WaterboysFans - Review

LIVE REVIEW
LIVERPOOL L2, UK - 19TH OCTOBER 2000
BY PETER LENNIE

Got to the venue about 7.30pm, walked in and up the stairs, to find myself
in a bar. There was a dancefloor alongside with a little stage and I thought
to myself it looked a little 'cosy'. Deduced we must be in the wrong part so
went back down the stairs, then down another flight and we were in the right
place. Wandered up to the front, saw Annie and Geoff. Adam Snyder was good
again, missed out the song about car stereos but at least we got the one
about machetes and ecological criminals ;-) The same intro tape as
Wolverhampton and then the band took the stage.

A fair bit of screaming and shouting from the crowd, some witty chap yelled
out 'Get your hair cut' and the band launched into Let It Happen. Sounded
pretty similar to Wolverhampton, although the bass seemed a lot higher, at
times it seemed too high, didn't really detract too much but got in the way
of the lead sometimes.


Mike was wearing black leather trousers and a black shirt with red roses
embroidered on it. Sleeves were rolled up a bit showing the silky red/pink
reverse side. Patent leather shoes but the trousers were too long to confirm
sock details


Mike thanked the crowd, some witty chap yelled out 'Get your hair cut'. The
Charlatan's Lament followed, a quicker version, like at Wolverhampton. The
phrasing seems different, to cope with the faster version, sounds good but
it's a bugger to try and sing along to when you're used to the album version
;-) The 'loathsome hag' had turned into a 'lonely hag' and this time she had
'leagues and leagues and leagues to go'. After thanking the crowd Mike
explained that they would be playing songs from the new album as well as
some old favourites, some witty chap yelled out 'Get your hair cut'.

The crowd seemed to get into the concert much quicker than at Wolverhampton,
and more people seemed familiar with the new songs. Glastonbury Song was
next, again with a soaring guitar solo and after it finished, amongst a few
calls for A Girl Called Johnny and others, some witty chap yelled out 'Get
your hair cut'. A rocking fast version of Strange Boat led into 'A song from
A Pagan Place', All The Things She Gave Me. Tonight it was God, again, who
was a boy scout. At Wolverhampton it had been Mickey Mouse.

Mike told everyone about the phone ringing a couple of hours ago, at the
hotel, a very cultured English voice had said 'Please hold for Jerry
Springer', '...then the f*cker came on the line'. He told him to get himself
down to L2 as they had a song to play him. Mike must be mellowing because
this time they were only going to 'tie' him to the PA. The band got the cue
perfectly this time coming in straight after the 'eyes' of 'In Hell he
lifted up his eyes'. Seems almost strange to hear the vocals to this without
the distortion, after listening to the album version so much, the band
really ripped into it though. The resident comedian was still punctuating
each song with 'Get your hair cut'.

Mike introduced We Are Jonah saying the song was like a comic strip in
words. This song would make a perfect single, upbeat enough to pick up
airplay but without sacrificing anything to commercialism, like Whole of the
Moon when that came out. Is She Conscious came next and the comedian changed
tack by yelling 'Get your hair cut' during the quiet bit at the beginning, I
don't remember hearing him again so perhaps someone asked him to refrain ;-)
Return of Pan followed with a burning guitar solo, I don't know if Mike had
knocked the mike by the Waves amp but a roadie came out and fiddled with it
and the guitar was much louder.

The band walked off leaving Mike and Titch. Mike started strumming his
acoustic, sounding reminiscent of Tangled Up In Blue to me, something I've
never noticed before. It was When Ye Go Away, I love watching people's faces
during this one, especially the people who were obviously fans of the Raggle
Taggle stuff. The utter joy on their faces when Richard plays his piano
solo. Mike stood to the back of his keyboard, just watching him play. I
started fantasising about hearing the song with Steve's fiddle and Richard's
piano trading solos, who knows, maybe next year after Too Close to Heaven.
Bring Em All In followed in the 2nd acoustic slot, the only song from the
solo albums I've heard at the 2 shows so far.

The band came back and Mike introduced My Love Is My Rock, which again
filled the room with sound in a way you can't understand without being
there. Richard, like he was most of the night was singing along, although he
doesn't appear to be miked up at all. Great to see him just singing for the
joy of it. Even one of the roadies I could see off the side of the stage was
singing alone on this one. At the end Mike mentioned the Weary Land and said
that people in Liverpool would know all about the Weary Land, which got a
cheer from the crowd. Yet another classic version of Savage Earth Heart
followed. Storming and powerful with a great solo from Mike and some
gloriously manic keyboards from Richard. It slowed down and I was expecting
the Like A Pioneer reading but instead it turned into Satisfaction. All too
soon it ended, I was hoping for Pioneer after Satisfaction, and Mike said
good night as the band left the stage.

The crowd really roared for more and the Don't Bang The Drum intro tape
started, the band filed out and played the hell out of the song. Mike
introduced the band and the song ended. Mike told the crowd they had one
more song 'And it sounds something like this' before starting Whole of the
Moon. A little while into the song Mike called a halt and the band stopped
playing, he went round giving instructions before explaining that 'His
juices were flowing' and he wanted to play it quicker, they started up again
with a more energetic version of Whole of the Moon. When it ended Mike
brought the band to the front to take a bow before bidding good night and
leaving again.

I'm fairly sure that was meant to be it, the tape started playing and the
road crew started taking things to pieces. A few of the crowd left but most
stayed and the crowd volume didn't drop. After a long, long wait (My mate
had just said 'Well I don't think they're coming back now'.) and Mike walked
back on stage. Richard came back too but the rest of the band stayed back so
I though we were going to get an acoustic number. However, Mike got his
electric guitar and started playing Crown. The pair of them played the song
on their own until the bit where the volume really picks up on the album. At
that point the band all joined in and they really rocked out on this one.
Mike went over to John, on the piano, and said something but he couldn't
tell what Mike was after. He demonstrated how he wanted him to play,
'miming' the manic piano part that's on the album. John got what he was
after and really went wild with that 'Gala' like playing.

The song ended and Mike said good night again, for the 3rd time but you
could tell he didn't really want to go. He called for his acoustic and went
to have a word with Richard. It looked like he was asking Titch if he wanted
to play on the next song  as they must not have rehearsed it. He declined
making a gesture that he'd leave it to Mike. The chords to Fisherman's Blues
rang out and the crowd went wild singing along. The song finished and Mike
made his way off stage for the final time. One of the roadies came out and
threw drumsticks and setlists into the crowd. We had to accept that it was
over but at least Geoff got a drumstick and I've got concerts next week to
look forward to ;-)