Norwich 1st Feb 2022

JJ Burnel, ...., Baz Warne, Jim Macaulay.

Moderator: StanInBlack

Post Reply
User avatar
parasiteinblack
ManinBlack
ManinBlack
Posts: 3538
Joined: 26 Nov 2003, 11:57
Location: Norwich
Contact:

Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by parasiteinblack »

Just got in, review imminent...

Short version: interesting set, mixed bag of performances, some poignant moments, worth going to see JJ.

Long version:
This is my first Stranglers gig in 3 years and 16th overall, it actually doesn't feel all that long ago I was in Cambridge watching the band playing Ice Queen et al but it turns out this is my longest gap between Stranglers gigs since I first saw them in 2002. As the gig starts I feel a bit sad at how different this all is to that glorious Summer's day in 2002 with no Paul, no Jet and obviously no Dave.
Toiler starts the gig, one of my favourites, but I am definitely struck by the thought that this is all very odd and not the band I remember, with JJ standing to one side in the dark. The keyboards are too quiet and Toby is bouncing around in shades. To be honest it's a poor first impression.
Something Better Change is next, another favourite, but JJ seems like he can't be arsed. Oh no, is this going to be a "going through the motions" gig?
Finally the band wakes up with a pretty cracking version of Sometimes, much more like it and I can finally hear Toby leading on the keys and doing a great job.
Water sounded good, and also it felt like the actual current Stranglers at last seeing as I was watching 75% of the lineup from the latest album performing its opening track. We are rolling along nicely now.
Skin Deep was a nice surprise, this version was the best I'd heard in ages and Baz did a great job on the vocals. It was almost like he was channelling Paul/Hugh as he seemed to lose his accent completely for this song.
This Song went down well, Nice N Sleazy was fine and then we're into the slower ones...
Don't Bring Harry was another nice surprise and worked really well, a definite highlight and Toby has nailed it. Strange Little Girl was fantastic and I really loved the effects Baz used on the solo. Always the Sun is always fun, Peaches and Golden Brown I've probably seen enough of now to be honest...
Last Men In the Moon is a highlight of the new album but this live version felt a bit weird to be honest as it seems to be mostly pre-recorded. My favourite bit about it was the shining of the light at the front on to the disco ball above the LCR floor so it made a crescent shape. Inspired.
Curfew was another definite highlight of the set, it sounded really powerful with Jim and JJ really going for it, although JJ did nearly derail the whole song at one point stumbling over the second verse.
Relentless has become a bit boring to me now if I'm honest. I also noticed that the keyboards are really quiet again during the arpeggios. Are they maybe pre-recorded? Or just Toby struggles with them? I noticed it on Toiler and SBC as well.
Talking of pre-recorded: White Stallion is brilliant fun as long as you switch off your "live music" brain and just enjoy the spectacle. Went down well with the crowd.
The main set rounds off with a sloppy Baroque Bordello, Walk On By, Straighten Out, Nuclear Device, Duchess and Hanging Around.
I was sceptical of the acoustic encore but credit where it's due, it was actually quite moving, particularly And if You Should See Dave... they nearly got me blubbing. Some of the ladies behind me knew all the words to The Lines so someone likes it...
We round off with Go Buddy Go and No More Heroes and everyone has a jolly nice time.
So yeah, in summary, there are definitely parts where I totally understand why the band doesn't feel very much like the Stranglers any more and there should definitely be more 80s/90s/00s material in the set, but it was an enjoyable set with some lesser-heard tracks and was nice to hear 6 tracks from their latest top ten album. I really missed Dave though and it's quite hard for me to get over seeing someone else there bopping along instead. Nothing against Toby, seems like a great guy and he did a great job tonight but he's not the guy I've been listening to for the past 35 years, you know? Just made me think a lot anyway. Every band member played at least one bum note/mistimed something this evening, I don't normally notice that.
If you get the chance, go and see the band, it's good fun.
Last edited by parasiteinblack on 02 Feb 2022, 00:02, edited 3 times in total.
"I woke up on a good day, and the world was wonderful"
User avatar
theraven1979
Maninwhite
Maninwhite
Posts: 36161
Joined: 22 Dec 2001, 11:41
Location: Saltaire
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by theraven1979 »

