REVIEWER: TIM BOWNESS
"The audience are supportive and seem to enjoy the between song banter which is more prominent than usual due to my obvious nerves regarding playing guitar for the first time live (an experiment unlikely to be repeated in the near future). We're mostly on form, although due to the lack of rehearsal and the fact a third of the set is entirely new, understandably there are some occasional rhythm and instrumental slips.
In certain respects, it's one of the weakest professional performances I've been involved in, but in every track, for every negative there's a positive. Peter's new electric piano sounds good and his experiments with the fretless bass through the laptop are inspired and unexpected. Michael's texture and solo voices are strong and for getting through the 22/8 time signature maelstrom of Poppy Z, Richard has earned his Fool stripes in full.
Especially on the big atmospheric ballads (Sorry Looking Soldier/Brightest Blue/Judy On The Brink/Pills In The Afternoon), it seems genuinely effective and emotive, and perhaps turning into the more communicative Samuel Smiles myself and Michael Bearpark always wished for. A brutal 5/4 rock reading of the previously genteel 'Dreaming Of Babylon' - which in homage to the spirit of Spinal Tap, features sustained vocal scream and white noise guitar solo - is also a highlight for both band and audience."