Peter Hammill
Stuart Gordon
Tokyo November 5 2004





Siren Song (Piano)
Just Good Friends
Tenderness
Gone Ahead
The Unconscious Life

The Comet, The Course, The Tail (Guitar)
If I Could

Time Heals (Piano)

Sign (Guitar)
Been Alone So Long
Here Come The Talkies (Piano)
A Way Out
Still Life
Modern (Guitar)

Review from Sean (Couch Noise):

Well apologies to all, I didn`t make the chat, if there was one. I had met up with 4 Australian fans (great bunch of guys), along with Charles and we had a bit of a Commonwealth at a Canadian bar after the gig.

Yes the gig, well there was one. After yesterdays news, you tend to not take anything for granted. I was personally expecting a subdued performance due to fatigue but we were in for a very energetic and exhilarating concert with just the right amount of unpredictability. As he appeared onstage, there was an added cheer for his birthday, but he quickly got down to business. He started with:

Siren Song
Just Good Friends

A great opener, kept it fresh as ever. He decided tonight to make an effort and announce the song titles.. breaking with tradition. Afterwards he took out his crib notes, and mentioned now he`s in for a hairy time with these next few.

Tenderness
Gone Ahead
The Unconscious Life

During Tenderness, he basically read from his notes.. `unrehearsed` I suppose. Gone Ahead, was very good and stronger than at the QEH, as were almost all the songs repeated here in Japan. Obviously Stuart adds to the performance with this full sound and smoothing out Hammill`s ragged edge. The Unconscious Life was great, being one of my numerous favourites.. it was a pleasure. He was also less reliant on the notes for that one. Off to the guitar.

The Comet, The Course, The Tail
If I Could
Sitting, he said something about the hard part being over and now for the easy part of the set.. right! I`m under the impression Stuart had some new added effect in his electronic box of wizardry. During the Comet, he pluck along to Peter`s guitar, pum pum pum- pum... with a great echo/reverb, it really shone new light on an old song. Peter stretched himself less for the ending of the Comet, but still great. He started with what seemed like Once You Called Me and quickly stopped to confer with Stuart...`if we`re going to play the other one, we can`t play this one.` So he went into If I Could, and got punished for it. His A string broke. He sent off Stuart to do the dirty work and also to bring back some water... Stuart the waterboy! So Peter got up and went to the piano.

Time Heals

I was pleased. He started magnificently, but along the way had trouble with the lines, but I doubt many noticed. The further he got into the song the more erratic his playing, but managed to get through it. After he mentioned that for the longest time, that song was on his setlist with the words string break beside it. Stuart returned with guitar and water in hand. Strapping on the guitar, Peter told us he`d give Stuart some room.

Sign
Been Alone So Long

Yes again with Stuart`s playing... he wad a great milky wah-wah sound to Sign and really carried the song, just great. Been Alone So Long was more difficult. It seemed to me Peter had trouble remembering some of the chord changes, and looked to be searching, so he faded a bit and Stuart stepped in. `Been alone so long I`ve forgotten...` I was half expecting `how to play` but it didn`t happen. Back to the piano and his notes.

Here Come The Talkies
A Way Out
Still Life

Great to hear something from What, now? Not very much rehearsed but still very good. A Way Out, brave to play that on his birthday, if it`s really about what we think it is about. And he said for this last one, if he screws this one up.... indicating he should know this one by now, Still Life. The japanese politely clapped in unison for the encore... when Peter emerged everyone sang Happy Birthday and was greeted with flowers and a few gifts from fans. He looked genuinely pleased and sat down by the guitar.

Modern

As I saw him unplug his line from the tuner to a footpedal, I knew he`d be playing Modern. He requested more guitar, more guitar, more guitar before starting.Enjoyable version, and all out for the end. You could tell by the intensity of `under waterrrrrrrrr` that was the last one of the night.

Before the concert, during and after I noticed about 4-5 different cameras all around the stage... DVD I thought but quickly canned the idea because I`ve heard so many stories about shows being filmed to only later disappear into Peter`s collection. However fans who didn`t make it tonight, might be able to see the concert as a webcast through the Reel & True website at a later date. Loitering in the hall afterwards off and Peter did emerge to say hi. He was in great spirits.

2 2 GO!

S.