GIG NUMBER FORTY-EIGHT
Who
The Super Furries had been busy on the stage front, with large horses and mountains from the Phantom Power cover making nice eye candy, plus very expensive-looking flashlights which, although not utilised often, forced you to shield your eyes! We also had a video screen featuring (amongst other things) a camera on the mixing deck. And this was how the band came on: a handwritten note was waved in front of the camera, proclaiming that "the Super Furry Animals welcome us to Manchester." Now that's high tech! A few random horse noises and Slow Life was cranked up on the empty stage, as the band walked on. And just how loud were Gruff's vocals?? It was a very strong opener as Gruff donned his Power Ranger's helmet and somehow sung the second verse through it. Then things really got going for (Drawing) Rings Around The World where the crush started and never let up, which was a top moment! Golden Retriever kept up the momentum, introduced by Gruff as about other furry animals here tonight. Now I was finally awake! The explosive opening continued with a powerful Do Or Die.
Things were then slowed down for the first quiet song segment. Gruff changed the lyrics of Hello Sunshine to inform us "we're all mingers too", Demons was played, although why everyone still liked it so much is beyond me. Then the set reached its low point with a very long Run! Christian, Run! The slow pace continued with Cityscape Skybaby but this one really worked, and was actually a highlight. "And now for something completely different" said Gruff as Northern Lites lifted up the tempo. Next up were four songs from Phantom Power. Sex, War & Robots was outstanding, as was Liberty Belle. Bleed Forever was OK and The Piccolo Snare featured extensive searchlights as the band vacated the stage for a while. Slightly disappointing so far in some parts but still way beyond what most acts could give us. Things then managed to just get better and better. Juxtapozed With U kick-started the recovery, followed by the brilliant Hermann ©'s Pauline: amazingly the first time I'd ever seen this song performed. Gruff then explained that the band were playing on Astroturf so they wouldn't fall over during the more energetic moments, such as the end of the next song. It was Receptacle For The Respectable, and it was great... with added celery!
Gruff said Receptacle was "autobiographical" and that the next tune was "written about the experience of playing that song." It was Out Of Control and it rocked! Now things got truly mental for Calimero, with a lengthy "I feel like chicken tonight" ending and a rather intense rock-out. There was only one place to go from here and that was a trim 20-minute version of The Man Don't Give A Fuck! A slow handclap went round to a loop of "all governments are liars and murderers" from Bill Hicks before the song got going. Things of course went typically mental to the chorus and I was now in quite a bit of pain from the crush. The band left the stage and an occasionally brilliant techno sequence followed. People had finally worked out that it provided a brilliant opportunity for crowdsurfing and, after behaving so nicely for so long, traffic over my head begun. The band returned in yeti outfits (complete with large novelty feet) to deliver more of The Man Don't Give A Fuck as Gruff held the keyboard over his head in triumph and had a half-hearted attempt at breaking things (not really wanting to damage his gear). And the show was over, of course the setlists went to people who weren't me as usual, and I bought myself a dodgy T-shirt.
Although The Flaming Lips unsurprisingly upstaged this show the next week, SFA showed that they remain the greatest band on Earth in just about all other respects. God! Show Me Magic, The International Language Of Screaming, Play It Cool, Mountain People, Ice Hockey Hair and Night Vision were all missed, so the thought of SFA doing a greatest hits set in future made me feel unbearably excited!!
Mark: 9.0/10
Super Furry Animals
Support
Dead Meadow
Where
Manchester Academy
When
22nd October 2003
Price
£15.00
Who with
No-one
Position
At the front, in the middle!
Comments
After the festival disaster of the summer (covered at the end of my Leeds 2002 review) and a downright lack of good acts on the touring circuit, I was somewhat out of practice. But SFA got things rolling again with a typically fine set, kicking off my winter of incredible gig action! For the first time in ages I made the effort of arriving early and securing a place at the front, cunningly towards the left so I'd be closer to Gruff. A double vodka with Red Bull was downed beforehand but seemed to have no effect on me. I saw Bunf wandering by the side of the stage as three-piece Dead Meadow opened things with absolutely nothing special. The music was bearable but the singing was really poor and the songs long for no reason at all. They did nothing to make me feel any less ill than I was feeling at the time.
Setlist
Slow Life
(Drawing) Rings Around The World
Golden Retriever
Do Or Die
Hello Sunshine
Demons
Run! Christian, Run!
Cityscape Skybaby
Northern Lites
Liberty Belle
Bleed Forever
Sex, War & Robots
The Piccolo Snare
Juxtapozed With U
Hermann ©'s Pauline
Receptacle For The Respectable
Out Of Control
Calimero
The Man Don't Give A Fuck
