WaterboysFans - Review

LIVE REVIEW
MANCHESTER, UK - 27TH OCTOBER 2000
BY PETER LENNIE

My last show of the current tour, although people keep talking about Dublin
and I'm very easily led ;-) As always I was a bit later than I meant to be
setting off, picked up Pete B, before heading Preston way to get Tim. Drove
into the centre of Manchester and straight into a huge traffic jam. Battled
with the one way system, getting lost a few times, before somehow ending up
right at the back of the Academy, where there was one parking space left,
not 10 yards from the truck with the band's gear. We met Pete's brother and
headed in. Saw Phil when we got to the bar and after a while wandered into
the hall. I could see John, Dave and a few others I recognised up by the
stage, pretty central. Orinoco and Bagpuss were there with their respective
owners and I could see a young lad I took to be Pan/Balanced Kid. I decided
to stay where I was, by the right hand stack, rather than easing my way
through to the centre, which probably turned out to be a mistake.

The pre-show tape came and went before Night Falls On London blasted out.
It's a remixed version with a booming beat that sounds reminiscent of We
Will Rock You by Queen, or 5ive if you're a bit younger. It works well as a
sort of announcement for the band, like Theme From Apollo with Elvis,
building up the mood before the band come out. Mike and Richard came out
first, unlike the other nights and rather than Let It Happen they started
with Crown. The remainder of the band came out and really rocked into the
song. John, on piano, was leaping all over the place, shades on hammering
the keys. The stand his keyboard was on looked like it could give way any
moment as the band took the sound higher and higher. Towards the end of the
song Mike and Jo were stood at the mikes at the front of the stage singing a
'trumpet fanfare', with broad grins on their faces.

A quick hello and Mike introduced 'Whatever needs to happen, Let it Happen'.
Richard's theramin weaving eerie shapes in the sound. It's amazing to
watch,as if he's conjuring up the music rather than playing it. The sound
levels didn't sound quite right where I was stood, so close to one stack, so
I started sidling over a few feet more central and by the time I'd moved 3
or 4 feet it all sounded a lot more rounded. Mike was wearing black leather
trousers, dark red shirt and a black jacket. Richard had a green jacket on
and I wondered how they could cope with the heat. Tom had a sweatshirt on
and John was in T-shirt and shades. Jo had on dark trousers and a black
shirt, her hair not tied back. When Mike introduced the band later the group
of lads next to me were checking that Mike had said 'MISS Jo Wadeson' while
staring longingly ;-)

Mike gave the usual explanation about playing 'old songs and new songs from
our Rock In The Weary Land album', before playing the quickened version of
The Charlatan's Lament. When he encountered the hag there was 'Blood ALL
OVER the snow' and she had 'leagues and leagues and leagues and leagues to
go' reminding me of the 'miles and miles...' line from Red Army Blues. When
the song finished Mike said 'You're a beautiful audience, I hope we can fit
you all in our Strange Boat' before they struck up the fast version of the
song. All through the concert it was great to see the whole band looking
like they were really enjoying themselves, smiling and laughing. At times Jo
seemed to be whooping with joy between songs, returning the crowd's
applause.

All The Things She Gave Me followed with Richard really letting rip with the
'sax' solo. Next up was the Glastonbury Song with the audience yelling along
on the choruses. When it finished Mike snarled into the microphone 'Jerry
Springer, Danny Baker, Nassssty Nick, Big F&%king Brother ' before the
sample kicked in with 'In Hell he lifted up his eyes' before an incendiary
version of Dumbing Down The World.

We Are Jonah followed, sounding a bit different from the other versions I'd
heard. It seemed a bit faster, almost powered along. Great to see someone
yelling 'Grandma' as they blast out a killer guitar solo, surely this will
end up as a single sooner or later. Next Mike's guitar drove the band into
Be My Enemy, with John and Titch competing to see who could whip up the most
energy on their keyboards. Return of Pan gave Mike another chance to let rip
with a guitar solo. With all that's said about his songwriting and singing
his guitar work often gets overlooked but, especially live, it's great to
see Mike pick up his electric and really cut loose.

Is She Conscious came next with Richard's piano booming ominously. I think
Mike introduced it saying ' I don't know who this song is about'. Jo, Tom
and John then left the stage for the acoustic set, which started with His
Word Is Not His Bond with the bare arrangement and Mike's vocals making the
song sound more plaintive than vengeful, in comparison to the album. When Ye
Go Away came next with the really bright sounding acoustic work up front and
then a roar of recognition from the crowd when the lyrics started. That was
followed by another roar of delight as Richard echoed The Wick's violin
solo, on the piano.

The band made their way back on for My Love Is My Rock. This time 'Half of
the music' was 'On the soundman's tape'. Mike held up his thumb to where the
splinter had been plucked from. Wild 'Phantom Of The Opera' organ made way
for Mike's driving guitar and Savage Earth Heart. As the song slowed down
Mike started moving around the stage as if he was wondering what to do next.
Reminding me of the time, Birmingham in 1989, that he spyed Anto's bass sax,
Mike spotted the theramin. He signalled to someone off stage and walked up
to it like a child with a new toy. He held his guitar up to it and it wailed
magnificently as he played a crazy solo. The theramin/guitar solo now joins
the list of things I'd like to see in the ultimate Savage Earth Heart.
There'd be an 86 type intro tale, the guitar solo where he scraped the
plectrum up the strings and plays that manic high pitched solo, past the end
of the frets. There'd be huge chunks of Rimbaud, Dylan and Van Morrison
thrown in with Iggy Pop, Satisfaction and The Pan Within. Steve Wickham's
violin would be soaring into the ethers with Vinnie Kilduff's uillean Pipes,
with the beat pounding on a bhodran. You could make a live album from just
one song.

Mike said good night and the band left the stage. The house lights went on,
starting a mild panic in the crowd. Fortunately the sound man ignored the
lights and Roddy Lorimar's trumpet solo signalled the start of Don't Bang
The Drum, as the band filed back on stage. All too soon the song ended and
Mike introduced the 'one song they had left to play' As Whole Of The Moon
burst out the mosh pit really erupted and looking over it was almost like I
was back 10 years. Mike thanked the crowd very sincerely, thanking people in
the wings, those in the mosh and the few who were dancing on the bar roof.
The band lined up at the front of the stage and took a well deserved bow
before leaving once more. The crowd just kept the volume growing and
growing, until Mike and Richard returned. Mike grabbed an acoustic and the
opening chords to Fisherman's Blues rang out. The crowd sang along and
Richard played the fiddle parts on piano. For the final time Mike thanked
the crowd and they were gone.

Being a married man I turned down a young lady's invitation to go salsa
dancing and just stood there taking it all in, aware that, for me, the tour
was over. There was no depression or sadness just exhilaration that I'd got
to see this young band grow so noticeably over a couple of weeks. I just
hope there isn't a 10 year wait for the next Waterboys tour.