HumbugD wrote:

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Long shot but can anyone remember who it was that Jarvis recited before Like a Friend on the Friday night? All I can remember is one of the quotes was saying that singing is one of the best ways to get your point across. 

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From setlist.fm, it was this:

https://www.theparisreview.org/fiction/3063/break-it-down-lydia-davis

PaulTMA wrote:

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I saw a guy in front of me get turned away at the door, sniffer dogs being involved. I overheard him saying he'd come all the way from Argentina. Jeez. Wonder what he had on him...

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My ticket was so wet they had trouble scanning it and were asking me to look for it on my phone, which I might have managed given 10 minutes, but then the scanner magically worked after all. Just as well I was quite early and there wasn't a massive queue behind me.

I've never been around sniffer dogs, looks like they can sniff things out from about a mile away, they don't go right up to people. The one at Brid just walked casually up the queue and looked like it was out for a nice walk along the sea front.

Fran wrote:

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PaulTMA wrote:

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I saw a guy in front of me get turned away at the door, sniffer dogs being involved. I overheard him saying he'd come all the way from Argentina. Jeez. Wonder what he had on him...

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My ticket was so wet they had trouble scanning it and were asking me to look for it on my phone, which I might have managed given 10 minutes, but then the scanner magically worked after all. Just as well I was quite early and there wasn't a massive queue behind me.

I've never been around sniffer dogs, looks like they can sniff things out from about a mile away, they don't go right up to people. The one at Brid just walked casually up the queue and looked like it was out for a nice walk along the sea front.

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 On the topic of security at the arena, i entered the queue behind a lady with a bag, bear in mind the gates had just opened and the guy scanned and checked the lady and then just let me straight through. I thought bloody hell, so much for security here then.

TheDev wrote:

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Jarvis, in his '60s, owning the stage and making it his domain, with the same energy and charisma that he had in 1995.

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 Jarvis isnt in his sixties just yet.

Eamonn wrote:

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Ian wrote:

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I have uploaded a copy of both the audio and the video here

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 Blimey, FEELINGCALLEDLIVE goes visual! Hope it hasn't throttled your bandwidth.

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finally home, sadly at work.

arrived in manchester, checked in and took my paid "music tour". i put that in quotes because the young man had very little to show me and i had to explain who the Fall were. all that being said, it was great seeing the sites of a city that musically shaped me. just wished i got my money's worth. but we all have to start somewhere. and for this young lad, I was one of his Guinea pigs. got to have a few pints in a bunch of pubs, and bought some records.

day 2, i arrive in Matlock Bath. had a great time looking around. great seaside-esque town. but kept running out of things to do. which became a day/night of heavy drinking. whilst waiting for Richard's show, i noticed that a small grip of tickets in section 104 became available and snatched one quickly. Hawley's show was massive. and the band was cooking something fierce. i was about 5 meters from the stage, which was about 2 meters off the floor. but me being an overly fed, tall american. people were displeased with me standing so close. i explained how i traveled from afar. and felt validated. He played a lot of tracks from Further. which i don't mind, he never got a chance to tour it. but not having been able to see him since 2007, there was a lot of other material that i've never seen live. but again. an amazing show, couldn't have been more elated.

day 3, i arrive in sheffield hungover and soaked. check in. passout. meet up with a handful of you lovely folks. it was such a pleasure meeting up with like minded people who i could chat with. and was an absolute highlight of the trip. forever indebted to Weej, who was kind enough to give a packed car of newly made friends, a ride to the arena. only to then drop us off and find parking outside of the sold out lot, in the pouring rain.
whilst waiting to get in, i could not for the life of me get my ticket to load on my phone. panic attack sets in. i'm drenched, waiting on an unorganized queue. i'm now shaking from cold and fear. my phone just can't get a strong signal. the Mighty Sturdy turns around, gives me his hot spot. and presto change-o my ticket appears. thank you, Mark!
the arena just seems logistically unprepared. vendors were packed to the wall, people couldn't get through. i arrived to my section just as Richard began his opener. he had a lovely set. even though i saw him only 24 hours ago, it felt like my first time in a long time, again. Pulp hits the stage. We all know how perfect it was. wished they would have done one track from 82-92. but that's just me being selfish, i suppose. only bit i was bummed about, was the woman behind me who would either scream talk during the show, or start belting out completely atonal/out of tune lyrics. overall, i was happy i went. that evening I go to Fagans, and in walks Richard's harmonica played, Clive. I chat with him a bit. man was lovely. and seemed to have all the time in the world for me, even though he was with his own group of friends. i tried my best not to overwhelm him and tried to end the chat as quickly as he would let me. again, top gentleman.

