Manchester, Moho Live — 2nd night, Wednesday, 11th November 2009

Strange Town
Hot Cake
Wolf Kidult Man
Chino
50 Year Old Man
I've been Duped
? Possibly 'Scenario' with Veterans Day Poppy lyrics.
Bury
Pharmacist
Blindness

Encore Psykik Dancehall


Thanks to Phil Pharmacist. A seasoned veteran himself of many Fall gigs who claims this 'was one of the best ever'.

Don't leave the venue just yet Phil. The van is still parked outside.

Thanks Hanley, thanks Phil!
Glad to see »Scenario« there.

really was one of the best i've seen...fantastic.

they opened with a new song, pretty sure its never been played before.

there was also a song before mr pharmacist which i'd never heard before. poppy number with 'unseen knowledge' etc. scattered throughout. cowboy george was also played.

they definitely played scenario, interesting to hear it on 11/11.

blindness was phenomenal. i'm not from bury excellent.

psykick dancehall featured mes in leather jacket with no shirt underneath...elena seemed very amused. comical moment where he decided to take the jacket off ...and then changed his mind but couldn't get it back on.

i don't go to see the fall for such things though. i go to see a great band playing beasty tunes. wasn't disappointed.

Just got back after hot footing it to get last bus home. Believe the hype. This was one fuckin amazing night.
I've been to just over one a year since '96 and this pisses on pretty much all of them. Band tight as fuck and actually enjoying themselves. MES bang on the money. He was belting them out with a passion.

Scenario definitely played, but with extra Poppy touches what with it being Remembrance Day and all. The instrumental opener which led into Strange Town was superb. Not heard it before (sounded like two or three other newies to me tonight?).

Chino was monumental. Stripped down riff with driving rhythm, Really been transformed since the Dublin gig footage on Youtube.

I've Been Duped was surprisingly top. Even sparked off an attempted moshpit down at the front. Steady on fellas - you'll give yerselves heartburn.

There was a freeform vaguely Das Boot thing going on about two-thirds through. Damn good it was too. More odd guitar in it. Lots of weird and wonderful keyboard and guitar sounds tonight in fact.

Blindness was epic as ever. Also full marks to whoever got given the mic and did the ad lib lyrics. Well done Sir. Hit the North indeed.

I could go on and on, but tiredness and JOY prevents me. Let's just say, if you're umming and ahhing about going to a gig on this tour, FUCKIN DO IT. This is one shit hot band at present. Long may it continue.

And to all those who reckon MOHO is too hot/small/smelly/loud, get out more yer bastards. You're comparing the place to a fuckin tapas bar or something. Think Roadhouse/Jilly's and you've got it. Good Fall venue. And the PA was spot on tonight.

One more thing. Lots of lovely young ladies were in attendance, which is great to see.[oh Ding Dong]. AND they appeared to enjoy it. Not that I was watching them all night or anything. I wonder if they enjoyed MES going topless near the end?

I hope this fucker makes it onto DIME. Burn it, enjoy it, buy the album, catch them on this tour. Think i'll buy my Liverpool ticket now.

Night night.

I'm dead excited after reading that, thanks.

just to agree with what has already been written...one of the best fall gigs ever...truely jaw-droppingly awsome...and i have seen em shit load of times...simply so tight, and mes as good/great as he as ever been
[ and to own up...i did pretty much hog the mike at the end of blindness...sorry...but was so over come by sheer awe]

Said to the other half,There's no way it was going to better than Tuesday,Wrong!!,quite simply the best I have ever seen them,cracking venue,sound was spot on,MES totally up for it,ears still haven't fully recovered from 'Blindness',just as it should be.Roll on Liverpoool

Wonderful, even better than Tuesday's as per above comments. No intro tape tonight, about 2230 - 2345ish again.

Couple of changes to Hanley/ Phil's set list:

New Instrumental (good repetitive driving krautrock)
Strange Town
Hot Cake
Wolf Kidult Man
Chino Splashback
50 Year Old Man
I've been Duped
Scenario (inc. words of Veteran's Day Poppy by Capt Beefheart)
Cowboy George (with the 'Das Boot' type racket at the end)
I'm not from Bury
'New Cowboy' (title as per set list)
Mr Pharmacist
Blindness

Encore Psykick Dancehall

Set list also had sloppy floor but not played and the order changed around slightly too. New Cowboy had a long instrumental intro with no drums - riff sounded familiar but I can't place it.

