Placebo live at Brixton Academy - 20 years

Brian and Bowie

Disclaimer: much of this blog is about my personal life and idiosyncrasies as much as the gig. 
I think I've only gone to see a band on my own three times, and each time has been really great. No one to worry about, just get to the front and have your one on one time with the object of your musical desires.
Going to see Placebo on my own was a bit of a weird one, though. You know when a band is so entwined into your relationship that every song is your song and then that relationship ends horribly and you have to try and rebuild your relationship with the band because you don't know how to rebuild the relationship with that other person and a relationship with a band is easier to manage. That.
I have a really weak bladder so employed my strict 'no fluids after 4pm rule'. I took Smint, Fruitella and a packet of Randoms instead of a drink. Randoms are actually pretty good, even the foam ones. I need to invest in a large bag of those. The only sweet I would have also liked was orange Tic-Tacs. They are great for gigs. Top tip there for you.
So the queue was massive but as usual it's full of short girls (hello, me) so not too bad, except the woman in front of me with what looked like a dead Labrador on her head. So I got into the venue and went straight to the barrier. Left seems to be my preferred side. The first layer of the barrier was taken but there was a gap just the row behind where you can still position yourself so you're standing on the metal and you're quite immovable. However, the young Grotbags tapped me on the shoulder and said her friend was standing there but would be back in a minute. Those two things are not like the other! I went 'Er OK' with no intention of moving for the next four hours. The friend comes back from the toilet and I hear Grotbags Junior go 'I tried'. Barely. Toilet girl then taps me on the shoulder and asks me to move. Now help me out here, but do people have the right to guard invisible spaces for their friends? The answer is 'fuck no.' I went 'how can it be your spot if I'm standing in it?' Which I feel was a good point. There was much whining and complaining. I said 'I'm in here on my own and didn't go to the toilet.' i.e. I planned ahead, bitches. They continued to moan and groan and my final word on the matter was 'are we still talking about this?' God I miss arguing with strangers since I stopped driving. Thank god for the internet. 
I'm only small anyway so it's easy to see over me. Plus if you're guarding the barrier, stand on the barrier, dummy. Never cared. Later, drunk men come lolloping in, punching women in the face a foot from me. Worry about that shit, not an imagined turf war with me. 
The support band were called like The Musty Hoops or something (yeah it wasn't that) and were a bit proggy. They had something about them (I'd fuck all three of them if it was the Apocalypse or something - sorry to objectify skinny young men but welllllllll) but they were no Silversun Pickups (a previous Placebo support band I'd seen and enjoyed.) 
So I'm just going to do this review from memory and not look up any facts from it. Placebo are celebrating 20 years (woo) although that does give them the excuse to play the song Twenty Years (as if they needed one) which I despise. There was a video package first with a video for Every You, Every Me I'd never seen before where Brian is mooching about the ladies loos. It was REALLY good! Have they dug that out from somewhere? I'm sure that's not the real video. Unfortunately that was all the Every You, Every Me we were going to get tonight, sad face. 
So they opened with Pure Morning, which I was sure Brian had stopped singing because he said the lyrics were crap. Did I dream that? I feel like that was a thing at one point. Great song, though. Second song was Loud Like Love, which was brilliant! His voice sounded good. It was only after that when he stopped and told us that he had a bad throat: 'I woke up sounding like the guy from The National then lost my voice two weeks ago' that I noticed his bad throat. He said he was going to have to sing some of the songs a bit differently, which was not good news. Brian is a one for reimagining (code for 'ruining') songs at the best of times. But he said it was going to make the night special. And in a way, it did, because him not being able to hit the high notes, made me appreciate all the times he DOES. Which I just took for granted before as he is so fucking good live. I cannot tell you the amount of days I have spent watching Placebo gigs on YouTube. He just always delivers. Even tonight he delivered as much as could, while sick, which is more than you get from Morrissey, ha. 
Brian also asked people to help him sing along (no problem) and to put away phones as they distract him (good call).

This pic would be better without security guy's head

Did I mention Brian's hair? It's an interesting look he's going for at the moment - sort of a Friar Tuck vibe. I wish he'd shave it off, he looked so good in the Meds video. I was also struck by how little he was tonight! Weird because I've seen him a few times. I do like my popstars diminutive: see also Conor Oberst. Another thing I noticed was he changes guitar after every single song! Talking of guitars, how cool is Stefan? I just love their relationship. 
So the next song (and I will forget some) was Jesus' Son which I really like but he had to sing it one key down so it was really hard to sing along to. I noticed his voice was properly shot then and was wondering if he would change the set list accordingly and sing loads of dirgy ones. Sure enough (not in this order) we got Twenty Years, Soulmates Never Die (that was actually good), Special Needs (not too bad) and the dreary Devil in the Details (no). Too Many Friends should have been amazing but he just couldn't get up there - that song is ALL about the high notes. The music sounded great and I felt for him and I love that song so much. I'm glad he didn't cancel the gig because there was still a great atmosphere and it was good fun. For me it was very emotional. Exit Wounds in particular was painful because that is from my relationship break up album and lyrically that song is very apropos so I just got transported back a year and a half and it fucking hurt. There's no getting over some songs, even if they helped you at the time.
The best songs Brian sang were ones without too many high notes (which is a shame as my favourite thing about him is when his mouth flips in two like a muppet and you can see all his fillings). There were glimpses of high notes but not many and it was sad because I know how brilliant they would have been and I had a great view where I was (haha).
A lovely surprise for me though was I Know, which I looooooove, and they did a really good section where they played Protect Me From What I Want (although I do prefer Protege Moi cos it's sexier and the lyrics feel less stupid in French), For What It's Worth (go no butter!) which his vocals sounded good on and Without You I'm Nothing, where Brian was forced to sing the David Bowie part because it's deeper. Pictures of David Bowie were on the screen behind him and I cried, but it was nothing to do with Bowie. 
They tried with the big hits: Special K and Slave to the Wage sort of worked with a lot of audience participation, The Bitter End held up reasonably (thank God for all that guitar) and Infra Red struggled but is always a joy. The crowd seemed mega into it and supportive the whole way though. The saddest part was no Every Me, Every yoooooooooouuuuuuuuu because you can't go 'yooooooooooouuuuuu' when you have a bad throat. But that's my favourite. So that was really disappointing. But I just don't see how he could have done it because he just couldn't hit the notes. You could see him struggling. He still put on a fantastic show and the band were really great. The light show and graphics always look brilliant at Placebo gigs (take note Morrissey). Oh and he also sang Nancy Boy for the encore but the tune/ vocals was all over the shop (but then that long deviated from the original version anyway). I still love 'eyeholes in a paper bag' though. Magic.
Should Brian have cancelled the gig? The crowd seemed to love it from where I was (in that girl's spot!). I personally needed to see Brian and I don't regret going. I know on my next YouTube Placebo gig binge, it will make me appreciate those high notes and fillings all the more. I realise now how important his voice is, and the aspects of it I appreciate, and how it's something that helps me get by. 
So as we left the bar very handily put cups of water on the side, which was much appreciated, so here's the shout out for the water. Fruitella can only get one so far in life.
I'm not sure this review even was a review or relevant to anyone else, but I felt like I needed to document it somehow, so here it is. Now I really need to go to bed. PS: My feet hurt. Night!

