BRITISH SEA POWER @ MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2 27 JAN 08

Well after average (by BSP standards) show at Leeds was expecting more of tonight. In such a high state of excitement unfortunately that ended up drinking too much strong continental lager during the support slots. So blunted my critical faculties maybe - but I had a bloody good time.

Same set as has been played throughout this tour but from where I was (at the front, dead centre) felt much more energetic than Leeds - both band and crowd. Great performances of Lights Out For Darker Skies, Fear of Drowning and The Great Skua. Whether it was enjoyment or alcohol, ended up taking several photos with the camera phone.

And foliage even appeared for the encores:



The advertised running times all went to pot with These New Puritans coming on first. They were a bit flustered, having only arrived "ten minutes ago". Didn't appear to affect their performance but I do think they appear to have forgotten to unpack some songs. Lots of Mark E Smith-style shouting over pounding synth and drums - sounded good initially but didn't go anywhere really.

The Vanguard then came on for the second slot. Lots of local support so got a better reception and played a good set. Liked some of the early songs but by the end of the set familiarity had set in a bit for me. Worth seeing again though.

The BSP set-list:

Lights Out For Darker Skies

Fear of Drowning

Remember Me
Canvey Island

Down On The Ground

How Will I Ever Find My Way Home?

Blackout

Waving Flags

The Great Skua

Please Stand Up

Atom

Favours in the Beetroot Fields

Open The Door

No Lucifer

A Trip Out

The Spirit of St Louis
-----

True Adventures

Carrion

Rock in A

DOWN ON THE GROUND

British Sea Power

Do You Like Rock Music? [BUY]

WHEN I'M FIFTY OR THEREABOUTS...

...I'd like to make a video like this. I'm starting to practise the walk now but growing the 'tache may prove a bit trickier....




I haven't got that long to get it right so better start sooner rather than later.

One of the songs of 2008?

DIG LAZARUS DIG!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Single released 18 February
[pre-order here or here]

BRITISH SEA POWER @ LEEDS IRISH CENTRE 23 JAN 2008

Two word review: "Missing Woody". There's no such thing as a bad BSP gig in my book - and this was far from a bad gig - but it was, well, tame. With drummer Woody injured, Tom from Electric Soft Parade/Brakes was taking his place with a week's notice or so. So all credit due for filling in at such short notice but it just wasn't the same.


The first three songs - including Remember Me - just came and went without making an impact. Should have been a barnstorming opening but felt a bit under-powered. In part a quiet crowd. Things did pick up - songs that worked well on this night were Waving Flags and The Great Skua - and Abi on violin and Phil on cornet/keyboards definitely were adding something. But overall a bit more drive and bite was needed.



Noble went crowd-surfing during the encores. Phil (in Heath-Ledger-as-the-Joker-makeup tribute?) leapt off the highest speaker stack and I think fell flat on the floor. He was certainly down a long time with a circle of anxious faces peering at him. Noble helped him up and off but all I could see was a woman's open-mouthed horror-struck face watching proceedings whilst holding his next-size-up-from-cornet-but-not-a-tuba brass instrument. At end of gig there was blood on the floor at this spot. Hope he is OK for the rest of the tour...


Irish Centre was a 800 capacity ballroom with 'lounge' area slightly raised above the ballroom area. High ceiled, wide square area before the large-ish stage. Worked well as a gig venue. Support was from Make Model, six-piece from Glasgow. I'd heard comparisons made to The Delgados but there were much more to the 'twee' side of things. Played well but nothing really stood out for me.

Expecting more of BSP on Sunday in Manchester....


The set list:
Lights Out For Darker Skies

Atom

Remember Me
Canvey Island

Down On The Ground
How Will I Ever Find My Way Home?
Blackout
Waving Flags
The Great Skua
Please Stand Up
Fear of Drowning
Favours In The Beetroot Fields
Spirit of St Louis
Open The Door
A Trip Out
No Lucifer
----
True Adventures

Carrion

Rock in A

HOW TO DO AN IN-STORE APPEARANCE

Well if you are going to have to do it this is the way to do it. At Manchester's Zavvi* today, British Sea Power performed a live set then signed copies of the new single Waving Flags released today. Sometimes these affairs can be a bit soulless, a bit embarrassing. However BSP showed how it should be done by treating the instore as a gig.



In the basement of the store there is a small raised stage which meant BSP could play proper amplified set. So approx 200 queued in the (soulless) shopping centre before being 'escorted' by security staff down to the basement area and then got just short of 40 minutes of BSP live. Not some half-hearted acoustic strum-along but a full-on if short-in-duration set. They played:

Atom
Lights Out For Darker Skies
No Lucifer
Down On The Ground
Waving Flags
The Spirit of St Louis/Scottish Wildlife Experience/Rock in A

And then they signed stuff:

Waving Flags 7" single cover

Sticker that comes with Waving Flags CD single

*See here for Pop Justice 'briefing' on Zavvi