Brighton Review

[Dave Smith]

What a place to end the 'tour' at Glasgow drinking mineral water..!lol.However with Mac he may play a blinder two nights later.....

[Dr Evil]

Mac said to me "I could be unkind but I won't" once. Of course, as his obsessed stalker, getting attention from him only encouraged me. Trouble is, lately I have become a bit un-obsessed, though watching him make an ass of himself might be worth seeing in its own right.

[Dave Smith]

I judge all musicians against Miles Hunt of the Wonder Stuff who knocked around the clubs etc.. by me in the West Midlands in the late 80's-90's acting like some mega-star.Biggest fucking arrogant twat you could ever meet..Hated his band as well.A total grade AAA cock.

Whenever Ive met Mac he's always been really down to earth.But these gigs are getting a bit worrying.He's obviously not happy and comfortable doing what he is.Perhaps he should write his book for a bit!

[camden jack]

I honestly don't think he's gonna change his ways; seems he rather trash everything than admit he's wrong. How many songs has he written around the theme - don't tell me what to do. There was some brief interview recently in which he was asked words that he associated with himself. The first, if I recall, was funny or witty, the third or fourth was alcohol. Last was music. I think that has become the priority. No on wants the Peter Cook/Jim Morrison show. The Image of the cool, excessive rock-n-roll lad was delightful for all of us in the 20's and even 30's, but now, come on. For someone obsessed with his own COOL image, he doesn't seem to know that the really cool thing COOL about himself is his skill with words, his poetry, songwriting, and his singing. The special talents he has are not being respected. At some point even the people who care about you give up in the face of such blind stupidity and stubbornness.

OK, I'll give my soapbox a rest. Dead horse ya know.

[Frank The Bunny]

OK, I'll give my soapbox a rest. Dead horse ya know.

http://blip.fm/profile/ivansmith/blip/47087857

[Dave Smith]

Doesnt he owe us all money?

[bunnygod1]

Interesting to see how he get's on tomorrow night in Glasgow, in my experience a Glasgow audience will not put up with Macs petulance and they will tell him so..... Got a feeling it's gonna be car crash viewing tomorrow night as Mac has more than a few good drinking buddies in Glasgow............

I will feed back after the show lol.............................

cant wait to hear what happens,we might be suprised

[Voodoo Billy]

I judge all musicians against Miles Hunt

I don't suppose his middle name's Yorrick?

[alivalley]

Am really pleased to find this site - have been looking online to find any reviews of Brighton night and none on official site.
Just to add to the pot...
The last time I saw Mac was at the magnificent Royal Albert Hall for Ocean Rain last year, which was spectacular, but the past couple of times before that were ropey (All Tomorrows Parties festival he took the piss out of a Dinosaur Jr fan in the front row and Portsmouth Pyramid he stopped mid way through Killing Moon and got security to chuck someone out for talking )
So my expectations were geared up for diva-ish antics, though looking forward to hearing some solo outings (which I'd only seen him solo once before at Union Chapel about 8 years ago and that was mega).

I hadn't realised that there would be banter (clue in the title, 'an evening with') but was really pleasantly surprised when he said at the start that he would be playing a few songs and telling a few stories, 'mostly made up cause I can't even remember what happened yesterday.'
He said at the start that he was nervous and apologised if he got things wrong.
But as he settled in and started his ramblings he got in his comfort zone and it was a pleasure to listen (even the knock knock joke).
The tension when the guy Jamie stood up was extreme, but I thought Mac actually pulled it off with grace - after Jamie left he was going to go into Candleland, but joked that he was still choked up about Jamie leaving.
Then not much later on another bloke near the back got up and this time you could see that Mac was riled by it and got security to get him out.
Mac then went a bit quiet after that and played a few songs straight through which helped break up the atmosphere.
And it was all going great. His voice really is on top form, I was amazed.
Yes, he was having a few drinks and cutting songs short, but I actually found it in good spirits. And contrary to the first post with the review only a few people left, the place was still packed.
And then came the end. And that was weird. After a rousing applause he comes back from a short break and he seems iiritated by the guys in the front row now who he had been having a laugh with (and who had bought him a drink) - when the guy says he missed his fag break to stay Mac quips, 'he'll be back'. I was sat to the right quite near to Peasey who was having a full on laugh with a guy sat near to me.
Mac thinks it's the bloke at the front and he stops Ocean Rain. Then he starts again and the laughing is still going on and Mac just flips - 'get him outta here' and looks like he's going to punch the guy.
And then it's over. Lights up.
And it's sad, because despite it all, it was an amazing intimate evening. Before the encore I think he played Bring on the dancing horses and everyone seemed happy and cheering.

this will sound weird, but I hope it was a set up. becuase when it ended like that I thought how sad for Ian McCulloch after a fraught evening that there wasn't the applause just bewildered silence. And I felt annoyed with his management for talking and causing the problem. So if that's how he wanted to end it I'm happier than thinking that he went back and smashed Peasey's face in and drank a bottle of brandy and thought everything was shit.
Because it really wasn't.

[Wabbit]

To conclude, though, if one could take the best bits from the evening they were very, very good. It's a shame that, as I've read on here before that no-one seems to be able to rein Mac in with the booze. By all, means, a couple of looseners but save the celebrating 'til youve done the gig. His singing was genuinely superb as was his much-missed guitaring. The banter, particluarly the off-the-cuff stuff was great; as we know, some of his ramblings between songs live can be a bit 'muddy' but last night you could tell he's got a great sense of humour and, at times he seemed to be enjoying the relationsip with the audience. I'd go again and hope that certain crowd members didn't bother turning up and Mac went a bit easier on the juice.

Welcome oceanrain1962, I was there and couldn't have put it better myself......agree with most of what you said....the gig was such a mix of pure brilliance (Mac before encore) and
weird tension (people in crowd causing the friction not Mac). Thought the whole crowd was going to start fighting each other at one point!! Those who love the songs, banter and chat against those that love the songs and didn't want any chat. He provokes such passion! As for the ending, well I can't really begin to fathom it really.....too much brandy I guess....which is a shame. I thought the last Mac solo gig in Brighton was the weirdest gig I have ever been to but this one topped it!! Maybe it is just a Brighton thing ha ha. When it was good it was the best ever but the ending was a let down. A woman who was at front of gig told me outside that the guy Mac was after at the end set some electronic voice off during a quiet moment of a song?? and that is why he was after him. However, I think that things were getting weird at that point anyway so.....dunno really....

Never a dull moment eh?

[Dave Smith]

I don't suppose his middle name's Yorrick?

There's a knock knock joke there somewhere VB!

[Wabbit]

oh yeah, forgot to say that Mac must be told what is said on here as one of the first things he did was ask what women invented......and then had a bit of a laugh with that subject and then said something like of course women are better than men they are my muse and most of my songs are written about them......

[morty]

And I felt annoyed with his management for talking and causing the problem. So if that's how he wanted to end it I'm happier than thinking that he went back and smashed Peasey's face in and drank a bottle of brandy and thought everything was shit.
Because it really wasn't.

A lot to be gained from that insightful comment.

This review seems to make a lot more sense and rings true.

Many thanks for your perspective.

[morty]

oh yeah, forgot to say that Mac must be told what is said on here as one of the first things he did was ask what women invented......and then had a bit of a laugh with that subject and then said something like of course women are better than men they are my muse and most of my songs are written about them......

Good save from Mac.
Maybe you should post this on the other thread.

[JackT]

Good save from Mac.
Maybe you should post this on the other thread.

You're not mortyfied about this sexist rant in which he declares women are better than men?