Mac at St Georges Hall-a night to forget.

[Dave Smith]

The omens werent good.Official email from Bunnymen HQ requesting silence because its just' Mac and a guitar' obviously signalled some kind of panic as to potentially Mac stropping off before the gig had even started.Mac solo gigs can be quite fractious at the best of times and he's best complemented by a full band(ala Zeligs).But tonight it was him and his guitar,manager Pete for a couple of songs and a poor down-trodden pianist(more of that later)Could he hold it together enough in the sublime setting of St Georges Hall billed as his comeback there from Crystal Days in 84?Who wants to bet?

Mac comes on stage late at 9.20 pm.Sits down and picks up his guitar.
"Ill do me knock knock joke now"."Knock knock...whos there...Yorrick...Yorick who.........your a cunt"
Unbelievable-so much for requested reverential silence when Mac comes out dishing vulgar swear words to an audience full of female fans before a string has been plucked.What next-Monk like trance state demands for Chubby Brown gigs?

He plays the Fountain-sounds good.Little did I know that this would be one of only three songs all night he actually managed to finish or remember the words to properly.
Rescue-incomplete.Three chords of Do It Clean.Stop.Proud to Fall.Botched ending and forgotten words.Mac asks the crowd what the lyrics are.Zimbo good and finished.Fools like us-botched chords.Silence in the crowd. A girl starts shouting out between songs.Mac-"can some of my people who look after me throw her out"!Jesus -to be honest the girl was no worse than merely just shouting out but obviously he felt like she was ruining his ability to play a coherant set.How wrong he was.

Piano player comes on stage who is trying to play from sheet music.They hold it together for Somewhere.Mac plays another botched Game and Idolness rendition.Cue KIiling Moon and long rant about it being the best song from the best band.Good job he reminded me because it didnt sound like it last night.The poor pianist is really struggling to keep time with Macs strumming.Only Pete Byrne is keeping the time properly.Mac starts waving his arms at the guy.KM finishes.Candleland is played and ends with Mac forgetting all the words and giving up.

He leaves the stage.1/3 of the audience follow him to the exit.

Long silence and he comes back.History Chimes is muddled by said pianist who Mac remonstrates with and calls "Louis Threoux".The pianist pisses off the stage so that Mac can play it solo.Mac gives up after three chords.

NLF is preceded by long rant why he wants Benitez out,trying to justify his recent comments.Sensing he's losing a few red fans he concludes that Liverpool should be 'more like the Blues'.NLF is half played.

He promises Lips LIke Sugar-again giving up and goes into another stop start Ocean Rain stating he wont sing the high note at the end.More attempted jokes and rambling before we stutter to thankfully the end of the show.

In 26 years of watching 200+ Bunnymen,Mac.Will, Electrafixion gigs etc..etc.. l Ive seen highs and lows but they've always been professional.Last night was probably the worst gig Ive ever seen Mac play.To quote a line from Magical World "you pointed to my star and then it blew away".

Any more performances like that and it may not come back.

If management read this feel free to mail me your own thoughts.

[the ghost of guitarplayer]

Oh dear. Doesn't sound good at all.

[tonywojo]

The omens werent good.Official email from Bunnymen HQ requesting silence because its just' Mac and a guitar' obviously signalled some kind of panic as to potentially Mac stropping off before the gig had even started.Mac solo gigs can be quite fractious at the best of times and he's best complemented by a full band(ala Zeligs).But tonight it was him and his guitar,manager Pete for a couple of songs and a poor down-trodden pianist(more of that later)Could he hold it together enough in the sublime setting of St Georges Hall billed as his comeback there from Crystal Days in 84?Who wants to bet?

Mac comes on stage late at 9.20 pm.Sits down and picks up his guitar.
"Ill do me knock knock joke now"."Knock knock...whos there...Yorrick...Yorick who.........your a cunt"
Unbelievable-so much for requested reverential silence when Mac comes out dishing vulgar swear words to an audience full of female fans before a string has been plucked.What next-Monk like trance state demands for Chubby Brown gigs?

He plays the Fountain-sounds good.Little did I know that this would be one of only three songs all night he actually managed to finish or remember the words to properly.
Rescue-incomplete.Three chords of Do It Clean.Stop.Proud to Fall.Botched ending and forgotten words.Mac asks the crowd what the lyrics are.Zimbo good and finished.Fools like us-botched chords.Silence in the crowd. A girl starts shouting out between songs.Mac-"can some of my people who look after me throw her out"!Jesus -to be honest the girl was no worse than merely just shouting out but obviously he felt like she was ruining his ability to play a coherant set.How wrong he was.

