The Fall are a misunderstood and underappreciated lot. The mythos of being John Peel's favourite band coupled with their near impenetrable back catalogue and procession of new members makes them a band easy to make cheap quips about but very hard to get into. Where do you start? For me it was getting a copy of "The Infotainment Scan" in the late 90's. I couldnt resist their versions of "Why are people grudgeful, bwoy?" and of course "Lost in Music"... both SUPERB in case youre wondering.
From there I moved onto their more acclaimed stuff eventually splashing out on the Peel Sessions boxset which has since become one of my most treasured records. Its an exhausting listen but there are laugh out loud funny bits and really tasty elements that you find yourself skipping straight to as soon as the cd starts...
Ive seen the band a few times at this stage. Mark E is so mysterious and unpredictable that each show is pretty unique and leaves you kinda wondering what happened. Of course he's unlike any performer around at the moment, black glove or no black glove. He's been on a genuine vein of form in the last half of the decade though. With beasts like "What About Us" and of course "Blindness" they lock into a relentless bass driven groove as a band with a heaviness that just clicks.
The current record is no different - of course everyone always claims that the Fall's newie is their best since X but there is a focus and depth to "Your Future Our Clutter" that puts a grin on your face and encourages repeat listens.
So this brings me to the show last week in Dublin.
One of my least favourite venues in the city hosting one of the most beligerant of bands, The Fall at Tripod. I'd filed the gig under "interesting" rather than absolutely feckin' essential as the reviews from the first shows on the tour were fairly pish.
The Fall have never played much longer than an hour on recent tours. In fact I think the show in the Village a few years back was under 50 minutes. But myself and the Mrs went down to the venue with "Bend Sinister" on the stereo and some good chat about the band and the gig. Its my fave Fall record (ROD/80s90s/WaiteSez/TooLate/Riddler - what an album!) but you can't help being hacked off that theres next to zero chance of any of these classics getting a spin. Granted we got Pharmacist from Mark E as an encore the last time I'd seen the Fall play the city. I was crossing the fingers for something interesting again.
First time I'd actually gotten tickets for the balcony in Tripod. In the past I've looked up with a certain envy to the punters upstairs (the two particularly jammed shows from Orbital last year for example) and although the venue was far from sold out there was still a pretty decent crowd. The upstairs in Tripod is decent enough. Kinda cinema style seating with a small but nice enough bar. I'd recommend it to anyone for shows that look like selling out in future.
Dunno who the first support were - decent enough final tune I though - but the visual/glitch dj that was on just before The Fall was absolute fuckin' poison. Glitchy loops of Barbra Streisand lasting ten minutes made more than a few boos audible even upstairs. He seemed to go on forever. If it was a pisstake then fair enough.
So The Fall arrived out just after 10pm (think the doors were at 7.30!) to cheers and got stuck right in with the title track from the new record. I think we got at least 3 "WE ARE... THE FALL!" efforts from Mark E. Made me chuckle. "Your Future Our Clutter" is an absolute CHOON I have to say and the volume was unbelievable... that might have been the acoustics of the low ceiling.. certainly louder than the last time I'd seen them. Couple of tracks off the new album also impressed: "Bury Parts 1 & 3", "Chino Splashback" and "Hot Cake". His missus austrian accent on "Ive Been Duped" was a larf. Wasnt the biggest fan though. I REALLY enjoyed "Wolf Kidult Man" having seen them RINSE it on the recent In The Basement tv performance. I can't remember when exactly but the mic ended up in the front row as soon as it started to form a distinctly mild-mannered mosh pit. The ickle mosh pit got a wee bit rowdier when the bass lick from "Reformation" started off - one of the most relentless abrasive grooves theyve got in their locker! Couple of older lads beside me went apeshit as this built and built. Fantastic stuff.
They left the stage for a minute or so and returned for a personal highlight "Theme from Sparta F.C." - one of my all time fave tracks from the band. My love for it stems from what I can only imagine is the best count-in in the history of rock n roll.. "Yeah... one-two-three-fuck-off!" from the Peel Session. It was deffo the highlight of the gig so far. Then Mark E teased us with about a minute and a half of "Blindness" before (I think) being told to knock it off by the house staff... it had just gone 11 and they were basically shut off. Cheers all round and people went home happy. Can't get over how good the recent stuff is... majority of the set is from the last 3/4 years. Incredible how good they are right now.
Solid gig. Will be well worth checking out at Electric Picnic in September, they were great down in Stradbally when I saw them there last time.
Y.F.O.C
Over! Over!
Cowboy George
Bury
I've Been Duped
Slippy Floor
Chino
Wolf Kidult Man
Weather Report
Hot Cake
Funnel of Love
Reformation
Encore 1:
Theme from Sparta FC
Encore 2:
Blindness (stops after about two minutes)
Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 10:16PM 