Kenelis live at the Scala

I went to see Kenelis at the Scala on Friday night, and was struck by how far Mel has come from the open mic nights more than ten years ago, where I’d drive down to Camberley and watch her perform. Kenelis the band have had a few incarnations, and the new line up (which isn’t that new!) has given Mel a shot in the arm and renewed drive. You can tell the band genuinely like each other, and are pushing each other to become bigger and better.

The last band I saw play at the Scala was Bright Eyes; so to see Mel and her gang standing on the same stage as one of my biggest heroes was a big deal. The Scala also holds other memories for us; a few wild, memorable club nights at Popstarz in our twenties meant that this felt like a homecoming gig of sorts.

The band opened with Moving to Brighton, which has a strong guitar part. I’d say Kenelis have two sides to them; a heavy, rock sound and a rocky/pop side. Personally, I like the heavy songs the most. I’ve always liked the screamy/ angsty ones and I like the acoustic ones too, but I think that's just because they remind me of old times! 

It was great to see the band up on a screen in the venue, too. I like the Scala as a venue, and the sound was great. The last big venue I saw Kenelis in was the Indigo2 club at the O2 arena, and I think they really lend themselves to filling up these big venues with their big sound. 

Next was GFY, which I’d say was more poppy, although it still has a rocky guitar and loads of energy. I think you can hear Mel’s accent come out much more when she sings now, which is always a good thing. I love hearing accents in songs – real accents, not put on ones!

Next up was Don’t Kill My Rock, which has a punky feel to it, with handclaps and ‘heys’ from the boys in the band. I really liked With Scars, which is where there were some technical difficulties, but I actually liked the more stripped down feel of it, as it is more of a ballad (or was that night!) Ballad is the wrong word; I don’t think Kenelis do ballads!

With my memory, I can’t remember which songs are very old or very new, but Holes feels to me like a classic Kenelis song (even if it isn’t), with strong lyrics and a catchy chorus.

The band finished with Prodigy Witch that has Metallica-esque guitars – I loved it. The song has a lot of different parts to it, stop-starty bits in the verses, screaming, slow bits and sing-song parts with backing vocals. It has a Paranoid Android sort of structure to it. I like it when you don’t know quite where you are with a song. It just has a bit of everything – to me it’s perfect Kenelis because it encapsulates all of their strengths; it’s got heart but it’s also got just proper headbanging parts. I like the ‘witch!’ screaming at the end, too. I always like screaming on songs! 

I don’t think the crowd were in the least bit bothered by any technical difficulties. I noticed how the venue filled up as the set went on, and when it finished, I felt like we’d just been getting started. Hopefully this gig will give Kenelis a push onto the next level of stardom; they have paid their dues and they deserve to be big. We’re sadly lacking in strong front-women in rock at the moment, and Mel, in her grey and black union jack jeans, is more than ready to step up. 

Review: Desaparecidos live at the Electric Ballroom, Camden

So last week I went to see Conor Oberst perform solo at Barbican, and it was a really lovely gig. A great venue, and a good mixture of Bright Eyes, solo and new songs. White Shoes had me in floods of tears and You are your mother's child had me crying for my pregnant mate who couldn't be there. Even my boyfriend, who was a stand in, and doesn't LOVE Conor, enjoyed it (or at least didn't moan the whole way through). The only downside was it was all seated, and although the view was good, we were a bit far back and you never quite get the atmosphere of a proper gig. I was jolted towards the end gig, though, when Conor said 'my other band is playing next week'. And he didn't mean Bright Eyes, who I've seen numerous times. No, he was talking about Desaparacidos, his best and loudest side project. The band only has one album so it would be guaranteed they would be playing all my favourite songs on it, and they haven’t played for 10 years! But tickets had sold out ages ago. I had to dig around.
After a close call with a conman on Gumtree (don't ever put a request for tickets on there!) I finally got a ticket for £50 on eBay. Quite a lot over the face values of £15 but £15 seemed very low in the first place (it was £30 for Conor solo). I would have paid up to £100 if I'd had the money!
So I met up with the guy selling the ticket outside – thank god he turned up! – and then there I was, at my first ever gig I'd been to alone. I did a smooth manoeuvre to the front; there was a guy at the barrier obviously saving a space for a friend, so I kind of slid into the spot over a period of about five minutes. Come on, you can’t hog barrier, be there, or be usurped. I could tell he was a bit grumpy so I offered him a Tic-Tac (I was on a strict no fluids policy, as I have a pathetically weak bladder) and then I felt I’d made my peace. When his friends did finally turn up there were about 12 of them, so I didn’t feel so bad.
I hadn’t heard of support band Johnny Foreigner, but I admire their name. I think he said, ‘we’re from Chicago’ when he came out in a very-non-Chicago accent, but at the end he admitted they were from Birmingham. I’d describe their sound as a yelpier Bloc Party, and the band had a girl and a black bloke, so it covered all bases. Was good to hear a woman screaming (hold on, that doesn’t sound quite right) and they looked the part. She reminded me of Kylie off Corrie. I enjoyed them and I rarely say that about a support band.
Desa (can I call them that for now, I still struggle to spell it) came on about 9.15, and the place KICKED OFF.
They opened with a new song Left is Right (thanks to Lee who sold me the ticket, because I only had two of the new songs, and he alerted me to two more! I'm a bad fan) and the energy was just crazy. I felt like a young person again!.Conor came out in some hideous stars n stripes sunglasses and the long hair he’s got at the moment and a little stars and stripes neckerchief. I hate his long hair but that’s beside the point. I can honestly say, I think I had the best spot in the house, right in front of where Conor finally came out, and just on the edge of the mad moshpit so whilst I got jostled a fair bit, I didn’t want to kill someone (an occupational hazard at gigs).
Probably the most amazing song was the second one, Happiest Place on Earth, which is one of my favourite songs of all time, it just has the most amazing lyrics, a song about war that you don’t resent for being a song about war. Actually, he’s good at those (see also No one would riot for less and the silly When the President talks to God - notable for me going 'I DOUBT IT!' quite a lot). It was just perfection, and everyone was going mad. I was even headbanging – WTF.
Probably the best thing about Desa is they don’t have any slow songs, every single one is a screamer. So it was a nice contrast to the acoustic gig of the week before. Also, as they only have one album, you knew every song. It’s quite cool to go to a gig where you’ve been listening to that one album for 10 years, never expecting to hear it live, because the band had disbanded. And then when they get back together it’s not a tired old money-making racket like Pulp, for example.
At one point Conor  played the song $$$$ and limp-wristedly threw some money in the air, that never even got as far as the end of the stage, and at the end of the gig, the bouncer stole it! What a git. It was £35 as well because I could see it sitting there (hey big spender) – that would have covered the extra cost of my ticket! Conor also said he'd been shopping on Camden Market; wish I'd gone there that day!
All of the songs were good (there was a Clash cover which I wasn’t fussed on, but it beats Moon Over Kentucky or whatever crap Morrissey normally tries to inflict). But my favourite has to be Man and Wife, The Latter (Damanged Goods). I must have played that song in my car over a thousand times. It’s just pop perfection. So to hear them play it seemed slightly unreal. The crowd was literally bouncing all over the place, I haven’t been to a gig with energy like that in years. And thank fuck I was on the barrier, or I would have had to run for cover.
It was so nice just to be that close to Conor and not to have to worry about anyone else, but just to do exactly what I wanted. I would definitely recommend going to a gig on your own, it’s fun.The crowd was small as well; there wasn't even a queue. I thought Conor fans would have turned out in droves.
I really pray that Desa put out a new album now, Conor is at his best when he’s screaming or heartbroken, and about as far away from a country guitar as possible. He promised to come back sooner, so don't let us down!

