Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx and Louis Gordon Birmingham Barfly

Because I was at the back, and I was just enjoying the whole experience, I only did two minutes of video on my camera, but here they are:
http://www.youtube.com/v/SDO5JPsfjgw

Cheers Dadge,

You get even more of an impression of the thumping base from your clip.

Thanks Dadge!

Just when my ringing ears were slowly returning to normal, that blew them out again!

Great clip - great memory!

Sarah

This was my first JF gig (and first gig of any description in 23 years).

First impression on entering the venue; oh this is small …. and very scruffy. As for the toilets; I’ve been in worse, but only at Greek airports. Couldn’t help thinking JF deserves to be playing at better places than this.

Anyway, at the wife’s request we housed ourselves on some seats on the side wall. The support act was interesting in a brutal sort of way. We decided to stay in our seats for this one. I had to cover the wife’s ears for their final track (‘Mother F**kin Demon’). Overall, they seemed pretty well received.

We positioned ourselves on the left hand side of the stage about half way back for the main event. Suddenly the cheers went up and John and Louis were on stage. I had to pinch myself. 27 years after first hearing Underpass was this really happening? Straight into ‘Film One’. Boy, this was loud – too loud in fact. And so they went through the whole of the original Metamatic, in order. I enjoyed pretty well every moment, but think the character of some of the tracks (especially ‘Blurred Girl’ and ‘Tidal Wave’) was completely changed by the volume and excessive bass. Off they went for five minutes, returning to play 6 tracks from CD2. If I thought it was too loud before, the sound was cranked up another notch for ‘Burning Car’ and then again for ‘21st Century’. Exit stage to the right accompanied by much applause.

It all went too quickly for my liking. All in all a great night. Would love to go again if John ever returns to the Midlands. But please pick a different venue next time.

In answer to C): -

'Metamatic' was not for sale, but 'Sideways' was.

Originally posted by MikeG:

Quote:

'Metamatic' was not for sale, but 'Sideways' was.

hmm.. Can't help being 'surprised' that Metamatic is not available to buy at the gigs. It's a concern, because certainly Virgin London and HMV Southampton have copies of the 2001 issue in stock, but not the new release??

Does it matters WHICH version passing punters buy in the shops?

The music seems to be consistently too loud for the size of the venues

Knowing what Barfly venues are like, even if I could have, I might not have wanted to go and see John in one of them, sadly.

Call it bad experience or just too small, I don't think it's the right kind of place for him.

Now, Birdsong, your question - which I think is a rather good one, and might not be out of place in the best of thread:

Does it matter which version they pass in the shops?

My answer would be no! There have been so many occasions where I have seen either empty Foxx places on the shelves in Virgin or HMV or, worse still none at all.

Whether it's the 2001 or 2007 reissue that's on the shelves, the fact that it's there is important. That's my opinion anyway!!

I guess the shops are trying to sell their old stocks. To be honest if I didn't know better and brought the old version, then found out that actually there was a newer deluxe version available I might feel a bit miffed.

Peter

That's a good point Peter.

I guess it depends on your "level of fandom"... a casual electronica fan who only wants Metamatic, might not care for a whole host of bonus tracks.

Somebody after buying up John's back catalogue, might be, or maybe those who are for example, buying Metamatic on CD for the first time, having rediscovered John's music.

There isn't much that is really "deluxe" about the deluxe version... certainly not the packaging, as has already been discussed. I think all the "best" tracks were on the 2001 reissue anyway. So I suppose it really depends on if you want to hear rarities you might only play once or twice and the two 'new' tracks.

...however, it might be a different story entirely, if the 2001 edition had ONLY been the original album with no bonus tracks!!

Imagine that... I would never have heard "This City" or "Mr No" until now! Nah, that's just unthinkable!