last night i saw the fall for the first time. Pretty amazing really since our paths have criss-crossed many times over the years. I first became aware of The Fall as more than a name when they released Victoria (me being a massive kinks fan at the time). I first started to like The Fall when I heard Victoria played at the Hacienda. The Hacienda was this sort of warehouse in Manchester where we went to listen to indie music. Even though it was fairly new, it was pretty grotty, with its sticky plastic floor, like some serial killer's hideout in Dexter or something.
The show I saw last night was at Rock City in Nottingham, a fantastic venue and a sizeable crowd cheered Mark E Smith's every move.
I knew what to expect and Mr Smith did not disappoint. I was surprised, however, at how there is something ever so slightly pantomime about The Fall, even if a fight had broken out between him and the rest of the band, I think it would have felt like part of the show. He's been doing this so long that he knows the moves by heart and even the iconoclast in him knows which side his bread is buttered, he did his messing about with bands kit thing, without really changing their stride and kept the audience waiting a good 10 minutes before deciding not to do the third encore.Seasoned Fall watchers were delighted at a little smile he produced (rare apparently). Taking off his jacket and getting down to business, like some other people in the news this week demonstrating that he's a well respected man about town, doing the best things most conservatively.
Glad The Fall were good. Drew at Across The Kitchen table had a bad experience watching them recently which he wrote about very well at his blog a while back.
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