...she said, eating a chicken. Some more reviews for you... First, this one from the Independent: http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/story.jsp?story=282032 Not the best review ever, since it seems to be reviewing the Brixton academy sound system rather that the gig. Still, the following day in the Independent on Sunday, Simon Price decided that it would be even better to review the audience instead of B&S (something the NME have been doing for years for some reason). I haven't found the second one on their website, so here goes: "The world's greatest living rock critic, Simon Reynolds, once observed a 'physical determinism' among indie types when it comes to deciding what sort of musical tribe they will join. Reynolds was talking about the Cuties - the twee, childhood-fixated movement of the mid-Eighties - and the Softy Walker types it attracted, but he could as easily have been descibing a Belle and Sebastian show. Tonight, the Brixton Academy is full of girls with retard fringes and hairclips, and boys with bowlcuts and NHS specs. "The nation of Cuties disenfranchised by the rise of baggy and grunge rallied behind this band more than any other, and there were enough of them, a few years back, to block the phonelines and scam a Brit Award for their heroes. If the Academy's balcony isn't full, it's only because the official capacity could easily be accommodated in the stalls alone: this is the thinnest audience I've ever been in. "The music is as meagre as the crowd. Belle and Sebastian, long before 'Quiet Is The New Loud' became a handy slogan, made a virtue of gentleness. As minor scuffles break out between admonitory shushers and those urging B&S, Chuck D-style, to 'turn it up', the set is easily drowned out by the contingent down the front who know every word to 'The Boy With The Arab Strap'. "Just once, for the coda to 'Lazy Line Painter Jane', they pump up the volume and scare the wits out of anyone who'd fallen asleep. Not that the music matters: this isn't so much a Belle and Sebastian concert as a gathering of people who think Belle and Sebastian are a good idea. Which, if only for giving the world an album entitled Fold Your Hands Child, You Look Like A Peasant, I do. But I wouldn't shout about it." The comedy doesn't stop there. Underneath the review were four vox-pops (with accompanying awful photos) from people who had been to the gig, and who may or may not be on this list... Matt Jerome, Project manager, 26: "The were pretty poor. They didn't play any of their best songs, they didn't really interact with the crowd much. I was looking forward to it - I think they capture the essence of being different and being an outsider - but it was disappointing tonight." James Long, Postgrad student, 22: "I thought it was really impressive. It was quite slow to start off with, but once the band and the crowd got into it, it was really good. It was softer than I thought it would be, and I imagined it would be hard to get any impact across without it being louder, but they managed." Sarah Sonner, Student, 24: "It was great to see them, although I had hoped the sound would have been better. The girls weren't loud enough and they kept having to adjust levels and things. But I loved the way they interacted with the crowd, and the music sounded totally great." Mike Allen, Office clerk, 25: "I was a bit disappointed. Their more dynamic songs were excellent, but the others just didn't come across really and everyone just talked through them. The main woman singer just looked bored throughout most of it, which didn't help." They don't mention Richard's gurning behind the drumkit though (you should have seen him when he did a rock-out drumbreak during Suspicious Minds in Manchester...). And they also don't seem to have noticed that the band have been destroyed and replaced by clones - either that or Chris, Mick and Richard all go to the same hairdresser. So, reading between the lines, B&S are playing Glastonbury this year then? And the one year when I can't afford to go. Gutted. Mind you, it has been pointed out to me that the fact that I've now been to 11 B&S gigs may be slightly sad, so maybe I should take a break... Is there a medical condition for being addicted to a band? Bellaphilia? Big Stu (Content: 95%. Private Jokes: only one. I'm getting better...) +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. 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