Grump mode: On
It's a shame this gig ended badly in various ways... Part of me wonders if too much is often being made of these London gigs; ie trying to fit too many acts on to the bill etc, when all everyone really wants is to see John Foxx play live.
Grump mode: Off
I think you raise a couple of good points there , Alex.
As one of the people who had to leave early, I was quite narked by the late start to the show. But these technical issues do happen and sometimes that's just the way it is.
XOYO was especially difficult because of the location and the curfew which presented any soundchecking before 6pm.
I'm not sure that X and O even had a chance to unpack anything...??
The potential for delay wasn't built into the time table
Second it was mid-week, and that's very difficult for a lot of people with jobs, lives etc.... :-(
There didn't really seem much "point" in The Neat being on the second bill (good, tight and prompt though they were)because it inevitably lead to potential for delay. There was only one support at all the other shows I believe - perhaps the Artrocker 'sponsorship' had something to do with that...?
However, I'm in the camp that very much does NOT go to these gigs
just to see John Foxx and I chose this gig over Tuesday specifically to see Xeno and Oaklander.
I take support acts very seriously (discovered some great bands that way - eg Rubicks) and actually their performance more than made up for having to leave the venue early.
I do think there is scope for perhaps more 'regional' shows because John does always tend to play in the same cities and they can be difficult to get to if you are not local.
But that said, I expect gigs need to be booked well in advance and I'm not sure how easy that is with the schedule of things.
And John has said countless times that he hates touring, so we can't complain that he's prepared to go on the road at all!
Ironic though that he recently admitted that "he has to go in for repairs" after a tour...Of course he didn't mean that literally, but it was a shame the tour ended prematurely because, if nothing else, Holmfirth was a chance to see John away froma big city and many people expecting to go to that would not have seen him before.