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     David Stephenson Member Username: Dstephen Post Number: 1 Registered: 06-2005 |
Just got back from a week in Hamburg staying with a friend, so got the chance to see the GBs at the Fabrik, what a night. Although only just subscribed to this list, I've seen them on and off over the years. mostly solo, starting off with Grant at the Borderline in London in the early Nineties, but saw Robert and Grant at the Jazz Cafe, Camden. Now I have to say that the last gig was at the Botanique, Brussels in 2003 (?). That night, a very lacklustre performance, going through the motions. I remember that Adele had missed the soundcheck and seemed very subdued all evening evening, she must have been a bit off-colour. And so to Sunday...really impressed by the venue, an old factory (hence the name, Fabrik !). The main area going back from the stage is relatively narrow and was full, with a lot of people at the sides, on the floor above and behind, almost like playing in a prison ! Great to be able to get really close to the stage. Enjoyed the support very much, although I think he was getting pissed off with people talking towards the end. And so to the Go-Betweens, the contrast between tonight and Brussels couldn't have been more pronounced. Perhaps the tour's been going really well so far, but they really seemed up for it, no doubt helped by the crowd reaction. After a couple of numbers, Robert started by giving a photographer a ticking-off for going right down the front and barging people out of the way and repeatedly insisted he go right to the side like a naughty schoolkid, everybody loved it. I remember at the start of one song he was starting to play some percussion before everybody else was ready and joked 'I'm just raring to go !' Adele was really into it, her bass seemed to be higher in the mix than in previous concerts and she was full of energy. I think somebody has said elsewhere that Grant is generally 'serene' and just concentrates on playing his music, but he too seemed to really appreciate the crowd reaction which got more and more enthusiastic as the evening wore on. But the strangest thing of all about the gig was the encores. Regular concert goers will know that there comes a point when the houselights come on, things start to be dismantled and you know that's your lot for the evening. But this was different. Despite the above factors, people just kept stomping, clapping and cheering for more and it got louder and louder. Now personally I didn't think there was a cat in hell's chance of there being any more. But still it went on...and amazingly one by one the GBs came back on stage, must have been about 8 minutes after the 3rd encore ? While everybody was sorting out their instruments, Grant started off 'Right Here' and then Adele's bass joined in (with a big cheer from the crowd )and she turned to the microphone for the backing vocals, it was gloriously ramshackle and I loved it. They left the stage with Robert saying that really was it, but no they came back for one more encore after that, saying that they'd now run out of songs. (It would have bee churlish to ask for Cattle and Cain !) Amazing. I never like to dash away from gigs, I prefer to wander around and refelct on the gig, look at the merchandise etc, get a few more drinks. My friend (who's a lot smaller than me) had wisely spent a lot of the gig up on the balcony, (a lot better idea than looking at somebody's back for the whole gig) so we met up and went to the merchandise stall. I'd heard people talking about the live disc, but had presumed that it was just the 2nd disc from Oceans Apart, so was delighted to get a copy as I'd been there with my girlfriend (and it was ace, sorry, Brussels wasn't the last time I had seen them) Then Robert headed to the stall and said he was going to do some signing, so signed CDs as well. He stayed for quite a while, chatting to people. I told him what a great gig it had been and asked him about the 4th encore. He said that they had thought that that was that, but someone had come through and said that everbody was still clamouring for more. He couldn't remember playing for as long as that before. One other thing I asked him. Some time ago I remembered Robert and Grant saying that this would be their last album and that they would spilt up and get together again when they were 70 (or something like that). He said that that wouldn't be the case and that "they still had a lot of avenues that they wanted to explore". Good news. One final thing. I took quite a few photos and avi movies of the gig, including almost full-length of Clouds and the glorious 'Right Here'. Sound and picture quality won't be fantastic, but it'll capture the atmosphere of the night for anybody who was there. Not sure if this is a board where you can post things like that. Alternatively send me a personal if anybody would like a copy. Dave | ||
| alex lackner Member Username: Seagull Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2005 |
hey david, that description reminds me a little bit of their magic gig in ebensee in 2003 (actually my first go-betweens gig since i'm not a longtime fan), which was their last gig of the european tour leg at that time, and featured a couple of encores as well. i don't know what size an avi-movie file has and if it works on my computer, but i'd definitly be interested to listen to the glorious "right here". maybe you can send it to me via e-mail if you find the time. thanks in advance alex |