Placebo: live at Brixton Academy

Went to see Placebo at the beautiful Brixton academy last night, which was pretty much doomed from the start. First I got the wrong tickets (the circle instead of standing) and then they released a 2nd date so I could have got standing tickets, but couldn't afford them, so was grumpy anyway after that.
When we arrived the queue was massive, so we went round the corner for a drink. The queue seemed full of small goths with the occasional old person (ie. us). By the time we got back the queue had gone and we got fairly decent seats in the circle.
The night was badly marred by a fat, pathetic attention-seeking cretin who sat in front of us. Red flags were raised when she began introducing herself to everyone, before headbanging to the (dire) support act. When Placebo came on, she decided to stand up, even though everyone else was sitting down. When the bouncer told her to sit down (repeatedly), she went ‘fuck you’ and started calling her names, so I was forced to tell her to stop being a cunt. But she couldn’t be. Cunt DNA was running through her. Luckily, after about four songs, her and her cronies fucked off to make someone else’s life a misery. It’s a good thing too; I’d have happily thrown her over the edge of the circle had she stayed.
Anyway, that wasn’t Placebo’s fault. But here’s something that is. Playing virtually the same setlist that we saw LAST YEAR. Last year! That’s a long time ago. The only variations were Trigger Happy Hands (mindlessly stupid, but fun to sing along to live), Teenage Angst (seemingly remixed by Coldplay) and ‘It’s in the water, baby’- (WTF is that song actually called) which was the best song of the night, and they spend a few quid on smoke machines and glitter cannons at that point, too. The light show was good, but not as good as it was at Manchester.
I quite liked Teenage Angst version they did, though, with a loud riffy guitar over it. I do like the way the experiment with old songs and sometimes it pays off (Every Me, Every You) sometimes it doesn’t (Because I want You), Obviously knocking the end shouty part off Bitter End still hurts, too. Oh they did All Apologies too, which was quite good (married, buried, etc)
Brian didn’t seem to say much, and looked the same as always, and stood in one spot the whole night as he has on the whole tour. Stefan was wearing his silver suit, recycled from the O2 dates. I wish they could mix it up just a little.
I enjoyed Nancy Boy, Every Me, Every yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew, Meds, Bitter End and Infra-red. I didn’t enjoy sitting in a chair with no leg room and the bouncers constantly telling people to sit down- a battle they lost about 5 songs from the end.
They caned the (not new anymore!) album, too, obviously. And they even ended with Taste in Men! Zzz. It’s worse that Morrissey with First of the Gang to Die. I mean, if they’re boring us, they must be boring themselves, right?
To top it off, my boyfriend was in a foul mood and didn’t even clap one song. I’m sure the gig was great if you were down the front, but it felt like we were watching from over a hill, whilst needing an injection of antidepressants. Which is probably what being a Placebo fan should feel like.
I know one day I will see the Placebo gig I deserve. But it’s just not going to be this year. But that’s OK- my Placebo obsession has calmed for the moment anyway. I’ll consider reinstating it when they sack the ‘Trigger Happy clown’ (I preferred Peirrot).

