1. Is This New
  2. Wings
  3. Pacifying Joint
  4. Fall Sound
  5. 50 Year Old Man
  6. Wolf Kidult Man
  7. Latch Key Kid
  8. Mountain Energei
  9. Reformation
  10. Tommy Shooter
  11. I’ve Been Duped
  12. Blindness

NOTES

67 minutes

Elena  from after “Fall Sound” only

Ding- Bass on “Mountain Energie” and “Reformation” – his last appearance playing with The Fall

Nick Mason – Narrator prior to “Is this New”, vocals on “Tommy Shooter”

A really great audience recording.

Unique in that Ms Poulou is absent until “50 year old man” onwards giving us a stripped down version of the first four numbers and a particularly sparse but effective “Pacifying Joint” and “Fall Sound”. “Ding” adds extra bass on “Energie” and “Reformation”. Some intense wah-wah noise from Pete on “Is this New” is proceeded by Niki narrating the usual tour opener over a wash of eerie sound from Safi Sniper.

Mark has emerged has emerged from the lake experience and the valleys of Cheshire Cheese and a surprising second “We are the Fall, good evening” rather than the other way down starts the proceedings. A vibrant “Is this New” kicks matters off.

“Wings” gets better and better as this tour progresses – Mark is clear and focused – as he is throughout this gig – however there is a slight lyrical hiccup around the academic section.

There is an extended intro to “50 Year Old Man” as EP joins, the sound stutters as gear is turned on, and she gets into the groove. The interlocking riffs make this special as the band cascades through Marks experiences in Manchester clubland, and hotels. Pete utlises the guitar in twangy mode to replicate the banjo and then slips into surging tube screaming territory – the synth bubble leads back into thrashing third part and reflections on “collusions” and tumescence etc. This performance alone defeats those who complain about the Fall being a one-dimensional riff machine. Consummately played and with enough variety to keep the average progtastic flare wearing stamp collector happy for decades. The double time drumming at the end is breathtaking.

Spurr howls and we are treated to a vibrant “Kidult” with MES with a laconic drawl as the band beat the living hell out of the riff. Spurr’s bass on “Latch Key” is a potent driver and the song reaches more parts than it reaches on the album albeit it feels a tad rushed in parts.

A slight bit of audience chatter pervades a sublime “Mountain Energie” and a slight howl on Mark’s microphone soon goes. The double bass adds textures as EP and PG float chords and squawls over the rock steady beat. There is some significant lyrical variation and then a wonderous extended coda of joyous abandon.

Then follows a morphing “Reformation” complete with guttural synth and a faster pace to my ears. Pete bends rather than slides and Elena plays contrapuntal percussive sounds. The interlocking riffs lead into Mark paying homage to Can with a couple of portions of “Mother Sky” and some limited keyboard noodling producing some space rock sounds.

Niki returns to deliver a punchy “Tommy Shooter” which is hard and fast. “Duped” starts as a member of the audience clearly is asking where Mark is. A good version with EPs vox up in the mix for once

No encore tonight but a classic ten-minute version of “Blindness” concludes matters. Interesting alien guitar noises on this from Pete which bear some consideration. Interesting to note the gig length without an encore.

It’s a stunner made more important by the stripped-down sound of the opening numbers.