14/10/2003 @ the Metro
Lamb
Darkness
Little Things
Gold
Stronger
Clouds Clear
Heaven
Wonder
Sun
Sugar
5
Gabriel
Fly
One
*first encore*
Please
Gorecki
*second encore*
Bonfire
B-line lounge mix
official set list someone managed to steal from the stage. looks like we didn't cheer loud enough to get the full second encore and missed out on "bonfire". damn it!
I've been to a few gigs now and then. That was one of the best I�ve ever been to.
Despite the fact that my sister has some pretty funky tastes in music, this is actually the first time we went to a gig together. Both of us long time Lamb fans, we were just buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
We had sort of gone to some Big Day Outs together, but that�s a whole other weird and confusing story.
We got there a bit late, cos it�s a school night and I got home late. We were worried that we were missing a dj set from Andy, but it turns out it was just some other no name loser nobody opening up for their set.
My poor sister is so short we had a hard time trying to fine a spot where she can see the stage unobstructed. We ended up sort of in the middle of the packed floor.
The set started with the lights turned off and new instrumental lamb playing in the background. Tinkling piano and heavy bass lines. Then Andy and Louise sneaks up on stage. Andy behind the banks of technology, Louise sitting up front in the dark behind a microphone. And then the sound system carks it and they fall into silence and Andy is force to admit, �I think we�ve blown our cool.�
For the rest of the night, the show will be troubled several more times by technical mishaps, lending the show a very loose and haphazard feel. But of course I love these kids. They could perform through a 5 Watt computer desktop speaker and I�d still say �they performed an intriguing and challenging set that really redefined what one can expect from a concert. Life changing experience.�
So let�s look at things from a more cynical perspective. My sister loved it. And when she sees crap, she�d call it crap. She ranked it as one of the best show she�s seen, and she has seen a few back in her day.
After the ebbing and erring of the first song, a new tune similar to �what sound�, the rest of the band came on stage. One guy on the acoustic and electric guitars, one on electric bass and double bass, and one on drum kit. So same line up as Enmore gig last year. Andy on technologies, mini keyboard and drum, Louise on mic and twice in the set, she had a go at the drums too!
We were treated to a preview of their next album, with at least six new songs played out that night. The new lamb flavours sounds closest to their last album, and their set list for the night focused mainly on their more recent work, only playing �gold� and �gorecki� off their debut album of 1995.
Lamb live is better than your average electronic band live because they are willing to mess things around. This time �round we didn�t get too many instrumental jams, but new tune �sun� had the crowd stomping like a (more recent) Chemical Brothers tune, during one song (probably �sugar 5�) they went berserk with Andy, Louise and nameless professional drummer guy all going at three set of drums, presenting some unexpected tribal madness.
But the track that brought me to musical orgasm (hehehe) would have to be the stepper, �fly�. They�ve totally twisted up the intro and it has become some fucking wicked drum�n bass/electroclash/future-acid mesh up business. Something I�d expect out of Squarepusher instead of these Manchester trip-hoppers. Something to shake your booty and blow your mind. Sadly the insane throbbing, all conquering bass line subsides by the first chorus and then switches back to the live drum led jump up d�n b track that was the live �fly� from years before. Still has the room jumping for the roof. �one� was up there with the best out of Portishead.
Then we got the double encore with a new acoustic tune, a more energetic and up beat �gorecki� and the ever so sexy, foxy and steamy yet somehow still funny and silly, �sleazy and messy� version of "b-line/b-lounge", with Louise as the smouldering seductress, Andy and Jon the bass player doing everything in their power to foil her and make her laugh.
Definately a contender for my favourite show ever
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