- O.F.Y.C. Showcase
- Slippy Floor
- Funnel of Love
- Over! Over!
- Bury
- Chino
- Hot Cake
- Scenario
- Cowboy George
- Cowboy Gregori
- Psykick Dancehall
- Mexico Wax Solvent
- Reformation
- White Lightning
- Mr Pharmacist
NOTES
- 61:59
- Good recording – MES vocals have too much reverb applied at times
REVIEW
The first date of 2010 sees the group back in its old stomping ground of Maria Am Ostbanhof.
Dominated by material from the forthcoming album the gig shows the emerging sound which developed toward the end of 2009, muscular riff driven workouts with a range of synthetic sounds conjured by Pete and Eleni.
Three recordings are available all of which are good audience captures. The sound is good overall apart from on the vocals.
“Good Evening we are The Fall – a showcase of real/raw talent”.
The joyous riffage of “Your Future, Our Clutter” (or is it “Our Future, Your Clutter”?) precedes a bubbling “Slippy Floor” which transposes into a manic high speed beast of a thing. “Funnel of Love” has echoes of early garage hanging as it does on a repeated guitar figure from Pete. There are some pyrotechnical synth sounds and excellent drumming which give it a slightly off kilter feel. Quite mesmerising in fact.
“Over, Over” feels a tad tired amongst the new material, whereas “Bury” is absolutely superb dynamically rich and with juddering drum feel which sucks the listener in, there’s a lot of counterpoint here somewhere buried away amongst the tumbling and burbling, tension and release, structure. “Chino” is as good, brooding and intense, as MES narrates balefully.
“Hot Cake” is another foot stomper and if I was drawing an invidious comparison I’d recollect “Big New Prinz” for something as compellingly booty moving. “Scenario” as seen above, is delivered deftly and the restraint shown in the context of the rest of the gig is impressive.
Thereafter follows the ongoing mystery of the “Cowboy” song which for the purposes of the recording appears to be in three parts but on the set list is described as two songs. Part 1 is the Ennio Morricone surf guitar workout. MES plays with Pete’s amp in this section. Its a driven piece echoing some sort of John Ford western with its galloping feel. This part lasts just over three minutes. This slows into what might best be described as the wacky improv bit where synth swirls and mangled echoey guitar noises repeat through a pair of separate riffs and two minutes in MES begins a narration around the “Unseen Knowledge” theme. This continues for a further couple of minutes. Might best described as loosely psychedelic I suppose. Another, and final section, of just over three minutes is a started through a great descending riff which kicks into a jaunty piece of Fallabilly which is quite simply wonderful. The last three minutes of this are captured above – hindsight reveals this as Cowboy Gregori.
The gig proper concludes with a fine reading of “Psykick Dancehall”. Encores show some variations from the set list with the premiere of a new song “Mexico” with Ed Blaney press-ganged into performing with lyrics sheet in hand, and MES joining part way through as seen below. A mid tempo piece featuring references to “Aqua Rosa”, “Air Quality” and “Blogger on the Internet” ,”Archibold Yates” – apparently they love their government in Mexico. And strangely England’s middle classes appear also to be in Mexico. Wonderful stuff.
Matters conclude with a trio of Reformation, White Lightning, and the old warhorse Mr P.
Oddly, and annoyingly it is at this point that Mark’s vocal become clear after a gig where they have been too far back in the mix. Reformation is remarkable with “Why don’t you give Leeds back to the Leeds people of Leeds” a gnomic utterance at one point. The usual quote from “Mother Sky” appears before the audience get the chance to join in. The last ninety seconds are a riot of noise.
“White Lightning” is played pretty straight albeit with Melling and Spurr doing a bit of a Bonham/Jones, and the Pharmacist gravitating towards the heavy metal in parts – I’m not sure if Edgar Broughton is being channeled here at some points!
A good start to 2010, a pity the sound man could not have got the front man’s voice right in the mix from the start though
The Track Record 