West Coast Festival, Stavanger, Norway, Saturday, 6th September 2008

Consortium?
Hello?

didn't like the idea of having to stand up for 60 minutes

no pics from saturday yet either

Very positive review in Stavanger's local paper today, rated 6/6:
http://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/article693532.ece

Apparently they played 'Carry Bag Man'...

Other songs mentioned were 'Is this New' (opener), 'Tommy Shooter', 'Wolf Kidult Man', I've been Duped', '50 Year Old Man', 'Reformation', 'What About Us?', 'Mr. Pharmacist' and 'White Lightning'. No mention of any new songs.

They played two encores, kept going for 70 minutes and there were 400 people in the audience.

The reviewer quotes a local fan, who says it was the best Fall concert he's attended during the last few years and that MES was, for him at least, 'sparkling'...


Sounds like it was a good one...

I sent the review through Google's translator:

To the extent that it can be done to call him sprudlende, it was what he was, according to Olav Gjesteland, one of the district's svorne Fall fans.

-- This was the best Fall-the concert I've seen in recent years, according to him.

LES ALSO: Belief in new Numusic-record

Sprudlende? , To talk to the audience is something Mark E. Smith never do, but on Saturday denied permission steinansikt out to småtulle with guitarist Pete Greenway and keyboardspiller Elena Poulou, that he is married with. Bassist Dave Spurr and trommis Keiron Melling make up the rest of the band - until he kicks them, or they leave him, as regularly happens with the Fall-members.

Sommerfersk

The majority of the songs on Saturday was taken from sommerferske "Imperial wax solvent." The band opens with "Is this new", and Smith comes in at the end of the song. Then, it carries off with, among other things, "Tommy shooter" "Wolf kidult man," a great "I've been duped" by Elena Poulou on vocals and a brief version of "50 year old man."

The high point

Among the highlights is a long version of the "Reformation" from last year's disc, "What about us?" From 2005, 20-year-old "Carry bag man" with Elena important, "Mr. Farmacist "from 1986 and at the very end one of the toughest coverversjoner ever made: The Falls version of" White lightning "from 1991, a song originally written by Jil Perry" The Big Bopper "Richardson who died in flykrasjet with Buddy Holly in 1959.

A sound engineer nightmare

About the songs are strong, is Mark E. Smith's sceneshow not by the innøvde battle. In the beginning it is made up of gumle tyggi and putting venstrehånda alternate for skinnjakkelomma and coin pocket. Since it is surring of mikrofonledning that question. For a guy who pretty much stand still, it's amazing how he can manage to vase to the wiring. Microphone action, stand spread, the wiring set up fast. The destruction his own microphone, rapper he is only one of a Band member and continues to sing.

He turns on all the knots he can be found, the entire concert through reels fixed wires and create general mischief. A sound engineer nightmare. Bandmedlemmene draws some listed on the shoulders, yet they are coming almost painlessly through the set, and two rounds of encore.

What struck us?

You do not have to flirt with the audience when you have more energy in the voice and the music than any other. Saturday Smith delivered the goods or even more, with limited versions of songs from the top shelf. Receivables in the City was good, even if it took most of the audience for a while to understand what had hit them.

Let us finally get cite the dead-BBC legend John Peel on his yndlingsbandet The Fall: "They are always different, they are always the same."

Flew over from Oslo to Stavanger on saturday to catch The Fall at
Folken.
Great gig. MES did his usual live mixing, Eleni brought a lot of
luggage on stage, and the guitarist looked pissed off for most of the
gig (but I guess that's the way he always looks).

Don't have the complete set list, but here are the titles I remember:
Is This New
Wolf Kidult Man

[...]
Pacifying Joint

[...]

Theme From Sparta F.C.
I've Been Duped
50 Year Old Man
Reformation

(1st encore)
Mr Pharmacist
Carry Bag Man

(2nd encore)
Blindness
White Lightning

They played for about 70 minutes, and the reviewer confused Pacifying Joint with What About Us? I think.

Ran into MES (or stalked him more likely) at the airport the next day
and he seemed very pleased with the gig.

HPL

Great, thanks HPL

Welcome on here HPL!!!
Thanks for the review...

I've done a rough translation of the Stavanger Aftenblad piece. Please ignore the wobbly english! (is highlight a real word?)

