GIG NUMBER THIRTY
Who
But it was SFA I wanted to see and they quickly came onstage after this to [A] Touch Sensitive, leading into a great opening rock out. The video screen was pretty, as was the lighting, but it just didn't seem to quite work. Maybe it was because the band looked quite bored, which was a problem affecting the whole show. With such technical wizardry and new-found professionalism, you can't blame them for having to concentrate really hard, but I just wish they'd drop the video screen, pick up the randomness and go for it, perhaps utilising a blinding light show as at their best previous gigs, so if they're not in the mood for jumping around a bit and visibly having fun we can't see them anyway! Ice Hockey Hair and Sidewalk Serfer Girl followed, but were completely ruined as the Birmingham crowd stood completely still. I thought The Supernaturals may have been a one-off, but this seemed like real evidence that these people quite simply don't know how to let go and enjoy themselves! However, the non-Brummies had clearly had enough, and I helped instigate the moshpit from the front during (Drawing) Rings Around The World: at last some people woke up and started to have some fun! More great tunes followed, most notably Receptacle For The Respectable, which featured a John Lennon mask and celery.
This was pretty much the only surprise of the night, which is disappointing from the most innovative band in Britain. No Sympathy was next and was decidedly moody, although when delivered as an acoustic break with some techno tacked on the end it was just confusing. The Super Furries are usually confusing, but this wasn't in a good way: it was just weird! I couldn't resist a sigh as Demons started up, signalling an unbroken run of quiet tunes. Along with Presidential Suite and Run! Christian, Run!, this really was too much. After a solid first third let down by the crowd, six slow numbers was not where I wanted the show to go at all. Gruff and Bunf swapped places for some reason during Fire In My Heart, but the show finally started to hit the heights with Juxtapozed With U and Northern Lites. Next up was a particularly fast segment: Do Or Die, Calimero and God! Show Me Magic back-to-back. It was very exciting, although with a great crowd moshing furiously it would have been incredible.
We then got the brilliant Night Vision with Cian on guitar and Gruff beating the shit out of Cian's keyboards to move things up several notches before The Man Don't Give A Fuck, which featured a great video backdrop but was too short. Once again, Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Neifion was slipped between TMDGAF and Best Mindfuck Yet, which simply doesn't work (apart from Gruff's amazing swirly thing!). However, the Arnie finale made much more sense, now having the added bonus that I knew it. I pray that it will be put on record one day. Nevertheless, exciting techno is no match for the panda rave, which is STILL sorely missed! So in summary SFA were quite good but definitely not as exciting as they used to be: The International Language Of Screaming should never ever had been dropped from the set, and I hate it that it's only ever reinstated whenever I'm not there, sometimes even played twice back-to-back for some crowds! But I'm sure first time viewers would be very impressed and maybe the familiarity of it all didn't help this time around for me. Apart from the length of the quiet bit this was basically a slightly improved version of their Manchester show let down by the crowd, although the quadraphonic sound was much appreciated!
Mark: 8.5/10
Super Furry Animals
Support
Killa Kela
DJ Vadim
Where
Birmingham Academy
When
30th September 2001
Price
£14.00
Who with
Nick
Position
At the front, in the middle!
Comments
Just as with the astounding Supernaturals, a Birmingham crowd once again provided a downer on a very good show, although to be honest this was probably the least special SFA gig I'd been to so far anyway. Having foolishly obtained the likely setlist online the previous night, the element of surprise was virtually nil and, for a band famous for their randomness, this can only be a disappointment. As usual we arrived very early and got to hang around with SFA fans I'd spoken to online, which is always a nice surprise. The plan continued to work as we got to the front. With balconies all around and a low stage, first impressions were that Birmingham Academy seemed pretty nice, even though it seemed noticeably smaller than comparable venues on the touring circuit. DJ Vadim was given credit as a support but was merely an ordinary record spinner placed in full view of the crowd. He did nothing of note, except looking like he was enjoying himself very slightly, and putting on [A] Touch Sensitive. Killa Kela then provided a hugely entertaining set, using just his own mouth and a mic to create numerous sound effects: it was an amazing novelty and he wisely left before the joke wore off, making him pretty much the best SFA support yet! Technically amazing, but definitely more of a showman and crowd-pleaser than a person you'd want to listen to for hours on end.
Setlist
[A] Touch Sensitive
Ice Hockey Hair
Sidewalk Serfer Girl
(Drawing) Rings Around The World
Play It Cool
Receptacle For The Resectable
No Sympathy
Demons
It's Not The End Of The World?
Nythod Cacwn
Presidential Suite
Run! Christian, Run!
Fire In My Heart
Northern Lites
Juxtapozed With U
Do Or Die
Calimero
God! Show Me Magic
Night Vision
The Man Don't Give A Fuck
Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Neifion
Best Mindfuck Yet
