The Astoria, London (22/1/99)
Watching Witness unfurl
the painful intimacy of a song as unutterably lovely as 'Hijacker', you feel the prickly guilt of the voyeur, spying on something so personal
it feels like the confidence of a close friend. But when Gerard sings,
"Don't cover up your scars", you realise how perfect their name is: they're telling us stories we couldn't
possibly hear otherwise, bearing witness. We're meant to be privy to these secrets, these moments of crisis. Far from wallowing
in breast-beating angst, they measure out their hurt in a brave, dignified, adult way. Certainly it's early days for Witness -
they're a little ragged, sure, their melodies sometimes unfocused,
but their passion and compassion shine through.
MELODY MAKER.