Live: Hole at Brixton Academy

A couple of days late with this one, forgive me! Went to see Hole again (thanks, Atomic Kitten) on Wednesday and it was a totally different experience to last time’s horrendous crush. Brixton is such a good venue in that you can get a decent view from practically anywhere, but we had a pretty good spot quite near the front. Missed much of the support band but they looked OK from the little I did see.
Courtney was absolutely on fire. I’d heard good things from the Glasgow gig (thanks for the spoilers, D, I can see why you were excited though!) but I wasn’t expecting this. The set was brilliant, some of it the same as before, but a lot different too. Violet was amazing; I remember vividly being heartbroken listening to that as loud as possible when I was 16, so it felt good to belt that one out with everyone else. She did Nine Inch Nails ‘I wanna fuck you like an animal’ (it can’t be called that- Closer to God?) which I hadn’t heard for 15 years but always enjoyed and her version was great- and she even did a little riff from Who’s Porno You Burn at the end which made me squeal. I’d like to hear that again.
Boys on the Radio was my highlight because it’s my favourite Hole song. I wouldn’t say she murdered it, but it was definitely going too fast and she messed up the lyrics (it has got a lot of lyrics though, as Conor Oberst said when he messed up ‘Joy Division’ by Simon Joyner) despite her reading them off the ground. She was reading the lyrics for quite a few songs; shocking really, I know the words, so shouldn’t she? Still, it’s Courtney. She can do what she wants! Even with that, though, Boys on the Radio was magical; I cried. I never thought I’d hear that live. It was just special and I’m emotional anyway right now.
She did some other nice covers, and a bit of a shitty version of that Smiths song that I don’t even like when Morrissey does it. Is it Suffer Little Children? ‘Manchester, so little to answer for’, as Morrissey would acerbically say. Oh, he is a wag. Can you believe I don’t know all my Smiths facts? I’m a fraud.
I thought Letter to God was really moving, and she did new stuff that I liked such as Nobody’s Daughter and Someone Else’s Bed. Still can’t be doing with the new version of Pacific Coast Highway though; that end is awful.
Hmm, what else? Her banter with the crowd was ace, she kept demanding the lights be turned on so she could see us, and demanding to fuck us. She was really funny and silly. She was threatening to take her clothes off and I thought ‘no way’ but she did and she had the most beautiful underwear on underneath; all purple and black and lacy. She looked absolutely stunning (but still too skinny, eat a sandwich, mum). I wasn’t expecting that as she is in her ‘politician’s wife’ mode of dress at the moment. She did the rest of the gig in her undies. The woman is in her mid forties. She has got balls.
The end was pretty weird, when she dragged up some kid who looked like he didn’t know the words to sing Doll Parts. He looked embarrassed. Her voice was beyond fucked by the end, she was really struggling. In fact all the way through she was turning the mic to the crowd because she couldn’t do certain high bits.
I felt so happy watching this gig, seeing her so adored, and on such good form. I never knew so many people liked her! She’s a one off. I’m sure there’s loads I’ve forgotten. But it was really wonderful. I’m so glad I went again!

Live: Hole at Shepherd's Bush Empire

The last time I saw Courtney Love was at the Reading Festival straight after Kurt died. I was 14 years old. 14! I’m now twice that (and more!) Obviously, that gig is infamous for being a shambles. But I still remember how I felt just being near to her; just seeing her there was amazing to me, no matter how bad she was (and she looked amazing). That was the summer I grew up, lost my virginity, and had a gang of friends I thought would last forever. I spent the next two years running round in a nightie and a tiara starting fights. Courtney was a massive influence on me as a girl, and as woman.
Around the turn of the millennium, I used to frequent an imaginary place called kittyradio, where Hole fans went to… er, tear the shit our of each other’s personal lives/ appearance/ taste in men. Weirdly, I also met some of my best friends, who I still make an effort to see (which is rare for me) ten years later.
The next time I saw Courtney was at the filming of the Russell Brand TV show, and I was sat so close to her, I could have touched her. I could see right up her skirt! And still I was in awe! Morrissey was in the same room but I was still drawn to Courtney. Her flaws, the things that people hate her for, are the things that make her special.
But I had very low hopes of Courtney showing up when I booked the tickets for Shepherd’s Bush. My hopes were raised a little when I saw her on Jonathan Ross, looking puffy but healthy, and again on the Brits. And she didn’t let us down.
Got to Shpherd's Bush quite late due to the Central Line being royally fucked. Bumped into a fair few kittyradioers; all knocking on 30 now, but still looking good, I must say. Shepherd’s Bush Empire was absolutely HEAVING, you could not move, and the queue for the toilets was beyond a joke.
The support band I saw (I think there were two) were absolutely dreadful; I thought Morrissey’s support bands could be bad but this was something else. The guy gobbed on the crowd, wich makes it sound quite rock and roll; it was anything but. Really dire.
I have to say, a large majority of the crowd were really awful, Morrissey crowds can often be filled with inconsiderate oiks, but this was worse; seedy old men, men who were 8 foot tall, people who actually stank… it was really bad. The last band I went to see were Placebo, and the crowd were all really small, polite lesbians, so this was a bit of a shock. When Courtney came on the guy in front of us (a prick with Jedward hair) literally took up about a square mile around us to headbang in. At that point we moved back, but the view was really poor. Eventually I moved further back and could see, but I was pretty pissed off, which was really annoying.
The irony was, Courtney was on top form tonight. She kept us waiting for a while and then opened with Pretty on the Inside! How cool is that? The setlist was amazing; Violet, Miss World, Malibu, Pacific Coast Highway, Celebrity Skin… she even pulled out Northern Star. I would have killed for Boys on The Radio though, as it’s my favourite Hole song ever, but that’s my only grumble. I think my highlights were Pacific Coast Highway and Celebrity Skin; just because I am so used to hearing Celebrity Skin at every dingy indie disco I've frequented over the past few years, so to see it live seemed surreal.
Let’s get the ‘Hole’ thing cleared up. Yes, her new band look rather rubbish. Yes, Melissa and Eric and Patty were pretty cool. But what makes Hole is Courtney, her lyrics, her songs, her life. Would you go see a band named Hole if Eric and Melissa got a new lead singer? No, you wouldn’t. So, personally, I’m just glad she’s still doing those songs, because they are her legacy. And the crowd, as horrible and ugly as a lot of them were, knew every word. I was surprised there were so many men there; and surprised that people were singing their heart out. In normal life if you mention Courtney Love, people go ‘urgh’, so this felt really interesting. I didn’t think people cared for these songs so much.
She didn’t talk much but I remember her saying ‘not bad for an old girl’ and ‘I’m still alive’. She looked great; and seemed to be really enjoying herself. She definitely forgot the words a few times, and it seemed to me like they played completely the wrong tune to Malibu..?! Her voice went at the end, but I’m not surprised, as she really has to belt those songs. I’ll always love her voice; the flaws in it are just divine.
I think her new material sounds really good. I’ve been hammering the demos for about 2 years now; so I really hope her album does see the light of day soon because we’ve waited long enough!
I wish I could see her again a bit closer; I saw Bright Eyes at Shepherds Bush Empire a couple of years ago and had a great view; so I think I just got unlucky.
Say what you like about Courtney, but she survives, she just keeps on going. She’s also highly under-rated as a song-writer and a lyricist. No woman from her era that I can think of is still going like she is, or is still interesting, anyway.
And at that exact moment I wrote that, the computer a couple of desks away from me just started playing Nirvana out loud in an open plan office… even though no one is near it…! Weirdness! The ghost of Kurt! Get back in your box, Kurt. You’re done.

