The Fall – The Robin 2, Wolverhampton 05/03/07 – Gig Review by Phil Richards

Why change a winning formula?

I went to see the Fall this week at the Robin 2 in Bilston, Wolverhampton. Supported by a band I hadn’t come across before – Now Assassin – I was hopeful of a brilliant night.

Now Assassin:

A cool indie rock outfit, Now Assassin consisted of four musicians and one dude standing in the middle of the stage bobbing his head and trying to look cool. I don’t know why but that fella in the middle just made the gig. From his first appearance of shouting at the audience through a megaphone, to him raising alternative pingpong bats with A) and B) written on them he really caught the imagination of the crowd. The music was awesome, and although playing to a fairly elderly audience, got many of them tapping toes and bouncing heads. If you get the chance a definite recommendation.

The Fall:

Like the band themselves, the fans of the Fall are starting to get on in years a bit, so I wasn’t expecting a surging, moshing crowd when the band started. How wrong could I be? To inspire this kind of reaction is a true indication of the power of this bands music and influence. Though they have never made “The Big Time” these guys have been around for ages, and inspired devotion from their fans because of such great songs as we heard that night. Admittedly towards the end of the evening the songs became a little sameish, but I ask, why change a winning formula?

One note of humour in the gig; it was Mark E Smith (lead singer of the Fall)’s birthday. 50 on Monday. And by the time he got on stage he was already blotto. There were three mikes on the stage and he could never make up his mind which one he was singing into.

: 07 Mar 2007 13:50 |  Comments (1) |  Report a problem