Sinister: Mercury Rising

[Sam Walton]

Hello Sinister.

I've been trying to post but it keeps on not working. I wrote something 
about the Slow Graffiti thread, but it never arrived, and now the moment's 
passed. Hope this one makes it, as it has CONTENT galore.

So the weekend. The gigs. Somerset House. Fantastic stuff, it really was. 
I've seen the band a few times, and this was by far their best in front of 
me. Yes, better than the R!A!H. In the absence of David Moore, here's the 
set list from the Sunday night:

- Fuck This Shit
- La Pastie De La Bourgeousie
- Step Into My Office, Baby
- Wrapped Up In Books
- Women's Realm
- I Fought In A War
- The Lonliness Of A Middle-Distance Runner
- Travelling Light
- The Boy Done Wrong Again
- My Wandering Days Are Over
- Embarrassment (by Madness)
- Dog On Wheels
- Dirty Dream Number 2
- You Made Me Forget My Dreams
- Forget
- If She Wants Me
- Family Tree (this came after a heckle requesting it, and Stevie sang the 
opening verse in real asthmatic hampster voice, to the delight of the crowd)
- Belle & Sebastian
- Taxman (an impromptu cover after Stevie said "come on! we're at the tax 
office, everybody smash a window!")
- Roy Walker
- String Bean Jean
- If You Find Yourself Caught In Love
- Legal Man
(encore)
- Me & The Major
- I'm A Cuckoo

(interestingly, no Twattybus...)

I felt such a paternal glow as the band rattled through their set, like 
finally they'd grown up and blossomed from their shyness into this 
confident, swaggering pop band - they were tight, professional, and actually 
at a decent volume too. Good crowd banter too. Struan breifly sported a 
Cliff Richard tee-shirt for the opening few songs, before *swoon* changing 
his top ON STAGE, and he also donned a bowler hat for the Madness cover.

Of interest was Sarah's newfound stage confidence, and Struan's reply to the 
heckler who asked for Family Twee: "do *you* wanna sing it?", he asked back. 
At which point Stevie launched into his Isobel impression, which he later 
apologised for, saying he didn't mean to take the piss out of Bel. "Ah, but 
ya did really", countered Struan, and there was a moment of tension.

3 THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW: 1) Beans had one year when he was in the top 
bracket of tax. 2) He is the only member of the band to enjoy such wealth. 
3) The Greatest Hits Of Deep Purple is Deep Purple's best album.

Did anybody else see that they've been nominated for a MERCURY PRIZE! I 
shouldn't think they'll win it though, and to be honest, probably best if 
they don't, although at 12/1 it's probably worth putting a bet on. My 
money's on Ty, at 10/1, in case anybody cares...

Anyway, that's about all for now.

love

Asm.x




   ================================
     "He's strictly a pain in the ass, but
      he certainly has a good vocabulary"
               - Holden Caulfield


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