More Old Bootlegs - Liars Live Manchester Roadhouse 5th May 2004

Seem to have turned up a small cash of concerts that i attended a few years ago. I'm a massive fan of Liars, so thought I'd share this with you. It's from the European tour supporting their second album 'They Were Wrong So We Drowned'. Not sure what the last track is called, though i seem to recall Angus called it 'Southern Uric Acid' at the time. Don't think it ever developed beyond a jam, I don't recognise it from later releases, but if you know better, let me know. You can hear it Here.

Setlist for the night was...

Here's a small 'review' of the night if found.

"Liars songs are raw and unapproachable; unstructured compared to anything we have come to expect from conventional music and melodically vacant. Vocalist Agnus Andrew sings with an ominous monotone, pronouncing syllables in time with drum beats like a shaman reciting a prayer or a spell. But though Liars' music differs from that of The Blood Brothers, their performance is as intriguing. Dressed like a mad man on ket, Agnus Andrew collapses around the stage in a three-quarter-length matron’s uniform featuring the shakily written slogan, 'Weapons of ASS Destruction', on the back. He does well to jump into the ceiling and not fall into seizure. Or perhaps this crazy dancing _is_ his seizure. However crazy this may be, the underlying charisma makes you love it; watching this man is fun.
At times it is questionable if Liars are really pushing boundaries in music or just taking the piss. Songs become so extended that once stimulating repetitive drums become annoyingly drawn-out and dull. Where the Blood Brothers were giving and exuberant, Liars seems self-indulgent and pretentious. In theory, Liars' fresh take on avant-garde music is formidable, but commercially, it's just not Busted."

Not sure I agree with his views, but as the landed gent character from the Fast Show says " I was very, very Drunk!"

Remix Broadcast Remix

Here's a couple of oddities in the Broadcast catalogue. One is, if I'm honest, a very lazy, Friday afternoon, take the money and run mix by Two Lone Swordsmen. Now, I do love Two Lone Swordsmen, 'Wilmot' and 'Theme' are two unsung classics, but this is basically the chorus 'Come On..' slowed down or reversed with the bass line popping up from time to time and a dodgy electro beat slathered over the rest. To me it seems next to no thought goes into the remix, and I'd be surprised if Broadcast were happy with the final product. Still, it was put out as a double A-side 12" with the much superior 'Drums On Fire, so what do I know!. You can listen Here.

The next is a remix of the Badly Drawn Boy single 'Another Pearl', this time by Broadcast.
I'll be honest, I don't like BDB and only bought this cos' of the Broadcast connection. On the whole, it's a better effort than Two Lone Swordsmen made on Come 'On Let's Go', but still not up their with material Broadcast produce for themselves. Anyhoo, in the great words of Lloyd Grossman "you Decide"

Fujiya & Miyagi - Live Hare and Hounds, Birmingham 020311

This is a great gig by Brighton's Fujiya & Miyagi my pal recorded in Birmingham the other night. Great sound too. Unfortunately, I had to edit the last track cos' someone nearby was yapping away, but otherwise it's all .Here . Not sure what track 11 was, had a very Wooden Shjips sound to it (hence my insertion).
Tracklisting was 1. Minestrone. 2. 16 Shades Of Black and Blue. 3. Uh. 4. Cat Got Your Tongue.5. Knickerbocker. 6. Collarbone. 7. In One Ear...8. Pills. 9. Yoyo. 10. Tinsel & Glitter. 11. Wooden Shjips Stylee. 12. Fujiya & Miyagi (edit).

 

Sole Survivor - Long Lost TV Movie.

When I was wee, I had two obsessions, the supernatural  and military aircraft. So when i first caught this movie in the mid 70's at about 8 years old, I was in 7th heaven.
Actually, in my humble opinion, this is a lost classic, even though it stars William Shatner, don't hold that against it as there's also a fine performance by Richard Baseheart as well.

IMBd gives a brief plot description....

"When a bomber believed to have crashed in the ocean 17 years ago is found in the Libyan desert. A Colonel and Major accompany the only surviving member of the crew, who is now a General to figure out what happened. The General claims that he and the other members of the crew jumped over the ocean when in reality he bailed out leaving the others to fend for themselves. And while the Colonel just wants the whole thing closed, the Major insists on finding the truth. And watching them are the ghosts of the crew."

One reviewer also added...

"Sole Survivor is one of the weirder entries in the WWII genre and difficult to classify. Written by Guerdon Trueblood as a TV movie, it tells the tale of a B-25 Mitchell stranded in the Libyan desert. Comparisons are sometimes made between this and Flight of the Phoenix and shouldn't be, as Sole Survivor really has no thematic equal. Richard Basehart and Vince Edwards are fine in their roles, although Shatner had by this time been typecast as Captain Kirk and can't seem to shake that in his role as Gronke. Fans of Pat Wayne will enjoy a somewhat better performance than his usual, and Lou Antonio was in the middle of a career that spanned multiple decades. For some reason this one is difficult to find, which is a shame as it is absolutely unique and an experience that tends to stay with you long after the closing credits roll."

Sounds kinda corny, but it's a well put together piece of TV theatre.

You can catch a rather ropey rip on you tube below. It's in 10 minute chunks, but that's better than nothing.

 

Broadcast - Irish Center, Birmingham 2000

As promised, here's a copy of the Birmingham Sound City concert from 2000. The last 5 tracks are from Meltdown Festival in the same year. It was aired at the same time as the gig as part of the John Peel show.
You can have a listen Here

A few Old Broadcast gigs and Suicide Show.

Am still greatly saddened by the sad loss of Trish Keenan of Broadcast. Whilst rummaging around my CD shelves I came across a few live shows a that Charlie H sent me ways back. Thought as it's my first posting, I'd share em' with the wider world.

First concert is a great show recorded at Birmingham's 'Sanctuary' Club in December 2003.
It's pretty good quality and you can find it .... Here

 Second recording was a great gig from Vancouver on the 30th  October 2003 sent to me by a good friend from Canada. It's at a small venue called Richard's On Richard, Another with great sound. I've half an idea it was a radio broadcast, but I'm not 100% sure about that. Think this is available elsewhere on the web, but if not, you can get it Here

The final Broadcast post is a little know song called 'Misc' released on a freebie cassette tape from the NME in 1997 celebrating Oxford Sound City. I was disappointed when this didn't turn up on Future Crayon, but this recording is pretty good quality in  a Microtronics fashion. Get it Here

Finally, i turned out this mad concert by Suicide recorded at Camden Palace on 30th October 1986. It has some pretty intense sound, but Alan Vega seems in good spirits. Sound is very hissy as It's from a 15 year old cassette, but as their isn't much top end, i left it as is. Track listing may not be right, but hey, it's the sounds your after! Get it Here