Louisiana, Bristol - 04/04/03

Well I thought they were darn fine. Never seen em b4 and only possess a couple of singles and the last album so don't expect set list accuracies..perhaps someone else picked that up.
The Louisiana is tiny but that's ok if you're at the front and have heard the bands enjoy the claustrophobia so it suits.
1st up was USA's David Mead who with just voice and his xlnt wired acoustic impressed...melody, passion and a dry sense of humour..(the Yanks have learnt from us on piss taking)..he even apologised for the Eye-rak slaughter (Y he took the heat I don't know as our PM is just as much a warmonger/lying toad) Two highlights...a broken string requiring him to adlib as he restrung, set off with the song from where he'd bin abruptly halted. Then he ditched the amp to walk out into the growing crowd and perform Girl On A Roof in response to a request and coaxing decent backing vocals from some 50-somethings who knew all the words..unlike myself. I fell for his wit and gave him a tenner for a Not For Sale Promo of his latest CD...that'd b his beer money or for guitar strings...read his diary on his site.
So to Wigans REM (sorry but it is unavoidable) Great pitch perfick impassioned vocals, intense guitar fiddling from Ray, plenty inventive percussive power from the old fella on the drums...er...and the bass

A couple of trax from the forthcoming EP were played and fitted well into the repertoire with instantly catchy hooks, one trak from 5 years back that hadn't been performed face 2 face b4 and a fair mix from the 1st (I presume) and 2nd releases. Ended with Pushchair and no encore but could be cos of the 1100 "curfew" tho my watch said 1054 as the stage was cleared. What might not have helped the longevity was
a)the constant chatter from the bar area (why do these fukkas come to gigs when all they do is ignore the band or steal their sonic supremacy...I know it was only a fiver but too many gigs are ruined by the unavoidable hum and screech of banter...cant they shut the fuk up for just an hour? Praps they don't pay and are there cos its their mates bar or sum shit. One girl was heard telling she should b on the guest list...ITS ONLY A FIVER U MEAN COW! Cough up like a true fan!
b)Worst was some turd who kept heckling Ray for looking glum...what DO people want...Krusty the Effin Clown? And did I read the band lives in Bristol? Move back to Wigan where bands might get some better respect than these Pastie Inbred Overpaid Overcoked Ill Mannered Snobs (we've a good class mix here y'see)
Nearly avoided the obligatory Moshers till Two Rock Grans muscled up to the front and did the best Office Party Shimmying at any gig I've had the misfortune to attend. One even kissed our singer as he fled the stage...nothing like an authentic 60s groupie to make you run all the way back up North
PLEASE do a proper review for Sat's gig from someone who can do justice to what songs were sung and exactly what the function is of that little LED pickup Ray strokes the strings with etc etc
As someone who's really only got into Witness over the last week am ultra impressed with the live showing and hope that the EP gets out soon

John Smith

The gig was marred a little by the noise from the audience. I thought that they played an excellent set and the mix of old and new was good. A couple of songs were outstanding – Before The Calm and Numbers. I can confirm the presence of two ‘older’ members of the audience who found it necessary to shimmy on down to ALL of the songs regardless of tempo! Still, at least they seemed to enjoy themselves!

The band seemed to be into the gig and I felt that it was promising rather than fantastic. However, they remain the best band in the country and it is a crime that they are not HUGE!!

Here’s to the new EP being out soon…a new album and some more gigs!

GEOFF CHERRILL

Setlist:

Audition

My Time Alone

The Script

Till The Morning

More Miles Away

My Boat

So Far Gone

Dividing Line

Cause and Effect

Under A Sun

Before The Calm

Recovery

Numbers

You Are All My Own Invention

Pushchair.