Hello everybody, Here's a very rough and ready review of our heroes in Barcelona: ARE BELLE AND SEBASTIAN NECESSARY ON A BICYCLE? The beautiful old square was packed to the rafters, except there weren't any rafters because it was an open air concert. People were precariously perched on the gargoyles instead. These gargoyles were apparently used in the Middle Ages to pour boiling oil on unruly Jethro Tull fans. In spite of being surrounded by other pop attractions, including Primal Scream, people seemed only too happy to stand around packed like sailors in a leaking submarine to see Belle and Sebastian strut their funky stuff. They leapt straight into "Tigermilk" at which point we buggered off for a drink. Pop salvation is one thing, dehydration is another. When we got back it was obvious they were getting a bit shirty due to malfunctioning monitors and the egg-bound sound of some of the rented instruments. The monitor man, bless him, was a distant cousin of Manuel from Fawlty Towers. Say no more. It all went by so fast I can't really remember the set list, most of which I didn't recognise anyway. They did "Dylan in the Movies", which has always been one of my least favourite songs because it reminds me of...well, Dylan in the movies, namely the terrible film....whoops, can't find my Dylanology books...I think it's called "Streets of Fire" or something equally ludicrous. But I digress. The song is much better live than on record, rollicking and celebratory. Next came a new song, "Wash Your Feet in the Sea", and then "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying", one of my all time favourites because it's so joyously apparent that the singer ISN'T dying at all. Up until now I've had my reservations about Belle and Sebastian, but now I can put my hand on my heart and say that they are as good as Orange Juice, my own teenage obsession, the band I didn't want to share with anybody, the band that taught me it was okay to feel things. I like to think B&S are fulfilling that purpose for a growing number of lost sheep. The meek SHALL inherit the earth after all. Giving eskimo kisses to torturers' assistants, tickling the feet of international business men. In short, spreading love where love doesn't want to go. Isobel was dressed in a very fetching AC/DC school uniform, but sadly she didn't attempt the Angus Young Hoppity Skippity Funny Walk with her cello. The keyboard player (Chris?) was tinkling away merrily behind his Rick Wakeman bank of vintage keyboards. He was wearing a jumper supplied by the Lenny Godber Gentleman's Fashion Boutique in West Bromwich, now sadly demolished to make way for Spaghetti Junction. Stuart Murdoch looked very smart in his Sunday School trousers and sensible sandals. At one point the drummer was called upon to mark the re-release of the Led Zep back catologue with an impromptu drum solo. It sounded like The Mighty Thor parking his mini in a crowded Safeways car park. Then the rest of the band joined in, rocking out as if they were possessed of several devils, Stewpot grinning like a kid who's just been invited to provide handclaps for the Bay City Rollers' new single on "Jim'll Fix It". The cello was groaning like a hump-backed whale in the final stages of labour. It sounded like a cross between My Bloody Valentine and Miles Davis' band in the early seventies. Rented amps were turned up to eleven; someone had to take the back off the Wurlitzer piano and pour some water in it, otherwise we might have had the first pop-induced inferno since Brian Wilson abandoned "Smile". Oh, and Stuart laughed just after starting a very tender piano ballad. Whatever would Elton say? I can now clear up the mystery of the prolonged instrument changes. On some songs a laughable little xylophone is featured. It looks like no-one is willing to play it for more than one song (hardly surprising), so they have to keep changing round. A bit like when you're playing football with your mates and nobody wants to be goalie. Can't think of anything else to say. Thanks to all concerned for making a wonderful weekend possible. It really was like "Jim'll Fix It", and you can't say fairer than that now, can you? Peter back down to earth with a bump! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- . This message was brought to you by the Sinister mailing list. . To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". . For subscribing, unsubscribing and other list information please see . http://www.majordomo.net/sinister . For questions about how the list works mail owner-sinister@majordomo.net -----------------------------------------------------------------------