Blimey that's an early finish

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

"I bathed in sun and walked in rain
It taught me how to laugh again"
User avatar
parasiteinblack
ManinBlack
ManinBlack
Posts: 3538
Joined: 26 Nov 2003, 11:57
Location: Norwich
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by parasiteinblack »

theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:36 Blimey that's an early finish

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Yes there was a curfew.
And they played Curfew.
"I woke up on a good day, and the world was wonderful"
User avatar
theraven1979
Maninwhite
Maninwhite
Posts: 36161
Joined: 22 Dec 2001, 11:41
Location: Saltaire
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by theraven1979 »

parasiteinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:36 Blimey that's an early finish

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Yes there was a curfew.
And they played Curfew.
Any early Doors?

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk


"I bathed in sun and walked in rain
It taught me how to laugh again"
User avatar
parasiteinblack
ManinBlack
ManinBlack
Posts: 3538
Joined: 26 Nov 2003, 11:57
Location: Norwich
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by parasiteinblack »

theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:58
parasiteinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:36 Blimey that's an early finish

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Yes there was a curfew.
And they played Curfew.
Any early Doors?

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
no, just Walk On By :lol:
"I woke up on a good day, and the world was wonderful"
User avatar
theraven1979
Maninwhite
Maninwhite
Posts: 36161
Joined: 22 Dec 2001, 11:41
Location: Saltaire
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by theraven1979 »

parasiteinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:58
parasiteinblack wrote: Yes there was a curfew.
And they played Curfew.
Any early Doors?

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
no, just Walk On By Image
Nice review. I decided not to go for similar reasons to your sentiments. Got me money back on me tickets. I reckon i'd have enjoyed it tbh but it would've been weird.

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

"I bathed in sun and walked in rain
It taught me how to laugh again"
User avatar
parasiteinblack
ManinBlack
ManinBlack
Posts: 3538
Joined: 26 Nov 2003, 11:57
Location: Norwich
Contact:

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by parasiteinblack »

theraven1979 wrote: 02 Feb 2022, 00:03
parasiteinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:58 Any early Doors?

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
no, just Walk On By Image
Nice review. I decided not to go for similar reasons to your sentiments. Got me money back on me tickets. I reckon i'd have enjoyed it tbh but it would've been weird.

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Yes, I can understand that, it all felt very different to before.
"I woke up on a good day, and the world was wonderful"
glasgeo
VERSATRAN SERIES F
Posts: 211
Joined: 27 Mar 2004, 00:14

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by glasgeo »

Nice review! Would have liked to have heard Skin Deep at Glasgow on Saturday but you can't have it all!

Thought Toby did very well on the keys but as you say with only JJ left I didn't feel emotional at any point just enjoyed it for what it was.

For me the end of tour should mean an end to using The Stranglers name. Accept though that people will feel otherwise.
Greatkudu
Man Of The Earth
Man Of The Earth
Posts: 6499
Joined: 12 May 2010, 09:58

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by Greatkudu »

glasgeo wrote: 02 Feb 2022, 09:22 Nice review! Would have liked to have heard Skin Deep at Glasgow on Saturday but you can't have it all!

Thought Toby did very well on the keys but as you say with only JJ left I didn't feel emotional at any point just enjoyed it for what it was.

For me the end of tour should mean an end to using The Stranglers name. Accept though that people will feel otherwise.
Well they won't charge name, what's the point? Just from a promotional aspect it would be a disaster, its still the Stranglers but with obviously different people from the original lineup. Lt Kudu, and as I've said so many fucking times and I'm boring myself, people have choice to go to see them or not, it's a free country? Sort of but that's another debate, free compared to Russia and China. Lt Kudu in pain with a sliced thumb. :smt013
Palais81
VERSATRAN SERIES F
Posts: 239
Joined: 13 Jun 2020, 09:08

Re: Norwich 1st Feb 2022

Post by Palais81 »

parasiteinblack wrote: 01 Feb 2022, 23:27 Just got in, review imminent...

Short version: interesting set, mixed bag of performances, some poignant moments, worth going to see JJ.

