Manchester Review 13th Oct

[black francis]

It sounds like it's going to be a glorious mess. If they did A Promise on the U.S. tour, would that be enough to get you to the shows BF?

All Because of You Days or Avalanche is all I'm asking for. I even offered to let the bunnycamp kick my ass in exchange. No response though.

[mark]

Manchester city is the place" crooned iconic legend Ian McCulloch much to the delight of a Mancunian crowd. Less than a minute later he balanced out the nod to Liverpool's city rivals with a name check closer to home. "Take a walk on Merseyside" blasted the Liverpudlian. The Scouse contingent in the Manchester Ritz hollered in appreciation.

Three decades after forming Echo and the Bunnymen can still draw a crowd. Last night was sold out and as the cheers during an extended version of the band's 1997 hit Nothing Ever Lasts Forever demonstrated people travel from all over to see them.

The post-punk band are at the start of a Transatlantic tour that will see them take in over 25 dates on both sides of the Atlantic before Christmas. If last night's performance is anything to go by the Bunnymen's loyal legion of fans are in for treat. Mac and the lads were on fine form.

The Bunnymen know how to create a mood. As Georgian chants rang around the venue and smoke engulfed the stage dark silhouettes emerged. McCulloch's figure is unmistakeably cool. Even his shadow oozes style and class.

Guitarist Will Sergeant took up his usual side of stage position.

With a monotonous "hello" the band launched into "Going Up" and then "Show of Strength". A pair off their 1981 album Heaven Up Here. The perfect songs to compliment the moody stage set up.

The Bunnymen command a mixed following. It would be fair to say most in there will know them from their 80's heyday - they threatened on more than one occasion to break through into the mainstream - but there was also a fair smattering of younger folk.

A healthy mixture of music types (t-shirts on parade ranging from The Fall to The Clash to the Hacienda), ageing McCulloch wannabes (it's all in the hair), couples, football casuals, students and just ordinary people.

If any of the gathered didn't know the first two songs it's a safe bet they would have recognised the opening to Rescue. One of The Bunnymen's more well known tracks.

During this four minute burst of indie-pop the on-stage blackness was broken when a video was projected onto a backdrop behind the five piece.

It remained throughout showing grainy home videos of nothing in particular and the odd kaleidoscope pattern. It did however manage to coax the incredibly insular Sergeant into looking up on more than one occasion.

Their 10th studio album (11th if you included the Ian McCulloch-less Reverberation) was released on Monday. Titled The Fountain, McCulloch has described it as "one of the best we've made".

The first taster from it came six songs in. "Do You Know Who I am?" fitted perfectly in between the chirpy Stormy Weather and old favourite Seven Seas.

Bands are often criticised for playing too many new songs at gigs. Last night there could be an argument the Bunnymen played too few songs from the new album.

On a tour that is intended to promote their latest offering they only went onto play two more tracks off it; The Shroud of Turin and the single I Think I Need It To.

But who can blame them. When you've got a back catalogue spanning over thirty years, and more importantly a back catalogue that would stand up to pretty much any band in existence choosing a set list must be a nightmare.

The likes of The Killing Moon and The Cutter are ever present favourites and the aforementioned Nothing Ever Lasts Forever was, as always, interspersed with Lou Reed's Wildside, Don't Let Me Down and Midnight Hour,

It was at this point a man standing next to me uttered "I'll never tire of watching these".

As the band rounded off the night playing Lips Like Sugar during a second encore it's safe to say most, if not all present, would surely agree.





Set List:

Going up,
Show of strength,
Rescue,
Villiers Terrace,
Stormy weather,
Do you know who I am?,
Seven Seas
Dancing Horses
Shroud of Turin,
The Disease,
All that Jazz,
Silver,
Back of Love,
The Killing Moon
The Cutter,

Encore 1:
I think I need it to
Nothing every lasts forever


Encore 2:
Lips Like Sugar

Obviously not a KoK review!! Perfect grammar and spelling, and I assume he wont be at any shows cos he is still in the huff.

[Sick4Tunz]

So basically the same old setlist Ive seen a hundred times with a couple of crap new songs thrown in. I'll give that a miss thanks.

It sounds like no ones interested in going to the shows. Well then it looks like it will be me, Mac and Will sharing a bottle of tequila for three nights in Liverpool.

You have to remember that not everyone has had the benefit of seeing them play in their glory days or later. For a newbie like me, a live performance this late in the game will feel like heaven, no matter how many times they play Killing Moon. Some of you sound like a couple that's been married for 30 or more years. I've only just fallen in love.

Anyone have a bootleg recording of the Manchester show?

