Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx Manchester (or 'Who Put The 'M' in 'Metamatic'?)

Well it's 01:22 and I have just arrived home from Manchester having driven nearly the entire length of the M62. The gig was a great success if not a total triumph. The set list:

Film One
The whole of Metamatic in track order

That, rather bizarrely, was it for the main gig. Off they toddled to a rather muted and surprised audience. Some of us mustered a bit of a slow handclap and a bit of cheering and finally the chaps reappeared and played:

Glimmer
Mr No
This City
My Face
Burning Car
20th Century (actually '21st Century')

So basically, the entire Metamatic-era song list in release order. I don't think I have ever been to a gig where more than one-third of the set was played as an encore. Strange.

The interpretations and arrangements were pretty much taken straight from the record. The main variations came in a couple of the vocal performances where John monkeyed around with the lyrics in '030' and 'Tidal Wave' by delaying or bringing forward phrases by odd bars or half-bars. It didn't work but it did annoy the quartet of happy drunks who were dancing stage centre and (trying) to sing along.

The sound wasn't brilliant - rather too much distortion and bass for my liking. This had the effect of rendering 'Tidal Wave' into quite a savage, raw piece. Similarly for 'Mr No.'

It was great to hear songs such as '030', 'A New Kind Of Man', 'Blurred Girl' and the instrumentals played for the first and probably last time. Louis was of course worth the entrance fee on his own. John was in good voice and seemed to enjoy himself. The crowd was enthusiastic and for the most part made up of people like me - forty-somethings with hairlines receding and waistlines proceeding. I was heartened to see a substantial number of 'younger' people, i.e. those who would have been far too young to have been into JF first time around.

Louis and John both appeared to sign autographs as seems to be customary these days. Apparently (I overheard) that 'Tiny Colour Movies' is going to be performed in Leeds in November at the Film Festival.

You will also be pleased to know that the car parking was first rate (see previous post.)

P.S.
It's far too late and I am far too tired to do this particular topic justice but I was struck at just how many people seemed to spend most of the gig photographing or video-ing John. It seemed like the event only had value for these people if it was digitized, filtered and presented on a crappy mobile phone screen (you know who you are, gentleman with medium-length blond hair and a Roman nose.) So many of these people spent more time looking at the screens, fiddling with settings and checking just-taken photos that they must have missed half the gig. Is real life no longer good enough?

So glad he did Burning Car and 20th Century. Took the missus and my son (14) and they both enjoyed it.

Mr No...... John you f'kin belter!

Yeah, think I saw you!

I was glad he did 'Burning Car' properly. Previous live versions of BC have been overlong and tedious.

I am glad to see I am not the only one to notice this at concerts. Must add to the photo taking, the requisite phone calling/texting/blackberry checking, instead of living in the moment.

TCM in Leeds... next month? Oh please let that be true!!!

I was guilty as charged,last year @ the Coventry Gig.I was using my mobile video to help record short bits of the songs for the set list which I posted over on another forum whilst taking stills with another camera.

This was the first time I'd seen John ever & I needed to take pictures.I'd never felt so charged up about seeing any artist ever.

The more I see him the less pictures I'll take as the novelty wears off.I'll be taking a few tonight @ the Brum Barfly but not videoing with my Phone.I agree now I'm feeling rational & sane that videoing with a phone is a bit over the top,the effort just doesn't justify the end result.

I wonder if those people were seeing him for the first time.If that's the case I could forgive them a little bit.

If I peeved anyone off @ Coventry last year I'm sorry

Where did you hear that Alex?

In Harold's first post above...

Another speed reader like Maryann. :rolleyes:

It was early this morning when I read it so I was probably bleary eyed...

Cheers Alex