Long version:
This is my first Stranglers gig in 3 years and 16th overall, it actually doesn't feel all that long ago I was in Cambridge watching the band playing Ice Queen et al but it turns out this is my longest gap between Stranglers gigs since I first saw them in 2002. As the gig starts I feel a bit sad at how different this all is to that glorious Summer's day in 2002 with no Paul, no Jet and obviously no Dave.
Toiler starts the gig, one of my favourites, but I am definitely struck by the thought that this is all very odd and not the band I remember, with JJ standing to one side in the dark. The keyboards are too quiet and Toby is bouncing around in shades. To be honest it's a poor first impression.
Something Better Change is next, another favourite, but JJ seems like he can't be arsed. Oh no, is this going to be a "going through the motions" gig?
Finally the band wakes up with a pretty cracking version of Sometimes, much more like it and I can finally hear Toby leading on the keys and doing a great job.
Water sounded good, and also it felt like the actual current Stranglers at last seeing as I was watching 75% of the lineup from the latest album performing its opening track. We are rolling along nicely now.
Skin Deep was a nice surprise, this version was the best I'd heard in ages and Baz did a great job on the vocals. It was almost like he was channelling Paul/Hugh as he seemed to lose his accent completely for this song.
This Song went down well, Nice N Sleazy was fine and then we're into the slower ones...
Don't Bring Harry was another nice surprise and worked really well, a definite highlight and Toby has nailed it. Strange Little Girl was fantastic and I really loved the effects Baz used on the solo. Always the Sun is always fun, Peaches and Golden Brown I've probably seen enough of now to be honest...
Last Men In the Moon is a highlight of the new album but this live version felt a bit weird to be honest as it seems to be mostly pre-recorded. My favourite bit about it was the shining of the light at the front on to the disco ball above the LCR floor so it made a crescent shape. Inspired.
Curfew was another definite highlight of the set, it sounded really powerful with Jim and JJ really going for it, although JJ did nearly derail the whole song at one point stumbling over the second verse.
Relentless has become a bit boring to me now if I'm honest. I also noticed that the keyboards are really quiet again during the arpeggios. Are they maybe pre-recorded? Or just Toby struggles with them? I noticed it on Toiler and SBC as well.
Talking of pre-recorded: White Stallion is brilliant fun as long as you switch off your "live music" brain and just enjoy the spectacle. Went down well with the crowd.
The main set rounds off with a sloppy Baroque Bordello, Walk On By, Straighten Out, Nuclear Device, Duchess and Hanging Around.
I was sceptical of the acoustic encore but credit where it's due, it was actually quite moving, particularly And if You Should See Dave... they nearly got me blubbing. Some of the ladies behind me knew all the words to The Lines so someone likes it...
We round off with Go Buddy Go and No More Heroes and everyone has a jolly nice time.
So yeah, in summary, there are definitely parts where I totally understand why the band doesn't feel very much like the Stranglers any more and there should definitely be more 80s/90s/00s material in the set, but it was an enjoyable set with some lesser-heard tracks and was nice to hear 6 tracks from their latest top ten album. I really missed Dave though and it's quite hard for me to get over seeing someone else there bopping along instead. Nothing against Toby, seems like a great guy and he did a great job tonight but he's not the guy I've been listening to for the past 35 years, you know? Just made me think a lot anyway. Every band member played at least one bum note/mistimed something this evening, I don't normally notice that.
If you get the chance, go and see the band, it's good fun.
Thanks for the review. I went to Stoke the night before where the acoustics were really good in the venue. It's verhy important getting the balance between the volumes of the instruments. I note that the keyboards were too low in the mix at Norwich. However at Stoke they were nice and clear for once. I say for once because these days I usually see the band in Manchester where the atmosphere is great but the sound mix is so-so. In Stoke I really appreciated listening to the instruments clearly and can vouch that the band on that night were at the top of their game. Bordello and especially the instrumental break in Nuclear Device were particularly brilliant. In Stoke they also started with Toiler and without gigs the band have to loosen up for a song or 2. Oddly, Sometimes and This Song did not really hit the heights but this time it was because Toby was slightly too loud. The other thing I would mention is that since I lost hearing in one ear, I wear earplugs at gigs but very lightly - I would recommend them. Thankfully at least gigs are quieter these days. Last time at the Victoria Hall in Stoke I saw the Manics in the early 90s (when they had fire in their bellies) and they were viciously loud and difficult to decipher the various instruments. Thankfully the MIB were not like that!
Post Reply