The Grill, Letterkenny, Saturday, 12th July 2008

Of all the days in the calendar to be travelling through Ulster, from Dublin to Letterkenny.
12th July

Anniversary of the "Glorious Revolution"

An interesting journey, including the site of The Battle of The Boyne early on.
I realise it would would have made sense to have brought Kurious Oranj for listening purposes, but instead make do with Imperial Wax Solvent, Trogglodynamite and some Nuggets. (Strichnyne by The Sonics at full volume passing through Strabane is nice)

Several buzzards and dead foxes along the way.

Avoiding Enniskillen and Ballygauley.

Diversion at Omagh - Garvaghy Road closed to traffic

Hurrah!

All accross Ulster, lots of Union Jacks, Red-hand flags and festive blue-white and red bunting on display.

Several buzzard sightings along the way, and one kestrel, also three dead foxes.

The nearer we get to Letterkenny, the more squirrels we encounter fleeing in the opposite direction


Arrive at The Grill, the venue has chenged since the last time I was there 5 years ago.
There is a new stage built onto the dancefloor.
I am sad because the seating area where I sat next to Bo Diddley in 2003 has since been changed into a bar. I was hoping to sit there again and remember our encounter.

A funny backdrop on the stage, looks like a bed-sheet and some magic marker.

Not too full, The Fall take to the stage

IS THIS NEW (whoop! whoop!) MES swaggers on, in a black shirt with white collar & cuffs (very HIP Priest!)
"Good evening we are The Fall and it's been a LONG LONG day"
and WINGS, MES notices me singing along and fixes his gaze on me.
Lots of enthusiastic youngsters, possibly from Belfast are jumping up and down at his feet, punching the air, trying to get his autograph to no avail, and offering their pints to him.

MES engages in some amp-adjustments.
The vocal mics aren't sounding loud and clear, so I give more attention to the other instruments

50 Year Old Man is quite an epic, this time I notice the drumming is incredible.
Can't remember tracks exactly, WOlf Kidult, Reformation, Over! Over!, Latch Key, I've Been DUped, WHite Lightnin' , Mr. Pharmacist, Pacifyin' Joint

One thing - for a while I've wondered what all the fuss is about Blindness, never really liked it, thought it was a bit of a montonoue drudge, but last night, I felt it as an uplifting, bouncy funky groove, with an extended MES korg solo within, a young lady climbed up on the stage and started dancing around before she was eventually removed by security, MES gave her a bemused look of disapproval.

Someone in the crowd got hold of one of his mics, some bizarre interjections in strong Belfast accent.

No encore.

who sang tommy shooter?

they didnt play tommy shooter

its available on dime here

oh well, that's what happens when you don't bring your notebook, original post edited.
anyway,
here's two photos, Bo Diddley (R.I.P.) at the Grill in May 2004, and The Fall gruppe & backdroppe 12th July 2008:

Nice photos...poor old Bo....only Willie Joe and his Unitar could have the impact the Bo regularly supplied

about fuckin' time - I finally managed to get a DIME account after several million attempts

Hello people!

This was a good day, Buckfast was necked before hand so was ridiculously steaming at this but remember quite a lot which is something i cant say about my first Fall gig in the Village a coupla years ago, basically all i remember is shaking Marks hand in a drunken mess after the show. But this was sweet, seeing The Fall in Donegal.
Just for thje record the "enthusiastic youngsters" from the first post was me and some friends and were not from Belfast were from Buncrana just North of Letterkenny in Inishowen, we just sound northern. We werent looking for autographs either we were looking to join the band

Sad there was no encore but this was a great show
The best ive seen the Fall thoufgh was in Belfast earlier this year
That show was something else in my opinion

Would anybody be kind enough to hook me up with this set? Ive tried getting a Dime account for yonkos but its just not working for me
Any help would be great.

i have a copy

also have the cork adn dublin gigs

pm me with address if you want a copyyourself

will be away for a few days but can post next thrusday

There was a picture/review in the Donegal Democrat apparently, but my sister chucked it out.

the "backdrop" is hilarious

Well, at least I knew yes weren't from Kerry!

...but there definitely was one young man down the front thrusting a pen and paper in MES's direction, it looked like an attempt to get an autograph to me, but if you say it was some kind of contract, who am I to doubt you?