Live: Placebo at Manchester Central

My name is lightupvirginmary, and I am a Placebo addict. I have listened to nothing but Placebo for 6 months. My boyfriend and I watch Placebo play live at Rock AM Ring 2006 pretty much every weekend, combined with a bunch of our other favourite Placebo gigs, interspersed with our Placebo remix youtube disco. It is obsessive. My last FM has seen Placebo overtake The Killers, Patrick Wolf and Bloc Party. Even Morrissey has looked nervously at their onslaught. (Bright Eyes has a fairly reasonable lead, but with his latest output, even Conor would be wise to be worried).
So it didn't feel real that we were going to actually get to see them; although how I've not seen them beforehand, I do not know. I must have seen the Manic Street Preachers ten different times at festivals over the past 15 years, so why never Placebo, as I was always a fan? Because it was all building up to this moment, that's why!
I really didn't want to go see them at the O2, as I saw Coldplay there and it was like watching a gig in an aircraft hangar. So we decided to go up to the old Gmex in Manchester and make a weekend of it. Beforehand I was dreaming about Placebo pretty much constantly, panicking Molko was going to get killed in a plane crash or something. Or that I'd get killed and he'd come to my funeral and hook up with my boyfriend. Serious anxiety dreams!
We arrived about 6.30 and there was quite a sizeable queue. I expected everyone to be about 16 but there was a bit of a mix, and more men than I thought there'd be. We got a pretty good spot, to the right side of the barrier (Stefan side!) and did the usual no liquids policy so we could stand our ground all night. The support bands weren't that great; the name of the first one escapes me, but it was quite unwieldy and they were a bit bland. The second support was the Horrors; great if you're into Gonzo from the Muppets shuffling round impersonating Pete Doherty. I SWEAR I saw the singer yawn at one point! I saw the Horrors once before and they were shit then, and shit now, but with an 80s keyboard thrown in. Fuck off.
And then... the Battle for The Sun began! We saw the mics being set up and were a bit miffed because Brian's was right on the left hand side of the stage (we'd gone right for Stefan!) But I shouldn't complain because we were in the front row, and some of the footage of people's view at the O2 was so bad may as well have been on a different continent.
They opened with For What It's Worth, then did Ashtray Heart and Battle for the Sun. I think I was in shock for the first three songs, because I can't remember then very well. The lights were spectacular; when you're used to seeing Morrissey in small venues, this was a bit special; they'd actually spent a few quid. The big screen behind them was tilted at an angle and looked quite epic. The first old song they played was 'Soulmates' which I can't stand so I got my camera out at this point, but my photos were all pretty awful. There was a glut of dodgy songs in the middle; Follow the Cops Back Home (which is obviously a fan favourite, but I think the lyrics are lame) and Special Needs (enough said). But songs like Breathe Underwater and Julien off the new album were fun to hear. The definite highlight of the first part was Every Me, Every You- the guitar bit they do at the start and the end is just magical. And I can die happy now I've heard him go 'every meheeeeeee and every yeeeeeehooooow!' You couldn't wipe the smile off my face after that (although it did waver when he played Blind, which is the dullest song on Meds by a mile). He's doing a Moz and making us work for the good stuff, which is his right.
Was also thrilled to hear the actual song Meds. Was un-thrilled to hear Song to Say Goodbye (my oh my) as it's such a weak song, and when they went off after it, I just thought it was a bit lazy (goodbye, then off for the encore).
But they came back on with a vengeance. Bright Lights sounded lovely live. Special K was a singalong classic (as it should be) and The Bitter End was just fantastic. I was really scared that new violinist was going to screech all over it but she didn't. I still miss the 'suicide' bit at the end, but Brian obviously can't be arsed to sing that bit anymore.
Then they went off again and I thought that was it and turned to my boyfriend and went 'where's infra-red?' because it's his favourite song. And at that exact second the intro to it kicked in. Honestly, it was soooo good! It was really amazing. Then they finished with Taste in Men, which I think is a weird song to end with, but it did sound really decent. Stefan also came down into the crowd and was larking about which was a bit of excitement.
What else? I really like the end when they all came to the front of the stage and bowed, there was a nice feeling to it. Stefan was wearing a silver suit which was the best thing I've ever seen him wear (and we've watched a LOT of gigs, as I said). Brian looked cute with a little bob (my boyfriend said he looked haggard but he loves writing off every popstar we go to see).
When we got in we watched a 2009 gig from Paris and he gave them some of the same patter he gave us! Cheeky. And I will not rest until I hear Because I Want You live. Seriously, I need to hear it.
All in all, totally lived up to my expectations, and can't wait to see them again. I love Brian so much. I wouldn't at all be surprised if we went abroad to see them. How else are we going to hear Protege Moi?