Rock solid from the stone face

Mark E. Smith from Manchester doesn’t pander to the audience. After 30 years in the business he’s known as the grumpy old man of punk, with the look and behaviour of a weary, pissed off bartender. Still, it almost seemed like he enjoyed himself at Folken on Saturday.

– If one ever can call him bubbly, that was what he was, says Olav Gjesteland, one of the areas most loyal Fall-fans.
– This is the best Fall-gig I’ve been to the last few years, he recons.

Bubbly? Talking to the audience is something Mark E. Smith never does, but on Saturday the stone face allowed himself to joke around with guitarist Pete Greenway and keyboard player Elena Poulou, who he’s married to. The rest of the band consists of bass player Dave Spurr and drummer Keiron Melling – that is until he sacks them or they leave him, something that regularly happens to Fall-members.

Summer fresh

Most of the material on Saturday was off the recent [or as it says in the review; "sommerfersk, which means "summer fresh" HPL] «Imperial wax solvent». The band opens with «Is this new», and Smith comes in at the end of the song. After that it continues with amongst others «Tommy shooter» «Wolf kidult man», a great «I've been duped» with Elena Poulou on vocals and a short version of «50 year old man».

The highlight

Among the highlights was a long version of «Reformation» from last years album, «What about us?» from 2005, 20 year old «Carry bag man» with Elena in the centre, «Mr. Farmacist» from 1986 and at the very end one of the coolest covers ever made: The Fall version of «White lightning» from 1991, a song originally written by Jiles Perry «The Big Bopper» Richardson who died in the plane crash along with Buddy Holly in 1959.

A sound engineer’s nightmare

If the songs are strong, Mark E. Smith’s stage show isn’t of the well-rehearsed kind. In the beginning it consists of him chewing gum and putting his left hand in the leather coat pocket and trouser pocket. After that it’s time for fiddling with the microphone wire. For a guy who mainly stands still it’s unbelievable how he can make a tangle of the wires. Microphones loosen, the stands topple over, wires get stuck. If he breaks his own microphone he just nicks another one from one of the band members and keeps on singing.

He turns all the buttons he can find, keeps going the concert through with the messing about with wires and generally creating mischief. A sound engineers nightmare.
The members of the band shrug in slight despair, and still they manage to almost get through the set and two rounds of encores in one piece.

What hit us?

You don’t have to flirt with the audience when you have more energy in your voice and music than any other. On Saturday Smith delivered the goods and more, with focused versions from the top shelf. The reception from the Folken audience was good; even though it took the main part of the audience a while to comprehend what had hit them.

Let’s end this with a quote from the late BBC-legend John Peel on his favourite band The Fall: «They’re always different, and always the same ».

Nice to see another Norwegian on the Forum - do stick around

Goddag, HPL. Yes, Highlight is definitely a word, and a good one at that

Well, you wouldn't go to Norway for the cheap booze would you.

Found some pictures,-goggling on Flicker-dot-com.

She's got the best anti theft device going - keep it all with you, it's what I do too.

I took the trip from Oslo too. This was the second time I saw The Fall live (first time Øya 06) and I must say I was impressed. They played very intense and hard. One of the best concerts I have heard.
I think the blank number three spot on HPL's setlist is "Fall sound".
I do not either remember song number 5.
My wife took some pictures with her cell phone. How do I post pictures?
Does any know who the guy who played the video/noise collage before
The Fall played is? He also filmed The Fall's show and fixed the microphone cables after MES had messed them up.

Sounds like Safi Sniper

They played Carry Bag Man?




This post has been edited by snoweyuk on Sep 10 2008, 09:48 AM

Yes, they played Cary Bag Man. With Elena whistling the intro

number 3 was Fall Sound
number 5 was Wings
support was indeed Safi Sniper

i agree with erik and mr. Gjesteland, easily one of the best shows i've been to, Fall or otherwise

They seem to haul this out every few years for outdoor festival-type things. Last time played was that afternoon show in Paris in '05.

Thanks for the reports!

They seem to haul this out every few years for outdoor festival-type things. Last time played was that afternoon show in Paris in '05.

Thanks for the reports!

Actually 17th October 2005 in Edinburgh

..and I'm in the wrong country for the next set of dates...pah, shit