King George Hall, Blackburn, Friday 9th March 2007

The band - as Monday minus Pete

The Set

Insult Song
Systematic Abuse
WPRT
Pacifying Joint
Fall Sound
Blindness
The Wright Stuff
Sparta
encore
Over Over
White Lightning
Reformation

about 65-mins in total including encore calls

Another excellent performance

Julia Negal was there

Met Vvillager and his mate Keith at about 8:00, went to the Sir Charles Napier. It was heavy metal night

Had one pint, didn't notice any other Fall fans so decanted to the wine bar place nearer the venue. That was pretty crap too; but met up with Gary in there. Then Telephone Thing and her man (Forgotten his name ) turned up.

In the venue The Big Bopper was there without Tock and no recording gear.

Not a huge crowd, venue would have taken the same again - probably about 400

And a great, near 12 mins long, Blindness

No Fall fans or real ale in the 1st 2 pubs I tried, so went into the venue where I had the pleasure of chatting to Altfish and theTelephone Things (far more preferable than enduring the appaling Safi). As for the gig, good turn out, Fall came on late and started really badly with a jamming session with MES mumbling along. A dodgy Systematic Abuse was followed by a slowed down version of the dull WPRT (strange choice) and Pacifying Joint, with Elena sounding like she was playing a different song. Other low points were Blindness (no where near as brilliant as it should be) and the dire Wright Stuff. Sparta was much better though. So a hugely disappointing gig. Typically, they then came out and played probably the best encore I've heard them do! Dunno why it was such a let down, maybe my hopes were too high after the last 2 Manchester gigs. Maybe it was because I realised on the way over that RPTLC isn't as good as I first thought. Or maybe it was because the previous night I had seen The Mighty Diamonds who were so brilliant that anything would seem 2nd rate in comparison. I'm hoping for better things in Leeds and Holmfirth.

Oldest person in the pub (except for us lot) was about 15. They had all brought cans of Castlemaine to drink. Didn't seem to be buying from the bar

i didn't know Toby was going?

i didn't know Toby was going?

I think even Toby would have felt old in there.

He'd have gone to the bar and asked for the dominoes

I was in the Napier for an hour or so but didn't notice any Fall fans lurking so went to the venue about 8.15.

The Fall: the usual shambles with occasional flashes of brilliance. Started off really well, seemed to drift but I can't put my finger on when or why, and pulled together again. The bald bassist is a hoot, an almost zen-like calm when Smith fiddles with his amp, unlike Grizzly who seems nervous and then pissed off every time Smith goes near (trouble ahead?). Re: amp fiddling, from my vantage point it was spot on affecting the sound perfectly. The guitarist is one of the best The Fall has had in a long time.

Highlights for me were Systematic Abuse, Blindness, and a vicious version of Reformation that the band started while MES was off stage, the force of which called him back. Even he looked a bit startled by how powerful it sounded. It took my head off . And (lookbackbore moment) reminded me of The Fall pre-Hex, when they played Fantastic Life.

MES seemed curiously detached and looked a little wasted.

His mum was there.

The staff at the venue: very friendly, very helpful (so Yusuf can fuck right off ).

Blackburn? As bleak as ever.

Great night .

And I liked Safi.

I know I'm being stupid but... WPRT?

All my brain is giving me at the moment is Wreformation Post Ree el Tea.

Oh yeah.... Got it now.

whats wrong with WPRT?

i quite like it, though i suppose they could drop it for something else by now

whats wrong with WPRT?

i quite like it, though i suppose they could drop it for something else by now

Oh nothing! I like it Max. It's just that I couldn't remember what WPRT stood for.

I like the dirty American version just as much as the original.

rong plaice write thyme

I took my 15 year old son to his 1st Fall gig last night. I accompanied him to the Heavy Metal barrage that was Mastadon on Tuesday night(never again ), so it was a bit of a trade off.

I tend to agree with EXCILED, can't figure out why it was disappointing for me but it was.

The crowd never seemed to get into it, for me neither did the band.

Reformation hit the right note but the rest lacked something?

Maybe i've just seen them too often over the last 19 years and have too many great gigs to compare it with?

So, i'm not going again...o yeah except Leeds and Holmfirth and Manchester, once an addict always so. ITS A CURSE!

My son has declined my offer to take him again.

of the four gigs I've seen with new band I'd rank them:


1. Sheffield Boardwalk
2. Blackburn King George's Hall
3. Boddington's Brewery
4. New Century Hall


Quite surprised exiled you thought systematic abuse was a poor version, I thought it sounded beasty. And WPRT is always superb, its a good demonstration of how unbelievably tight and powerful Orpheo is on drums.


Blindness was superb.

I thought MES was on the ball tonight, when he stood staring for ages at the beginning of Systematic Abuse I thought he might be out of it but he was just teasing the crowd I think, he was spot on, fiery.

A highlight for me was wright stuff, the chorus sounds a lot more aggressive than on the album, with Elena shouting and the guitar alot louder. Elena phrased the lyrics alot differently as well. It sounded good. Reformation, as mentioned, was superb, I love the way the song ebbs and flows.

Bad stuff also was excellent.

Safi was hanging around alot at the side as well, thought he was going to do some accompanying visuals. He was occasionally filming the band with a handheld camera.