day 4, i take my own tour of sheffield. see many places mentioned by jarvis and richard. and walked my ass off. but wouldn't have had it any other way. was so happy to have crammed in as much as i could. had a blast doing so. i get to the venue early, and wait in the queue. 2 minutes later, fellow american, Sayed, shows up on the same line. we wait together and pass the time. doors open, and at 6pm we immediately go to the front of the stage. two, too-tall tourists, FRONT and CENTER. we were a wall to be reckoned with. i felt awful, but again. i traveled this far....suck it!
7:45 and richard hits the stage. i realized i was now even closer than i was in Matlock. 3 nights of Hawley. utter bliss. same set. except night one he closed with 'Heart of Oak'. This time it was 'Is There a Pill'. Watching the way the band just kept smiling to each other, and seeing how much they loved it and worked off of each other's energy, made it all the better.
Pulp hits the stage earlier. after witnessing the first show, i knew when my phone needed to be out to capture the moments. such a visually entertaining and cinematic performance. it was funny when someone played a wrong note, and i see Jarvis smiling at Mark, Mark smiling back, and then both of them turning to smile at Candida, who is already smiling. He seemed to come out much quicker for the beginning of the first encore. 'glory days' montage highlighting the pulp of the past was a nice tribute. and then when i see him look at his watch after glory days, i turned to Sayed...and both of us were in glee. another song!!! same setlist...kinda was a bummer. but same setlist plus one...I'll take it!!! Jarv and Cand sitting next to each other was such a lovely sight.

Jarvis is just a goddamn icon. what a performer. been worshipping the man for almost 30 years, and he made every emotion feel validated. having seen him perform in the states in one way or another, 5 times. this was the closest i've ever been. an emotional night. watered up a handful of times. This. This has been a constant in my life since '94. music has always mattered the most to me. but certain acts during my crucial and formidable years, can certainly overcome me emotionally. frisson, takes over my whole body.    but, also, you see. only 5 months ago, my wife of 15 years, and together for 20. had unexpectedly become attracted to another woman. we never fought. still are best of friends. and have now started a trial separation. the rug was pulled out from under me. we have toured the world together. this is my first time overseas without her for decades. i needed this trip. i needed to do something for myself for once. i felt alone. and being there with all of these people. seeing a band, that has almost no fanbase from where im from. but all these people love it as much as me. it felt like a church. all these emotions both personal from my mental holiday, and life long of the love of music. this concert became something more than i ever expected it to be.

day 5, back in manchester. i go up to prestwich to do my own Mark E Smith tour. and had a lovely day. went back into the northern quarter and just had a nice day of leisure.


overall. a trip of a life time. a spiritual journey. two cities that mean so much in this anglophile's heart. and meeting a fantastic group of great pulp fucking people.

-- Edited by robbroncs on Tuesday 18th of July 2023 06:27:42 PM

Eamonn wrote:

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By the way, where did poor Weej get parking in the end?

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Industrial estate 10 mins walk away, saved myself £12!

robbroncs wrote:

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two, too-tall tourists, FRONT and CENTER. we were a wall to be reckoned with.

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Cheers Rob! we were indomitable, at least until the moshers boinged me all over the place during common people. Didn't hear any complaints so hopefully we weren't too inconvenient, but... no regrets!!

Was great to meet you and hope we get another shot at them in NY :)