REVIEWS

GREYHORSE,KINGSTON,SURREY 28/05/2001

MIRMIS - GREY HORSE Monday 28th  May 2001

SETLIST :  Catch That Running Train, Fatboy Sin, Smokescreen, Do You Remember When?, Sacred Face, Alice & The Looking Glass, Don't Hold Your Breath

Set length : 25 Minutes

Last time MIRMIS were in the public eye, it was a rather disappointing affair back in November at the Peel in Kingston. On stage were a band that were breaking apart. The previous July they were untouchable but then they were poor and too loose for a quality outfit. The band went into hiding. No news was heard, until suddenly it was announced that they had split with original vocalist Dave Langhorn, and a new vocalist, Paul Clowes, was going to be unveiled on 20th June at the Peel. All well and good, but then MIRMIS get lined up to play at the 4 day ROCKFEST at the grey horse, getting an afternoon slot on the last day. True to their word, Paul's debut was going to be on the same day, but they went out as a three piece. so at 5.30 with virtually no soundcheck, MIRMIS take to the stage after a seven month lay off, but the rest did them good. Now on stage were a confident, hard edged, melodic rock band ready to take on the world, and they have never sounded better. Opening the set was the old favourites of Train, Sin & Smokescreen, with Maz handling all the vocal duties, ably assisted by Andy. Crisp, clear and hard, these songs have had a couple of very subtle changes, which highlighted how limited Dave's vocal ability was. Two new songs written in the hiatus were premiered here, Do You Remember when, sort of REM-esque, and Sacred Face with it punctuated feel in the verse, and they closed with two fast numbers, Alice & Breath, both more powerful than ever. Such a good impression was made that the festival organizers asked MIRMIS back to do a full hour evening set as support for the main band, The wydes.
If you saw MIRMIS at all in 2000, forget it. The new 2001 model rocks bigtime.

MIRMIS - GREY HORSE PART II! Monday 28th May 2001
Setlist : Catch That Running Train, Fatboy Sin, Just For You, Do You Remember When?, Borderline, Where I Wanna Be, Ride The Wave (inc Tales of The Unexpected), Sacred Face, Smoke Screen, Alice & The Looking Glass, Don't Hold Your Breath
Set Length : 55 minutes
The second set of the day by MIRMIS, when asked to fill a slot at very short notice. OK how could you do if you had 2 hours notice of a gig, with songs that you haven't rehearsed in ages? MIRMIS's answer was BLOODY GOOD. At the end of their afternoon set, MIRMIS told fans that they would be around later in the day, and they didn't disappoint. They took the stage at 8pm, to a hardcore of fans, but to a lot of new audience, and showed how professional they have become. The set was based on the afternoon set, but fleshed out with many favourites from the MIRMIS back catalogue, including a re-write of the first song they ever performed, now called Just For you, the return of Borderline, featuring Andy on lead vocals, the first song written by Lloyd, Where I wanna Be and an extended Ride the Wave, which went into the final three minutes of Tales of the unexpected. If anything the evening set was much more intense and tighter than the afternoon set, virtually securing them a residency at the Grey Horse and putting the other bands to shame that day. Many of the bands that day publicly saluted MIRMIS for their tunes and professionalism and were amazed at how a three piece band got such a tight and powerful sound. And they were not even firing on all cylinders! I don't think anyone who was there were expecting what they saw, and I know they can't wait for the 20th June, when MIRMIS once again will be firing on all cylinders