Piano player comes on stage who is trying to play from sheet music.They hold it together for Somewhere.Mac plays another botched Game and Idolness rendition.Cue KIiling Moon and long rant about it being the best song from the best band.Good job he reminded me because it didnt sound like it last night.The poor pianist is really struggling to keep time with Macs strumming.Only Pete Byrne is keeping the time properly.Mac starts waving his arms at the guy.KM finishes.Candleland is played and ends with Mac forgetting all the words and giving up.

He leaves the stage.1/3 of the audience follow him to the exit.

Long silence and he comes back.History Chimes is muddled by said pianist who Mac remonstrates with and calls "Louis Threoux".The pianist pisses off the stage so that Mac can play it solo.Mac gives up after three chords.

NLF is preceded by long rant why he wants Benitez out,trying to justify his recent comments.Sensing he's losing a few red fans he concludes that Liverpool should be 'more like the Blues'.NLF is half played.

He promises Lips LIke Sugar-again giving up and goes into another stop start Ocean Rain stating he wont sing the high note at the end.More attempted jokes and rambling before we stutter to thankfully the end of the show.

In 26 years of watching 200+ Bunnymen,Mac.Will, Electrafixion gigs etc..etc.. l Ive seen highs and lows but they've always been professional.Last night was probably the worst gig Ive ever seen Mac play.To quote a line from Magical World "you pointed to my star and then it blew away".

Any more performances like that and it may not come back.

If management read this feel free to mail me your own thoughts.

cheers dave

i wont go to tonbridge wells

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Does not sound too good for when he plays Glasgow........

You would like to think they would keep him of the sauce till the gig is over, it's a pity as I've usually really enjoyed Macs Solo shows........

[In The Margins]

And then he comes off stage and his paid suckups tell him how good he was and what a great job he did and how that c*nt joke is so funny.

Disgusting.

Was there anybody of note in the crowd? Family members? Etc.?

[Dave Smith]

Didnt see any family like at ZEligs.I love Mac solo stuff as well-PanAm,Prohib,Cream,Zeligs x 2 but you know me I say it as it is.May mate said "its seems finally the ego has just gone out of control'.It s like he thinks just being Ian McCulloch is enough to shift tickets at £20.But I still expect to hear some songs and for him to rehearse for gawds sake.

Jimbo-he'll be better in Glasgow,no way will it be like last night.

[Dr Evil]

Echo & the Unreliable Men. But it is worth the gamble for when they deliver the goods.
The trouble is, they seem to be giving poorer stakes these days.

[camden jack]

Knew I didn't want to read this one. Lots of painful detail there.

Those songs on the theoretical setlist would have been amazing.

Heartbreaking to see him fucking up like this. He's too good to let this happen to a lifetime's work. I'll restate the mantra. If he can't control it, he at least needs to get someone with some teeth and guts managing him with the ablility to kick his ass into shape and prevent these situations from happening. Personal friendship and loyalty might have to be put aside. He's only 51, not 71. He can certainly put together and perform an amazing solo show if he decides to use a bit of self-discipline.

Which I bet he will for the upcoming shows.

But Really depressing.

[In The Margins]

I'd like to challenge the people who "care" about him (Peasy, Pete Burn, Will) to stage an intervention and haul his ass off to rehab.

Too many syncophants, not enough true friends.

Plus, if he doesn't have it in him to do a solo show anymore, then why schedule such an event? It is just setting him up for failure. Witness the December NYC debacle. Stage fright and substance/alcohol abuse go hand and hand in delivering a disaster.

[camden jack]

ITM, Well said!

[In The Margins]

I've never heard one of his audiences this quiet, like they were afraid to breathe! This snippet sounds so good; it's too bad the rest of the show was so disappointing.

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[the ghost of guitarplayer]

Sounds so much better than the album version.

[Dave Smith]

It did.He's so talented but honestly....if you were there it was downhill all the way from the moment he uttered the c*nt joke!

[Voodoo Billy]

It did.He's so talented but honestly....if you were there it was downhill all the way from the moment he uttered the c*nt joke!

That's a bit hard Dave. I thought there were some nice moments, good to hear the old guitar playing again as well, it's still there, 'somewhere'. I agree that he seems more at ease with a band (as at Zelig's) so maybe that's the way to go? Bit of an intimidating venue to play (more or less) solo as well. I think he needs a bit of care, he's still class though.

[in_bluer_skyz]

I did enjoy the Yorrick joke.....