Chinese and a couple of ales aside we met up with Johnny Bardsley (and dad) just before the gig then the short walk from Jabez Cleggs to the venue. Which was most pleasant in the blazing sunshine (surely a first for Manchester!). Arriving at the venue I notice a certain John Robb stood in the reception looking like he's holding court with a few people stood around him waiting to have a chat. £7.80 lighter for 2 ales!!!
(did I say ales? I meant cans of Carlsberg) we make our way to the front where I notice a midget confidently striding to the front, is the circus in town? No it's the forum's queen Spooner, I say hello and he mumbles something about traffic, seems a tad miffed, er... Ok Beryl enjoy it! 
We're hanging around waiting for show to begin and I spy FatBusJim and co - I say hello - He looks happy as usual - good to see (I notice later on there's only me and him really bopping to the "new" lineup).At around 8.15 the "new" lineup appear Shelley immediately says something along the lines off this is the current lineup if you don't like it then fuck off. I actually quite enjoy it - There's a really good blend of "new stuff" some nice tracks lifted from TTT onwards - Great to hear "Isolation", "Crystal Night" plus some great stuff off Modern ("Choices" being a particular highlight) and Flat Pack - There's also 3 or 4 new songs "People are Strange Machines" sounding great - wow! That said most people seem very unmoved and are clearly just waiting for the the "classic" lineup to appear. Band go off stage, and it starts filling up down front, there's a real buzz (cock!
) and anticipation around the venue now.Roughly 10 mins later we're presented with Shelley, Diggle, Maher and Garvey - Blimey! Having never witnessed this lineup I'm chuffed to finally see them and I wasn't disappointed. Maher was fucking amazing - he really held it all together (and at times it needed someone to control proceedings). Garvey as well bringing a lot to the party, great bass and energy, he was really up for it and into it. And sweet lord! what a set list "Pulsebeat", "Promises", "Why Can't I Touch It", "Mad Mad Judy", "Chainstore", "Ever Fallen...", "Harmony", "Fast Cars", "Nowadays", "Orgasm Addict" - Just amazing really - Only slight downer was Diggle doing his usual pissed up guitar - "Mad Mad Judy" was ruined I don't mind the guy getting into it but you'd have thought he might have reigned it in for once giving a bit of respect for his fellow colleagues. That aside, it was fucking amazing hearing these tracks played by the original four members. Maher's drumming is a joy to watch, just effortless, inventive, solid, fantastic! An hour passes with a blink of an eye - They comeback for an encore but it all goes too quickly.
Again 5 mins later Marc Riley (who'd been introducing each set) appears for the last time to announce the "Spiral Scratch" lineup - He has bragging rights as he's seen each lineup. Devoto appears, Diggle switches to bass and Shelley is donning his 70s shades - It's all getting very surreal, which is made even more surreal by Devoto's Magazine style theatrics, and at one point Devoto singing one song, whilst the rest of the band are playing another - Maher jumps down from the drum kit and points out the faux pas - Band restart, this time playing the correct song. It's fine, good performance. Again it's all over too quick, we leave the venue happy, jump into a taxi, couple of ales for the train home. Job done, and it's a beautiful memory I'll be taking to the grave.
Jim
), but perhaps predictably the Garvey/Maher classic set was Fookin Brill and the stand out for me.
) Spooner at the end. All in all a great night out.
brilliant mate, fucking brilliant......I had vacant, gone to the wrong gig man standing next to me. He seems to be at every gig I go to these days and always positioned at the barrier front of stage.