Cruiser’s Creek
Terry Waite Sez
Guest Informant
US 80s-90s
Mr Pharmacist
Riddler!
L.A.
Lucifer over Lancs
Shoulder Pads
Gut of the Quantifier
Gross Chapel – British Grenadiers
Hot Aftershave Bop
Prole Art Threat
R.O.D.
Hey! Luciani
Living too Late
Bombast
NOTES
79 minutes
Debut performance of Guest Informant
A good audience recording once the sound-person has got their act together. All instruments well presented and vocals are very clear on most tracks – Mark tends to get lost in the soundscape where he is narrating rather than singing.
Kicking off (after the madness of the People of Slough tape) with a fired up and sparky “Cruisers Creek”, during which there are some feedback problems, it would be have a band in fine fettle and ready to kick bottom. A quick gallop, with again attendant microphone feedback , through a brash “Terry Waite” into a percussive “Guest Informant” of the highest quality into a slinky and noisy ramble through “US80s90s” leaves this reviewer breathless. The riffing on the latter is particularly memorable.
The pace does not slacken with fine versions of “Pharmacist”, “Riddler”, “LA” and “Lucifer” (which Simon mistakenly starts a song earlier). The band appears to be attacking the material with a particular vigour tonight. An extended percussion intro for “Gut” allows Mark to indulge in some verbal dexterity before launching into an intensely speedy version underlain with a baleful organ patch.
A lengthy “Gross Chapel etc” is a maelstrom of repressed eroticism and tangled guitar noise – a memorable listen as instruments fight each other for space in the tightening circle of the soundscape and Mark howls exponentially over the riff. The ability of the band to take a simple riff and turn into a musical masterpiece is never more better realised than here.
Encores are numerous and plentiful – “Prole Art Threat” at a hideously fast pace is a highlight as is a stunning “R.O.D.”.
So you get most of “Bend Sinister” played live with considerable power and dexterity. Highly recommended.