar driven version of this number and a slight back-beat from Keiron gives it a different feel.

"Duped" has initial lead vocal problems and features a sinuous guitar line from Pete which gives it a slight grungy feel. This is very 197os tonight. "Strange Town" is a bit shouty and Mark has some microphone problems but Elena's guttural synth sounds are excellent - for some reason I am reminded of a constipated gorilla - and towards the end the song becomes transformed into something quite special.

"White Lightning" is without vocals for the first minute or so, is a tad strange and has probably emerged brashly from somewhere from between Neu2 and a night in an italian disco, when Mark comes in starts to sound a little like the original version, with Mark channeling Gene Vincent. Some odd sound variations and the strange mixture of guitar solo and pulsing disco synth repetition.

"What About Us?" is simply glorious with Greenways use of controlled guitar tone on the riff a real pleasure. Unless my ears decieve me I think Pete is using 7ths instead of major chords here which gives the tune a real blues edge. Quite an effective keyboard solo from Mark towards the end leads into a great pulsing extended coda with surf guitar etc.

It concludes with a relatively short "Blindness" (less than 8 minutes!) which is as usual intense and driven.

All in all not as bad as the detractors would have and frankly quite tight and well delivered in the great scheme of things.

London

Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (3:04)
Over! Over! (3:55)
Pacifying Joint (4:16)
Theme from Sparta FC (3:59)
Fall Sound (4:23)
Ponto (1:55)
Wrong place, right time (2:42)
Mountain Energie (7:26)
My Door (5:16)
I've been duped (3:19)
Strange Town (2:59)
White Lightning (4:15)
Off stage (1:49)
What about us?(7:42)
Blindness (7:57)
Outro (0:56)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Keiron Melling - Drums

18/07/2007

Carling Academy

In the repository - not yet reviewed

London

19/07/2007

Carling Academy

A good audience recording from Hanley/Dynamik. Some useless idle chatter in places but generally very good listening.

Are The Fall morphing into a mutant blues band? Who can tell? There is a definate feel of the Lancashire Hills about this evenings entertainment. Nestling somewhere between Darwin, Diggle, Delph and Dobcross is a the centre of the North Western country and blues world and I wonder some of this is seeping into the bands schema at this time. Certainly the opening "Wolve Kidult" has a good dose of the blues somewhere in it.

Indeed on "Over!Over!" the band has wrestled the tune away from the West Coast psychedelia that had nestled around it into a driving riff focused patently English garage sound. One can sense subtle changes in the bands performances as this line-up gets into its stride. I still feel that Dave Spurr could be further up in the mix - his playing is excellent and it is reduced to a twangy distant thing here.


"Ponto" is a new one - a simple riff structure which interplays with the guitar and keys to create a driving beat interspersed with a slower 5 note riff. Mark quotes words from "Like to Blow" and also mentions James Fennings once more. This has all the hallmarks of a Fall classic in gestation. Elena provides a spoken word part about four minutes and the band provides a sporadic shattered scape before the band kicks into the riff structure again. Excellent stuff.

"My door" has a definate different feel with Pete doing some serious note bending and whammy bar fettling and the band taking it at a slightly faster pace. "Freaks" builds around Pete's riff whilst Mark plays with the words and structures. "Systematic Abuse" has some keyboard abuse from Mark and is noticeably driven with very clear vocals.....where Mark abuses his manager and the crowd about lack of educational attainment. "Duped" seems to be developing from night to night - yet another slight variation this evening. A little lacklustre in parts tonight but promising in all that.

Another immense reading of "Blindness" closes things down pre-encore.....some interest points made by Mark at the beginning about having "business to do" - this is the simple keys/bass opening structure with simple backbeat and occassional guitar from Pete. Whether by design or mistake Mark pre-cogs the word Sanctuary over Calvary in the early section. Spooky - given recent events. Also Mark goes off at a bit of a tangent about the American group and Janet (?) Wise who is "always on the phone" - I think he also makes a point about soundsystems at some point. At around 6 mins the audience also get the microphone which lends itself to some interesting sound bites.

Interesting Casio VL noises introduce an excellent laid back "White Lightning". Another break and the band conclude with a suitably bluesy ramble through the "Strange Town".

An excellent record of a band in transition.

London

The Appreciation of Safi Sniper (0:55)
Wolf Kidult Man (5:24)
Over! Over! (3:11)
Theme from Sparta FC (5:30)
Fall Sound (3:22)
Ponto (5:16)
My Door Is Never (5:39)
Hungry Freaks, Daddy (4:47)
Systematic Abuse (7:25)
I've Been Duped (4:34)
Blindness (11:08)
Off stage (3:45)
White Lightning (4:26)
Off stage (2:22)
Strange Town (4:43)
Outro (0:55)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Keiron Melling - Drums

20/07/2007

Carling Academy

In the repository - not yet reviewed

London

04/08/2007

Tales of the Jackalope, Kimberley

A short set - an audience recording of very good quality, some incipient audience chatter but nothing that detracts from the overall enjoyment. All instruments well presented apart from the inaudibility of Mr Spurr. Vocals mostly clear.

It starts with a new one which starts with synth warbles and a rising and falling four note riff and moves into fallabilly type thing with little alternative riff intermissions. No discernable vocals at this stage other than a few gnomic utterances about people not realising whats reflected in the security blokes thingy......and the omnipresent "Good Evening we are The Fall" - twice. This a real grower with a catchy riff and has all the hall marks of a future classic.