Really good venue, like a sweatbox but great sound and surprisingly good views considering pillars, stairs etc. IMHO both of these shows a mile better than July at Manc Academy in terms of atmosphere and music despite similar sets.

Lots of barstaff too, pity I had to drive. Liverpool next - no driving required hurrah!

PS: Blindness is the new Blindness (as has probably been said before )

PPS: Edited to include ref to Beefheart's 'Veterans Day Poppy' (On Trout Mask Replica btw) as per other posters observations - well spotted.

This post has been edited by TheBigBopper on Nov 13 2009, 04:13 AM

Just like to add my voice to the chorus of approval for last night; 4th time this year, best by far. Best for a long time, too.

The rhythm section have become some sort of grinding juggernaut - unstoppable! And the guitar is nastier and nastier on each listen. If the new material is anything to go by, the next LP is going to be an absolute classic...probably jinxed it now, sorry.

It was the first time I've been to MOHO (after a bit of wandering I pretty much tripped over the place by accident) and I thought it was fucking marvellous. Distinct lack of 'waiting five hours for a drink' scenario despite the place being rammed.

Bumped into a couple of people from previous gigs who remembered me, and ended up having an entertaining chat about (among other things) Lotte Lenya and Kurt Weill with the latter. Does this only happen at Fall gigs by the way? I appreciate that I'm not easy to miss - fat bastard, big beard, tendency to wear hats - but I've never had people going 'here I stood next to you at the Manchester Academy one/crashed a cigarette off you at Leeds' when I go to see anyone else.

Oh yeah, gig. Grand stuff. The bloke next to me at the bar was extolling the brilliance of Mr. Pharmacist about ten minutes before they launched into it. Bit of pre-cog there. And Blindness...always Blindness.

If the people I ended up in the pub with post-gig post here, cheers for introducing me to a good one. Old Tom ale on tap.

Two really good nights, and a good Fall venue - like the Roadhouse, as has been said. I seem to be in a minority, but I preferred the first night. It might be because I was right down the front first night, and further back on the second, and certainly it was good to hear Veteran's Day Poppy ON REMEMBRANCE DAY. (Can I just point out this is a Beefheart song, haven't noticed it being said?) Blindness was great, but I thought the first night was edgier in a good way, and a bit more experimental, less straightforward. Anyway, why choose? Two great ones for the price of one ticket to PiL in December.

Small venues usually = better fall gigs.

Bodes well for Poole next week!

I hope to God someone recorded this (!?).

Small venues usually = better fall gigs.

Bodes well for Poole next week!

I hope it doesn't bode badly for Koko

it was great. i didnt see anyone there. as i got lost and couldnt find the venue and only got there as they where coming on. blindness was ace!

bring on koko! x

The Consortium have recorded this one (and Tuesday).

The Consortium have recorded this one (and Tuesday).

Superb. Can't wait for it.
Still buzzin from last night to be honest. Sad but true.

The Consortium have recorded this one (and Tuesday).

It's the power of stability. I'm sitting in my cold Upstate New York rural home, looking out the window at the Pleaides and Orion, and jealous as all fuck about those of you who get to see it in action. Thanks for great and thorough reports. Eagerly anticipating the new elpee, despite the terrible typography.

I popped along on Wednesay and agree with other posters as to the quality of the gig; however I do wonder how much better this would have been in for example the recent Leeds venue which was to me the best I'd seen from the latest group.

I popped along to the Castle Hotel before the gig to be joined by the band - which meant I could time my exit perfectly; had a very Mancuian conversation ('cob','Brassic' et al.) with a chap I met who asked me what I was doing there - 'seeing the fall later' - 'that miserable C*** he opined - how much is that a fiver?'

Good value.

Think so?

Think so?

Ah but only 14 posts- he must be a young un who doesnt realise that song has been played in about 80% of all Fall gigs

Scenario is absolutely fantastic. Improvised and unrehearsed, but totally fantastic.
This is exactly why I love this band.

New Cowboy is a brand new song.

Nothing to do with Cowboy George.