Fangbase - Reviews

Junction, Cambridge

Sunday 24th November 2002

Despite its grim surroundings (in the middle of a car park set in a deserted industrial estate), the Junction proved to be a perfectly acceptable venue - good size with a decent sound system. It didn't half sound loud - mind you I suppose it would standing about three feet from the speakers. Good size crowd too - the ones down the front pogoing their hearts out.

Once again our heroes turned in yet another excellent performance - they're playing together tighter and tighter. In the case of Neat, Neat, Neat they're playing faster as well. They look like they enjoy themselves too - a real rapport that very few bands have.

I've done the usual trick and forgotten the exact running order, but things definitely started with Street of Dreams. It's probably easier if I list the old faves that weren't there - Wait For The Blackout, Love Song and New Rose (mind you, Pinch confused me here by thumping out the New Rose intro at the start of Would You Be So Hot?, which this time was one of the encores rather than part of the main set). I thought I could see Blackout on the set list, but maybe the old mince pies deceived me. Included instead were an outstanding I Fall, plus Nasty and Thrill Kill.

Highlights:

*Captain's rather fetching ensemble of red beret, kilt and "Don't Bomb Iraq" T shirt;
*Pinch's story about the girl with the Cambridge United tattoo combined with his mild taunting of the crowd because he's from Peterborough;
*Patricia's brilliantly accurate kick at a thrown (plastic) glass - straight back in a perfect arc to the guy who threw it!;
*Dave's walk along the gap between the stage and the barrier during Smash It Up, clutching his rather nifty Fifties style mic;
*Did you know one of the "might be" titles for Grave Disorder was New Roses (Neurosis, geddit?) or should that be the other way round? Anyway, I thought it was quite clever;
*Monty's note perfect keyboard solo during I Just Can't Be Happy Today, despite dire threats of revenge from Captain if he got it wrong and Dave peering over his shoulder as he played.
*Captain's frenzied solo before Smash It Up, complete with behind the head playing

Froggy

Another...

What a fantastic night. Cambridge is such a beautiful city, really misty and spooky in the dusk, it made the University look like Transylvania!

The venue was good for the band, and it seemed pretty packed to me. I'm not sure if anyone else had problems finding which door to go out of after using the ladies, I got stuck in a circle of doors for ten minutes!

The band were excellent. They didnt look tired at all. Pat wore a red and black corset, with Black skirt and Madonna style horns! Captain's clothes have already been mentioned, Monty wore purple leggings and multi coloured top. DV had on an immaculately cut black suit with purple shirt and white cravat, he looked sensational to be perfectly honest!

Support band were very good too. Made the singer choke on his beer when I said they were, he laughed and said, "You're the first person who's said that so far!" Damned fans eh?!!

Great to meet :- Tef, Pip, Jenital Wart, Scary Freak, Woody, Wayne and Fatty Ramone. Sorry I had little chance to speak to some, but we were hogging a spot at the front!!

Tef, Pip and I had a challenge to read the set list as it was just out of our reach, but managed to pick most of the songs perfectly. Street of Dreams was first and great, Under the Floor Again was brilliant, as were the GD songs they played. Song.com was really lively, the crowd behind me were going ape shit which must mean that a lot of people there have bought the GD album. Nasty was one of my favourites, as had only seen the episode of the Damned on the Young Ones a few days before the gig.

Moment of the night for me was grabbing DV as he let me screech 'Smash it up' into his mike, (sorry GDB!) It was great!!

Had a brilliant time,

Alicia xx

Thanks to Alicia for all photos on this page!