Live: Morrissey at Alexandra Palace

Had an unexpected treat last night as my boyfriend won two tickets to see Morrissey at Alexandra Palace on Facebook! We’d decided against going due to money and having already seen him 3 times this year, so it was really great to have this extra chance. The only bad part was I’d already looked at the setlist! Boo. But he did mix it up.
I saw Moz at Alexandra Palace in 2005, even getting a piece of hallowed shirt (well, not me directly, but I seem to have won THAT custody battle). Last time I didn’t like AP much as a venue, it’s a bit airport hanger-y and I remember being stuck on the bus trying to get out of there for what felt like years. This time though (maybe because it was free!) everything seemed easy. There was no pressure to have a good time, and we were just lucky the old man was still standing, really.
Doll and the Kicks were good as usual, although not impressed with the guitarist’s haircut, I liked his massive afro! I thought ‘If you care’ was very moving. The other songs do sound a bit the same, but they’re all good the same, so that’s not too bad. I like Doll, fantastic outfit, she looked very cool (nightmare before Christmas shadows are so very now!), and I like her slightly ‘drunk grandma at a wedding’ dancing. The best Moz support band EVER. Buy the album, I did.
Then there’s the insufferable video clips. Seriously, I thought I’d escaped that tyranny. I want my own youtube disco to force on people; clips of brian molko tipping over a table, clips of courtney love with one foot on the speaker, conor oberst miserably telling us to become vegans, and Richard off Pointless telling people off for not listening to the question SPECIFICALLY. Don’t think it’s gonna happen.
And then. We were quite close to the front at the side, and these two very loud Scottish guys came behind us, and I just knew we were in for trouble! Everyone surged forward for this charming man and I was getting totally battered, so just had to move back about three rows, which was fine, as I still had a really good view. For some reason my boyfriend chose to stay in the middle getting molested and sung at, but we were reunited in time for (ugh) The Loop.
I though the first six songs were the best, the atmosphere was rowdy but buzzing and the pace of songs was kept up well. Very much enjoyed Was it Really So Strange, always nice to hear one you’ve never heard before. Was also pleased to hear First of the Gang early as I’m sick of it as an encore. I could actually enjoy it, and then there was the mystery of what might be the encore instead! Stand out song of the night for me was Ganglord; I think he does it beautifully live. Really strong performance.
Cemetry Gates was nice to hear but it seemed a bit limp live to me for some reason. Liked ‘stonely read the graves’ for a lyric change though. Mid set there was a bit of a lull; Paris (bothered) and Teenage Dad, a dire song, with lyrics that make Brian Molko look opaque. I like Ask but I can take it or leave it. I quite like his cover of Moon Over Kentucky, his yodelling in it is pleasing (it’s better than Redondo beach, right). How Soon Is Now I’ve just seen too many times, plus I don’t like that cut and paste version, it’s all about the build up at the start for me. Because of My Poor Education can fuck off, I couldn’t even sing you a line of it. I‘d rather hear Asian Rut (I have no idea how that goes, but how bad can it be, right?). And One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell over Mama? Ich don’t think so!
Death at One’s Elbow is silly but was fun to hear, Crashing Bores, if I never hear again will be too soon (and I used to love it!). His shows are quite Quarry heavy but I’d like to hear I Have Forgiven Jesus or something just for a change. The Loop has never been acceptable, and will never be, you can take The Loop and Sing Your Life and shove them up Boz Boorer’s arse. People didn’t seem as wildly enthusiastic about The Loop as they were at Brixton though; they were literally intoxicated by the shitness of it there. I despaired for humanity.
The set ended on a high, Irish Blood doesn’t date, it’s still powerful, and I’m OK By Myself is bloody brilliant. I love the screeching/ cardboard box bit at the end, it’s amazing, like a glimpse of Moz as a real rocker. It works fantastically live (and I’ll even bite my tongue about the shoulder/ revolver line). I like hearing Squeezing My Skull too, not sure it’s strong enough for an encore, but I enjoyed it a lot. When he threw his shirt in at the end I got an elbow in my chest (pain at one’s elbow) and was winded! Honestly, people (no, men) are too aggressive, it’s not worth trampling on someone’s head for a bit of Moz’s shirt; I’ve got a bit, so I know.
Banter: he was taking a lot, slagging off Michael BublURGH (‘England looks after it’s own’), David Cameron for shooting stags, and mentioning he was wearing a purple poppy for all the animals killed ‘against their will’ in the war. Were any willingly slaughtered, I wonder?! Good old Mozzy. I thought he was on good form; I’ve seen him when he’s been a right grumpy sod before, but he seemed up for it last night. His voice was strong, too. And the lights were quite good. My boyfriend said Moz looked ropey, but I didn’t think so.
I do have a couple of pics too, perhaps I’ll post later.
Bit disappointed there was no Nowhere Fast, but no worries. I still think the setlist wasn’t bad, despite my grumbles (it’s Moz, we’re allowed to grumble!)
Got out of there SMOOTHLY too. Very good indeed. Thanks Facebook. I enjoyed being on the guesty. Next stop: Molko in Manchester. Bring on the fine whines!

Live: Morrissey at Troxy vs Morrissey at Brixton Academy

So the rescheduled Morrissey gigs changed from a Tuesday and Thursday night to a consecutive Saturday and Sunday. We decided to try and get down the front for the Troxy so we could just relax and have a drink on the Sunday at Brixton.
Troxy was a really cool venue, with interesting art-deco style architecture and features, and rather fetching carpets. We got right at the barrier, but a bit towards the side, which was a result really, as we were just on the cusp of the craziness, but could still see very well.
Doll and the Kicks were good, but I prefer her blonde. We like their song that sounds a bit like Pink.
There was the usual suffering through the intro vid, and then there he was. We were pretty close to him, and the view was excellent. He seemed a bit subdued, not really saying much. The setlist had changed from Yarmouth more than I expected, and he did 'I just want to see the boy happy' (zzzzzz) and Pigsty (yay!) but no Seasick. Also, no 'Squeezing my Skull'. I think he should have hammered the new album more, and cut some of the Smiths songs. As for The Loop- give us a break. Still, very enjoyed You Just Haven't Earned it Yet Baby, and I liked his changing of the lyrics at end of 'How Soon Is Now' to 'and now half my life is gone... thank god'. When Last I Spoke To Carol is also really brilliant live; especially when Moz adds his 'waaaw' sound effects and wing-flappy bits.
A few people were chancing getting on the stage, but the bouncers were quite heavy handed. Moz was shaking hands and generally quite friendly, just a bit quiet.
There was less pressure on us on the Sunday as we presumed it would be the same old setlist and we could just kick back and have a drink. I've been to Brixton Academy before (to see Morrissey!), but the memory must have fallen out of my brain as I had totally forgotten the sloping floor and everything. It's actually a very cool venue which means you can see a lot more easily from most places. We were in the middle towards the side I'd say, and could see pretty well. The sound was also good in there.
I was surprised that the setlist was so different; and very happy indeed when he played 'Mama..' which I'd been dying to hear! I could have lived without 'I Keep Mine Hidden' but that 'Moon Over Kentucky' cover version was pretty good, and he even made 'Because of My Poor Education' listenable. Not sure why he insists on finishing with First of the Gang To Die... I'm totally over it. Similarly, Crashing Bores gets on my nerves.
On the whole though, two excellent gigs. Yarmouth was something else, it just had that extra special quality because it was touch and go if he would be there, and it just felt like magic was in the air that night, but these two gigs were good, too. Personally I'd like Moz to ditch the Smiths songs (OK, he can do I Know its Over) and bang out a load of stuff from Viva Hate/ Arsenal/ Vauxhall. Oh and play It's Not Your Birthday Anymore. But it's Moz. He'll do what he likes.

