y
sang in such a totally audible manner. If I were them I would feel incredibly
scared and vulnerable; of being on a stage in the first place, but for singing
such devastatingly revealing things in public, like the current single "Lemming"
which tells of being pushed rather than obliviously going over the edge, and "Let
Yourself Scream" which describes a nasty breakup. 'Nuff respect, as my brother
would've put it whilst going through his wanker phase which he isn't entirely
out of. At the very end of their set Paul and Andrea both took to playing keyboards
as well as Carys and then Paul swapped again, this time for a little guitarry
thing which I don't know the name of, not being musically + gifted, which made
strange noises and then when the song hadn't even finished he threw it down on
the floor in a very pissed off manner and stomped off stage followed by Andrea
whilst Gary and Carys finished off. Had style though, even if it was a bit irate. Gorky's came on at about ten o' clock. I'd been waiting for
this moment for ages and ages. I can't remember when the last time I saw them
was, but I think it was in Gloucester sometime when I had just finished school
as I remember being pathetically chuffed that they sang "... and we aint got
school in the morning baby, yeah yeah yeah" as I didn't, but such are the vagaries
of youth. So, to say the anticipation was humongous is an under statement, I
was in major withdrawal. I was also desperate to hear "Sweet Johnny," and before
you indignantly exclaim 'but it was released on Monday, that's a full four days
previously. Call yourself a fan. Pah.' I was in Tudweiliog in my Gran's caravan
and she was of the opinion that Morfa Nefyn, the nearest large (well sort of),
town wouldn't have it for sale anywhere and as I can't drive I couldn't go and
check just inca se.
But I digress.... "Sweet Johnny." Loved it. Especially the 'I'm gonna get my
daddy's car and knock the fuckers down' bit and the way it has a major spazz
out section that anyone else, like say my friend Joel's band (who you'll hear
more of later), or Urusei would end on, was just a middle bit and they brought
it all back into a nice tune that my mother would listen to without turning
down, or off. They also played a lot of new stuff off their forthcoming album.
Yes, that's right a new album.
I can't wait. I can hardly contain my excitement. They opened with one called
"Tidal Wave" which was brilliant, and you really knew (oh alright, I'm talking
about myself) Gorky's were back when Euros started waggling his head and jumping
around in a frenzied manner. I couldn't help grinning. I can't remember the
set order or every song that they played (as yet again I failed in my pursuit
of a set list. Eight times I've seen them, or that quite possibly was the ninth,
and I've still never managed to get one home. I did once have hold of one but
some drunk, fat girl physically ripped it out of my hand and she was bigger
than me and had big friends by her, and I'm feeble, and I'm also not rude like
that. But I'm not at all bitter. Oh no.) They did however, definitely play the
following, not in this order and Beth Orton was in the audience:
Patio
song (which got all the predictable waaaays, like it's their first song, parallels
with A Design For Life are strangely springing to mind)and lots of others that I can't think of off hand, but no Miss Trudy's or Lucy's
Hampers or Ice Cream Man which I haven't heard in ages. And predictably some
twat yelled "Peanut Dispenser It's not even the best song on "Patio".
I don't know if Gorky's are plagued by this occurrence at every gig or if it
is just a West country/ London phenomenon. Which ever, I wish they would stop
it. And it's pointless yelling out titles anyway because they just play what
it says on their set lists, or at least they have at every one I've been to.
They played one new one which I didn't catch the name of that was particularly
incredible. The chorus went "you cut to my skin/ you cut to my blood".
It was amazing.
It almost made me want to cry it was so perfect. It reminded me a bit of a song
called "Too Many Colours" by Aleka's Attic (and for all you people out there
who don't share in my level of River Phoenix obsession they were his band, and
it can be heard on My Own' Private Idaho in the background of the scene where
Mike is arguing with his brother/ dad as to his true paternity.)
Gorky's are so good I want to bring my family. I have tried to convince my Gran
before seeing as they were playing near her in the Swallow Falls Hotel in Betws
Y Coed a while ago. She informed me of this fact, saying "Oh, I noticed the
other day that your friends are playing down the road from here soon." It took
me a while to work out who she meant.
My friends.
I wish.
They
are just so nice though. They let Melys use their drum kit and Euros dedicated
the last song to them and thanked them for being such a good support band. Bless.
That's almost as sweet as the woman in John Lewis who put a note in the packaging
of a skirt my mum ordered saying "I hope you have a nice 25th wedding anniversary."
Euros has previously shown his gentility (didn't do the Wife Of Bath for nothing
at 'A'- Level) on a number of occasions, like when he gave me and my friends
boiled lollies after a gig in Leicester; admittedly he was ver ver drunk, but
that's beside the point. He wasn't when I saw them at the Fleece and Firkin
in Bristol a couple of Halloween's ago where he swept his hand around behind
him when I went backstage (to get their autographs, and yes I know I'm a sad
groupie) and said 'help yourself' to a table full of cans of lager and fruit
so I had an apple and very nice it was too. I could now slip into recounting
you pathetic stories of the occasions where I have spoken to them, and I probably
will later on sometime, but I will make a last ditch attempt at keeping this
more Dingwalls review orientated.
So, they got to their last song, and the reason for the note tapped by Euros'
set list was still not clear. It said something along the lines of "I can't
be with her I need to be with her" although it was obviously something infinitely
more poetic than that. They played the song for Melys and walked off stage and
everyone clapped loads including the highly irritating girl who had been gyrating
with my back drunkenly all evening and waving her arm about in front of my face
in a I Am Too Pissed To See That I Am Making You Want To Punch Me type manner,
and everyone shouted encore encore encore and after a bit Gorky's came back
on like the true troopers that they are and played two more songs as already
specified above and then left the stage and Mr. Sound Man waved his torch and
the lights and the rubbish music came back on and the reason for the note was
still a mystery. All that was left was to push our way outside into the cold
where we were given a free copy of that week's Melody Maker and me and Rich
discovered the Manics are back touring again in September and all was right
with the world.
...and here are some exclusive photos of the band. I apologise for my extremely
poor photographic skills