Was that MES' mum sat down on the right hand side near the back?


The support band, Lovelacer, broke a bass string but apparently the fall refused to give them a replacement or lend them a bass. My girlfriend overheard some lady friends of Lovelacer in the ladies after they played saying something about 'that twat Mark E Smith' refusing to lend them a bass which I found amusing. The singer was being a dick and going on about 'the motherfucking fall' sarcastically. Alot of their fans fucked off after they played.

So all in all a really good night, my gf hadn't seen them before and thought they were excellent. Only disappointments for me was a slightly short set and no My Door.

Disagree with everybody so far about the opening number. It seemed to start off as insult song and then morph into Bad Stuff. It thought it was one of the best openings that I'd seen the Fall do.

Band was really powerful and looked to have good stage presence. The better bits were still the ones where Mark was giving vent. Wish his mic had been turned up a bit more though. Same for Elena who was struggling to make herself heard. She looked v.sexy doing her lead vocals, but might have been better off standing further away from Rob who was towering over her.

I really wish that they'd drop WPRT and White Lightening in favour of some better stuff. WPRT just doesn't suit this line-up at all. Their rendition of WL was the best I've heard the Fall do musically, but it's not Fall. I fondly imagine what this lot could do with tracks like Gross Chapel, or even something like Twister or Disneys Dream Debased. Imagine if they pulled one of these out of the hat.

I went with my mate, Keith, who is a part time fan. He hasn't seen The Fall for over a year and hadn't heard the latest album. He was really impressed and was asking me if all the stuff was on the new album. Seems he might want to go buy it. Like me, he also quite enjoyed Safi. I still think it's funny. He said it reminded him of the Virgin Prunes.

Blindness was good, but not as good as the previous line-up did it. No, the big new track is definitely Reformation. It was the highlight of the night.

As I've mentioned about the album, the music was good throughout, but MES should really be projecting himself over it more. It was still impressive to see him on stage with such a good band delivering such a strong performance. He might not be the force he was 20 years ago, but he still doesn't do 'pleasant' or 'easy listening'.

If it was anything like Bilston, I'd definitely agree with you - a great opening track.

But along with Wrong Place and White Lightnin, I just wish they'd let Blindness rest (Sparta too) and let go of recent times - I thought mes was tired of it himself?

Having said that, there were plenty of people up for both these songs, so fair enough keeping them in.

Also, concerning White Lightning: very accomplished performance, the slowed pace like the version played in Rotterdam 2005, but this was more rhythm & blues, even with a guitar solo, and jive from Mark E

..Eric Claptonesque even?

Lacklustre for me. Never really got going until too late, although to be fair it was worth the trip just for Reformation. Got to agree with others though that there was a strangeness about the whole thing which was hard to put your finger on. Hope they hit top form in Liverpool tonight.

I think we got there before 8.15. If not, then I reckon we only just missed you. There was me, my mate and Altfish sat by the window adjacent to the entrance. Didn't look to be any obvious Fall fans in the place, just rock youths.

How do you know it was MES's mum?!! What was she doing? I am curious!

Well I'm just back home after making a weekend of it oop north. I don't see them often, maybe a couple of times a year, and this is my first viewing of the new line up but I thought everything about the gig was excellent. This band is first rate..powerful and tight. Highlights for me were Fall Sound, Blindness and Reformation which was savage. Took the oppo, along with a few others, to nip to the bog whilst Eleni was doing her bit...don't like that song and never will. Band and Mark seemed to me to get more intense as the gig wore on. Safi....wtf? Risible. Lovelacer...laughable sub Mondays posturing and no substance...yawn. Loved the venue...perfect Fall environment in my opinion. Girlfriend was blown away by her first Fall gig and has now joined the ranks. In fact she wants to see them again on this tour. Proper girl that.

I'm concerned about the state of Mark though. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable watching him and wondering how long he can last. I know this is nothing new but he's in such a state I'm worried.....how on earth does he manage it? Don't want to put a dampener on anything but does this concern anyone else?

Attagirl! She should try and make another - I expect the tour will get better and better and the appeal of the current album on show relies on more than a one hearing.

What do you mean exactly FV about MES? If you'd asked eighteen month ago I'd have concurred. Islington '05 was sad and had a feeling of the end is nigh. This was dispelled by the vigour and focus I witnessed at the Cartoon gigs later and at Brick Lane last september MES was in brilliant form and in apparent much improved health and spirits.

I suppose I just thought that he looked way worse than when I saw him on the FHR tour. But for some time now, when he initially takes the stage, my first thoughts are normally that he's not going to survive the opening song even. It does feel uncomfortably voyeuristic for me in some way and I'd rather he didn't obviously shove sulphate up his snout at an industrial level...there were times when he appeared to be really struggling to keep it together...unsure of his surroundings and working hard to focus. I find that difficult to watch. If it meant that he never made another record I'd be really quite pleased if he jacked in the drugs and booze and grew marrows or something instead. And fine marrows they would be too.

Reflecting on it, I reckon he looked a little spooked, as though he'd had a row or somebody in the audience was hexing him . Or maybe he couldn't see enoughy 19 year old miners in amongst the hefty 40+ers