Thursday, 20 November, 1980 – Cedar Club, Birmingham, England

1. Slates, Slags, etc.
2. The Container Drivers
3. Jawbone and the Air Rifle
4. Totally Wired
5. New Face in Hell
6. Printhead
7. An Older Lover etc
8. City Hobgoblins
9. Leave the Capital
10. Pay Your Rates
11. The N.W.R.A.
12. English Scheme
13. Underground Medecin

NOTES

• 00:52:07
• CD (2019) and Vinyl (2020) versions officially released on Cog Sinister and Let Them Eat Vinyl respectively.
• An exceptionally clear recording . Well presented material from “Slates”, “Grotesque” & recent singles, with the addition of the earlier “Printhead” and “U.Medecin” the latter of which this is the last documented recording.
• The Cedar Club was at 53-59 Constitution Hill, Hockley and as far as I can tell that was the venue for this gig – it was sometimes called The Cedar Ballroom and some of the listings for the gig call it that. For the purposes of this site, and complete accuracy we are calling it Cedar Club because that’s what is says on the poster!.

Image sourced by Dannyno

REVIEW

This is the surly and uncompromising Fall of the late 80s, on the cusp of a change to a more keyboard driven sound, exorcising some demons and believing that they were universally hated. In that context that biting bile and sarcastic tinge to these tunes is both undestandable and refreshing. Here is a combo painting its place in history with a unique from of music and a totally uncompromising attitude. Having said that its apparent that this audience is enjoying the gig.

Notably “Printhead” appears to lack bite – the guitar is strangely distant and Paul’s drum fills dominate. Other than this the band is incredibly tight – ably evidenced with a tense take on “Older Lover” with guitars weaving in and out. “Capital” is particularly good – Smith’s lyrics are clear, the band providing an energetic pulse over a controlled rant.

The version of “Underground Medecin”is fast with a motorik beat and Smith galloping through the words and the band adding new riffs and guitar lines.