[withahip]

It sounds like no ones interested in going to the shows. Well then it looks like it will be me, Mac and Will sharing a bottle of tequila for three nights in Liverpool.

Some of you sound like a couple that's been married for 30 or more years. I've only just fallen in love.

Anyone have a bootleg recording of the Manchester show?

Here is a suggestion to stay in love - don't watch any live videos from the 80s. That way you can do a Shallow Hal and avoid realizing you've fallen in love with a bitter hag.

[Sick4Tunz]

Remember, alcohol helps ugly people get laid!

The bitterness is coming from all the jilted lovers.

The 80's are long dead and so are those idols. You gotta take what you can get, and be thankful that you experienced them in their prime (screw the videos).

Don't worry, be happy!

[withahip]

Don't worry, be happy!

Agreed. Enjoy the show!

[King Of Kings]

Obviously not a KoK review!! Perfect grammar and spelling, and I assume he wont be at any shows cos he is still in the huff.

Actually I'm going to the Roundhouse tonight.

Got tickets for 3 Liverpool dates in DEC

Although I'm considering blowing out the Dec Dates

What really pisses me off is Some Fans and the Band Managment including Webmaster get quite upset and angry at my so called negetivity.

Move on They Say, This a new direction for the "Bunnymen Product" .

Get a grip we have to move on with new media formats, hence Download only

LOL the single did'nt ever make the top 100


But whats this. the very tour to support the new album is only represented by 16% of Fountain Songs and 11% of post 1997 Songs.

A whopping 73% of the set list comprises of the old songs. Is this all they know how to play?

Move On Move on. Well move on with your set list

I an't got the huff I just say what a lot o pepole want to say but are politically correct.

Top top it off examine the credits on Fountain- Where is Will?

An you tell me The bunnymen are still alive and kicking. As a marketable product Yes

But as Group NO

[fat cherry]

they did the promise last night

[the ghost of guitarplayer]

Mobile phone recording alert, so it will sound not very nice. It answers my question about James Allan - he was doing the high vocals.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVW1H_Z8UVU[/youtube]

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Actually I'm going to the Roundhouse tonight.

No doubt you've already written your review of tonights show in traditional KOK fashion.....

Hopefully see you there.................................

[fat cherry]

What really pisses me off is Some Fans and the Band Managment including Webmaster get quite upset and angry at my so called negetivity.

not 'so called', it IS pretty negative. They pissed you off and now youre getting youre own back. I dont think most fans - or people going to the gigs give a flying fig what you think. as i mentioned almost as many times as you post this post, the regular posting members ofg this forum wouldn't fill the front row of a bunnygig, so, what gives? You're upset because your favourite band has let you down. grow up.

But whats this. the very tour to support the new album is only represented by 16% of Fountain Songs and 11% of post 1997 Songs. A whopping 73% of the set list comprises of the old songs. Is this all they know how to play?

thats my main beef. looks like 'going through the motions' but it is possible just to go and have a good time, get yourself lost in the mosh pit - but hey - did i say they did the promise last night. sorry, thats A promise isn't it. That and throwing Will a curve ball by changing the set order. wild.

I an't got the huff I just say what a lot o pepole want to say but are politically correct.

Your repetition of the same thing over and over suggests that huff-wise, youre pretty much a terminal case. i'm not sure about your use of the term 'polictically correct' either. We need Jack to let us in on the proper usage of that term before i comment further. My own thought is that if you were to call mac a homo or a scouse fudgepacker that might be politically incorrect and most likely, just incorrect and libellous (or would that be slanderous) and i'd like to point out i used it as an illustration only of possible common usage, or something. Maybe your other stuff is just incorrect too. maybe you make too much noise about it. Maybe you should find another band to obsess over. Though the nature of obsession might not allow that. You could rty weaning yourself off, every time you want to put a bunnymen record on go give the missus a good seeing to instead. She might appreciate it.

To top it off examine the credits on Fountain- Where is Will?

Maybe Will has lost his mojo. Maybe he's happy to be on for the ride. He seems quite jolly on the youtube stuff peter piper the web dad has put up. Either way it seems deffo that mr mac has the upper hand band-wise. but who cares. its a band who you can go to see or not. whose records you can buy or not. only thing is you cant do is use an mp3 as a table mat.

[fat cherry]

mr brian, please stick a fork in me....

[JackT]

Remember, alcohol helps ugly people get laid!

The bitterness is coming from all the jilted lovers.

The 80's are long dead and so are those idols. You gotta take what you can get, and be thankful that you experienced them in their prime (screw the videos).

Don't worry, be happy!

A watched pot never boils.