We never used to have a laugh when we were playing. It was so bloody serious, we were fucking terrified of enjoying it.. Those words were uttered by John when I interviewed the band back in October, with reference to their previous incarnation, The Beyond. And those words were bouncing through my head during this gig. The Beyond would probably never have done this. Shambolically wonderfully I kept thinking, because it was.
I don't know if it was because it was Xmas or not, but the band seemed more relaxed than ever. At times the songs fell apart, like the middle to end part of Flesh, only to be greeted by Andy saying, the song was shite anyway.
So, in front of, I guess, a partisan home crowd, the band trip through a set which initially, is pretty much the same as the recent Nottingham gig. Only this time, we get some more songs, well, they are headlining after all.
One song, I forget which now, finished with only Neal the drummer, left on stage, the rest of the band deciding, albeit at different stages, to abandon the idea of playing instruments in favour of diving into the crowd.
Superstar sounds a little different to what I last remember. More bass driven, maybe that was part of the technical difficulties which seemed to plague them all night, but at least we were let into the secret of why it's called Superstar. Cos they are the only lyrics lies John.
The band finish, and despite the cries for Acid Test, to coin a phrase, this person thought it was all over, but it wasn't. The band come back to cover pretty much everyone with silly string and other xmas stuff. Andy attempts to play something Chrissmasy, to be told it sounded like the Star Spangled Banner, they play another new song, I think, and then it is, it's Acid Test. Yeah. It's over, it's been a shambles, bit like this review, and you know what, it was wonderful for it.
If, as seems likely, this is to be my final gig of '97, what a way to go out. Here's to '98 and a year of glory and great gigs like this. After all, it's all a laugh at the end of the day. Isn't it?