Morrissey Live at the Britannia Pier, Yarmouth

Wow, what a beautiful weekend in Yarmouth. I expected Yarmouth to be some sad, fading town dying on it's arse, but actually it was lovely, very pretty with a really great pier. I personally couldn't be happier than in a place that's quite deserted, smells constantly of fish and chips and sells every kind of tat. In fact, that's my idea of heaven.
And then throw Morrissey into the mix. Did I ever doubt Morrissey would turn up? From the second we booked the tickets. As soon as he cried off the Albert Hall, I wrote him off. Yet there he was on Friday night; I saw him with my own eyes!
Britannia Pier is a bizarre venue, advertising such wares as Jim Davidson and the Chuckle Brothers proudly at it's door. At around 2pm we walked up the pier and saw 5 or 6 very insane people already queueing (some of whom I recognised; ah, the Morrissey community, we're so close- ahem). My boyfriend and I began queueing at 6.30 (doors opened at 7pm) and despite at least a hundred people in front of us, we got incredibly lucky for seating, about four rows back and right next to the middle aisle, which gave us a fantastic view (my photos were SHIT though, as you can see!). The seats were tiny and people were complaining about the leg room, but I didn't really mind. As we sat there, neither of us could really believe that Morrissey was actually going to turn up, on that stage, right by that person selling popcorn. It just seemed impossible.
Now for the really weird part: the support band, Doll and the Kicks, were actually GOOD! I know; I was stunned. They had a really strong front-woman who looked studenty and petite but she had a big old voice on her, quite Karen O-esque. Very impressed indeed.
Next there was a bizarre animated video with giant Morrissey heads on and a song that appeared to be called 'lighten up Morrissey', which was quite amusing. However, after that Morrissey was still hawking that same fucking intro video from what feels like two decades ago with the bloody New York Dolls clips on. He must be sick of it by now, surely? And I'm going to have to watch it another twice more, the bastard! I swear he's just trying to annoy the crowd so we are more happy to see him when he comes out.
And then... he was there, on this giant backdrop of a muscly man. I had never seen Morrissey with my boyfriend before, and I can honestly say, I've never seen either of us look so happy. The excitement for the first 20 minitues or so was just so intense, I was screaming my head off, and I lost my voice afterwards. We just couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces. Morrissey looked great; very smart in a dark blue blazer. He was in fine form, opening with This Charming Man, followed by Irish Blood, English Heart. I won't ruin the setlist TOO much in case my best mate reads this; we're going to see him shortly, so it's nice to have a bit of a surprise. Personally, I've been ducking and diving the setlist for months now. The set was quite Smiths-heavy I thought; I preferred hearing stuff off the new album, just because I'd never heard it before and it sounded damn good live. I really enjoyed Sorry Doesn't Help; which is weird, as I don't even particularly like that one on the album. The setlist was also quite Quarry-heavy; which is good, and he played NOTHING off Ringleaders; telling! We were treated to Seasick from Your Arsenal, and Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself from Vauxhall. Some Girls are Bigger than Others is probably the worst song off the Queen is Dead, but actually it was quite lovely live. The set lowpoint had to be The Loop; does anyone care? But I was very relieved that he appeared to have stopped hawking the new and un-improved Southpaw, and we heard not a peep of Best Friend on the Payroll OR Reader Meet Author; good! I don't think he played a thing off Malajusted either; I wouldn't have said no to Trouble Loves Me.
I think on the whole, considering he didn't even play my two favourite songs off Refusal, the setlist was excellent. It was just such an enjoyable gig, we could see so well. Seating venues do suck, but it's nice to have that little space of your own too, and to be able to see without being crushed.
Morrissey seemed in a good mood too, saying 'Is this the Royal Albert Hall? No.' and making references to 'outpatients' and changing the lyrics of Squeezing My Skull to 'it's a miracle I made it to Great Yarmouth'. I also enjoyed his joke about you being able to find 'Skull' if you had a large spade (although it's your fault Moz, you could have given us some b-sides, couldn't you?)
He was also passing the mic to the crowd, and just seemed in good spirits. A few stage invaders tried their luck, and there looked to be a brawl kicking off at the front at one point, but all in all the atmosphere was amazing. The show seemed so short; with just one encore, and he was gone. It left us on such a high; it just couldn't have been much better.
Just don't mentioned what happened to me in the 80s bar afterwards. Personally, I blame Rick Astley.
Next: Troxy, and Brixton. I'll be the one with the massive grin!

Gig: Bloc Party live at the Olympia Grand Hall

I went to see Bloc Party on Easter Sunday! Woo, I'm hoping to see ALL my favourite bands this year. In fact I'm seeing Morrissey three times... but that's next month.
A word of advice: read the goddamn ticket yourself! We ended up going to Earls Court instead of Olympia because of a 'technical error' with my boyfriend's brain. Already feeling worse for wear from the night before, every additional step was pain. Plus we had no money for a drink. Then were greeted by sniffer dogs, which seems a bit much. What are we gonna do, toke someone to death?
We got there JUST in time for the end of Bloc Party's first song, so I cannot tell you what Wet Paint or the Foals were like, although fictional psychopath David Platt likes the Foals, so that's one mark against them.
The Olympia Grand Hall was massive, and half empty. I thought this gig had sold out? There was tons of room in there, and we got right down at the front to the side (we couldn't go too far in as we were both feeling a little queasy, in fact I was struggling to keep standing for the first half- but that's my fault, not Bloc Party's).
I thought the setlist wasn't THAT hot at first, it seems a bit second-album heavy, which is, of course, their worst album. That one about going to mall and mentioning the freeway always makes me balk a bit, for obvious reasons.
However, I thought things really picked up about a third in, particularly with Banquet, Two More Years, This Modern Love, Blue Light, The Prayer and Mercury. I LOVE Mercury live, and was so glad they didn't play it first so I didn't miss it. At wireless they played it first so I was panicking.
Kele was in good spirits, wearing a silly bunny outfit for the encore and getting fluff stuck to his face. Oh and they finished with Flux! They had lasers and everything, it was the perfect ending.
One thing I will say, I don't think the acoustics were great in this venue, it sounded like his mic was a bit quiet at first. I've heard louder at festivals, which shouldn't be the case (mind you, nothing could top Glastonbury for completely destroying the Killers gig for me- bastard Eavis!)
So, Bloc Party. Everyone was about 12, but we still enjoyed it. If you haven't got the new album, you should. Even their b-sides are excellent.
Come on, I'll do you a mixtape, let's go old skool.