Some obvious live mixing going on here as Mark ups Pete in the mix to great effect on "Over, Over". Some really good stuff from Pete tonight with great loose but controlled playing - if you catch my drift. Mark's vocal unfortunately gets lost in the guitar remix. A suitable yobbish "Sparta" is memorable in its length and guitar dominated wall of sound, some significant live mixing and dub experimentation from the mid-point on.

Some significant whammy bar action from Mr Greenway on "My Door" leads to a great loose version which is compelling. Elena gets the volume upgrade on this one. "Fall Sound" has a great insistent guitar figure and Keiron's drumming improves gig by gig as he grows into his role in the band.

Mark has a moan about technicians as Elena starts her feature piece. This has a real seventies feel to it tonight.

"What about us?" appears to have an initial Mark solo in it - which is a unique occurence and perhaps reflecting the plan to foreshorten the set by three numbers. Marks vocal is fairly low in the mix at the start but soon picks up. A half-hearted attempt to start "White Lightning" stops immediately and the band exit having performed for about 41 minutes.

Short, sweet and a little sloppy in places but great to hear the newest version of the band getting into its stride.

Thanks to Toby and Mark for their continued efforts and sharing with the band's supporters.

Norwich

I am me, Mark (4:51)
Pacifying Joint (4:22)
Over, Over (3:27)
Theme from Sparta F.C. (6:08)
My Door (6:20)
Fall Sound (4:03)
I've been duped (4:32)
What about us? (7:12)
Audience Noise...some guitar and synth noises...allegedly "White Lightning" (0:53)
Further Audience Noise and PA Music (2:03)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elenor Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Keiron Melling - Drums

02/09/2007

Electric Picnic, Crawdaddy Stage

As far as we know there is no available recording of this gig

Stradbally

06/09/2007

Maria am Osbahnhof

Two excellent audience recordings recordings are available. Stunning quality and for once you can hear Dave Spurr's bass. Some minimal non-intrusive audience noise. There is not much to choose between the two versions although the "Consortium" version has slightly less bass presence and more audience noise, and is also net of the Sniper intro.

This is exquisite - from the slightly mutated "Reformation" onwards this a classic gig with Line-up #57 finding its feet in a major way. Smith is in stunning form - extremely clear and articulate - spitting out the words with some joyous venom. Elena and Pete create a mesh of intervening leads whilst Dave and Keiron lay a solid bedrock of rhythm. "Reformation" has subtly altered with new little twiddles of melody.

"Senior" has - at long last - an emerging lyrical form - still pretty sparse but getting there. Excellent new guitar line from Pete is subtle and catchy and Mark barks about his life being destroyed by a TV programme - there is some very muscular riffing here. An immense "Wings", with Elena taking the introductory "day by day..." line, is near perfect with Mark getting the words down well - although it would be appear to be 2017 given he has been living under Ardwick Bridge for 157 years.....it morphs into "Wolve Kidult" which is also developing a lyric at last, something around "wolf, adult, kid" with yelps and howls in lycanthropic fashion - genius.

"Duped" is altogether more raucous tonight with some seriously noisy guitar and shouty vocals - highly entertaining. "Joint" is a little more intense than usual - and all the better for that. "My door" features new guitar figures and penetrating synth sounds followed by eerie whammy bar activity - a subtle reworking focusing around the slippery guitar and somehow more organic/vital in this reading. "Maria, aqua, Maria" apes the "Stingray" title tune has Mark remarks on the venues plumbing I assume as we leap into an amazing "Fall Sound". "Strange Town" is a troubled mutated blues - Mark quotes from "Psykick Dancehall". "Sparta" somehow more muscular tonight - is fast and furious.

A new track "Alton Towers" features a riveting bass riff from Dave Spurr and funky chords from Pete. Reminds somewhat the pastoral numbers of the past as Mark narrates a tale of "San Rocco" (an Italian restaurant in Central Manchester - which Mark describes as San Roccoco), "Rock Schools" and someone called "Judy" who is everyone's friend. Typically Fall as it sounds nothing like the band but absolutely like them (if you see what I mean). Exceptional stuff.

The Pharmacist is dug up again after a long absence - a sort of grungy over the top version - the gig proper ends with a lengthy "hop hop hop" which is more Elena than anything else - a joyous rendition which has a fantastic audience participation at the end.

Encore One is another great reading of "Blindness" with a slightly more reedy synth sound than usual - bass dominated with great solid drumming from Keiron. Pete is restrained until 3 minutes in and then kicks in with a coruscating wall of unforgiving noise and it turns into a bubbling monstrous thing - he plays an odd constricted guitar noise at times - but generally its a fearsome thing. There is an extended unintelligible rant of some magnitude at the end.

It includes with a "twangy" version of "White Lightning" - the euro pop version appears to have been dropped.

An exceptional gig by any standards and proof positive that this the only band in the known universe worth listening to. Get yourself a copy - you know it makes sense!

Berlin

Safi Sniper Section (7:43)
Reformation (4:35)
Senior Twilight Stock Replacer (2:14)
Wings>Wolve Kidult Man (5:22)
I've been duped (4:23)
Pacifying Joint (3:28)
My Door is never (5:05)
Fall Sound (3:17)
Strange Town (2:53)
Theme for Sparta FC (4:16)
Alton Towers (4:24)
Mr Pharamacist (2:19)
What About Us? (8:25)
Blindness (7:35)
White Lightning (3:59)

Mark E Smith - Vocals
Elena Poulou - Keyboards, Vocals
Pete Greenway - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Spurr - Bass
Keiron Melling - Drums

22/11/2007

30/11/2007

 The Barfly

As far as we know there is not a recordiing of this gig

The Galtymore, Cricklewood

Review

Birmingham

London