Live: Patrick Wolf at Heaven

Ahh, Heaven. Memories of vomit, trannies and dancing dating back nearly ten years now. But I'd never seen a band there. I thought it might be a good venue for it though, and I was quite right.
I was so excited about seeing Patrick Wolf. I love, love, love Patrick Wolf so much; he's just totally original, so incredibly talented, and seems like such a genuinely nice person. I have seen Wolfy live a few times, (KOKO, the Astoria, a pub garden) and I can honestly say I have never seen him so CAMP as tonight! Leather, braces, shorts, arse-slapping, thrusting; it was all there. He came on stage with bizarre wings/ giant shoulders, making him look about fifteen-foot tall, and he's pretty tall anyway. He was also wearing some not-misguided leather trousers which showed pretty much EVERYTHING, which was a nice treat for the girls and the gays alike. I love the fact he puts on such a show; he has such great energy, mad style, and is a true artist. Morrissey said recently some people 'just are art' and whilst that sounds utterly pretentious, that applies brilliantly to Mr. Wolf.
The show started really strong; the songs from the new album sound absolutely amazing; and he also did Tristan, which is obviously a huge crowd pleaser, and I enjoyed his chickeny outfit. I think the show lost focus a bit about halfway through; there were just too many new ones; which I fully expected, but I haven't heard the new album yet and I think the crowd was a little restless. I felt he was a teensy bit self-indulgent, but that's also a little unfair because I know I will easily fall in love with all these songs, and if I went to see him live again in three months I'd probably feel quite different.
Patrick has two modes of song; screechy, crunchy technoey yodelling pop songs, and heartfelt, pretty piano-ballady ones. I think he kept on the right side of the line, but he could have done with throwing in Don't Say No or A Boy Like Me halfway through and I would have been set for the night. He did do Bluebells, and Accident and Emergency which is obviously brilliant but I felt like he was coasting a bit during that one. He had taken his top off by this point though, so can't complain.
The show definitely picked up again two thirds in. I can't WAIT to hear the new album. Hard Times sounded so fucking good, the new songs sounded really lush and epic and theatrical and overblown and just fantastic, really. I just wish I could have sung along.
After the encore he came back and did a very 80s/Gary Newman style song (Vulture?) and he did Magic Position which I thought he might not do, but was very glad to hear. That song cannot fail to make me smile, it's the happiest song ever. It's just the best, poppiest love song and should have been a massive hit. My boyfriend says it's too twee, but it isn't! He finished with Bloodbeat, which was well-needed and just the perfect rave tune.
Patrick Wolf is amazing live; an true artist, and his voice has never sounded better than tonight. He put on a great show and I love seeing him throwing himself around the stage, he really does belong up there, and he felt perfectly matched with Heaven.
If you don't know Patrick Wolf; I'd seriously recommend buying Lycanthropy or Wind in the Wires. If you want it more poppy, then most accessibly, The Magic Position. Then put on your glitter and go see him live. A life without Patrick Wolf is a life left wanting. Truth!

Orange Unsigned Act: Semi Final

Today I got up at the un-godly hour of 8am to go to the semi-final of the Orange Unsigned Act show. Even arriving then though, we missed Alex Zane mentioning Alex James love of cheese and Bo Bruce's song (pretty annoying as she's my second fave). Also, why did Alex James say at the start he wanted to hear something 'new' when they were playing their best songs? Wake up, grandad.
Oh, I take that back as Bo DID play something new. Pretty brave! I liked that song, I wish I'd been there to hear it! She looked good on TV and we saw her wandering round at the Riverside studios and she looked cool, I liked her outfit. Was she at a disadvantage going on first?
So we arrived in time for Scarlet Harlots. I thought they were excellent live, they have really good energy, and are very cool. I think they are the most honest band in the competiton. They seem real. I'm glad they went through.
Hmm, WHY didn't they put Toby Sebastian on first so I missed him instead of Bo? Althought actually, I thought this weeks song WAS his best song. His voice does sound nice in the studio, but nice isn't really what I demand from my indie idols. Still, he did play effortlessly. Not sorry in the slightest to see him go though, unlike Simon Gavin who must be crying into his little beard as we speak.
I thought the judges comments were all pretty lame today. They clearly hadn't been practising their insults in front of the mirror. Alex James calling Toby Sebastian posh was a bit silly, it's not his fault, is it?
I didn't really rate Hip Parade; I know it's unpopular; but I find them a bit generic. I still don't like that putting 'radio' in the title, it's too cynical. They are a bit McFlyish, I think. It's singalong, but it's not for me. I liked his haircut though; I like a bit of ginger.
I thought Tommy Reilly was on fine form today (biased!) He did my favourite song and his voice sounded great. He is a raw talent. I love his face when he gets compliments from the judges; he looks geniunely baffled.
The results! Bit gutted Bo didn't go through; but pleased that Scarlot Harlots did. It's quite telling that The Wombats are less talented than any of the semi-finalists, in my opinion. Can't we take their record deal off them and give it to Bo?
I think it should be noted that all the acts who went through have featured in my blog lately; Bo & Toby should REALLY have answered my interview questions already! I have the POWER. I can make or break you!!!
And with that in mind, Tommy to win. I want to hear his album.

The Killers: Wembley Arena 25 Feb 07

I went to see The Killers last night and it was fucking mental! We were one row back, slightly to the side and proper crushed. We seemed to have the Narcoleptics Society on a day out in front of us, which was interesting, they were all snoozing on the barrier, but to be fair, that was when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were on, who managed to be both dreary and dirgy. What a rubbish support act.
The Killers came on to a projection of Americana images on a massive white screen, with dramatic keyboards to whip us up into a frenzy, which eventually turned into 'Sam's Town' and a great swimming pool-sized bucket of red white and blue glitter was dumped on our heads . This was extremely exciting, I felt like I'd just won Millionaire or Deal or no Deal or something, despite most of it seemingly going down my top. The set was really cool, with skeletons, lots of crates, neon signs and fake grass, as well as tons of pretty lights and flags.
The atmosphere was AMAZING; the last person I saw at Wembley Arena was Morrissey, who quite-rightly inspires incredible passion, but The Killers were SOMETHING ELSE. Morrissey can be a bit mean with the hits at times, but The Killers belted them out one after another: they literally have no fillers. Everyone was going crazy! I've waited so long to see The Killers and they did not disappoint. Little Brandon was running round the stage, sweat dripping off him, standing on boxes and waving his microphone stand around with more enthusiasm than I've ever seen him deliver. He really did give it his all. I was really really pleased that they played 'Bling' and 'Why Do I Keep Counting?' because I'd been waiting to hear these live, and they were fantastically loud, singalong tracks. But the crowd loved the oldies and Mr Brightside' was rightly, riotously recieved. By this time sweat was pouring off me and I would have sold my granny for a Diet Coke. In my pre-show preperations of determinedly not drinking so I wouldn't need the toilet, I had overlooked the fact that we were virtually standing in the mosh pit two hours later. Oh well. It was worth a dry mouth and a sore throat from singing/ cheering.
Finally, when they did All These Things That I've Done it was good I felt like I was going to puke.
What an atmosphere. The Killers are a truly first-class live band. Definitely the best gig I've been to in 12 months; better than Patrick Wolf AND Morrissey and that is saying something. And I've still got Bright Eyes to come next month!
I could really die happy after this year. Nothing can beat the high of seeing bands you love at the top of their game.