Killing Joke

[Ian Abrahams]

Me & Alan Linsley saw Killing Joke at the Bristol Academy the previous
night - can add much to Nick's excellent review of the Astoria really.

Balding patch instead of the old quiff, but Geordie still looks the coolest
man in the universe, leaning casually on the PA and stroking the same guitar
he played nearly 20 years ago on The Tube (IIRC) with that air of total
disdain during Pssyche. Raven, well you just wouldn't want to meet him on a
dark night. Jaz? Is this really the same guy who's produced the new Nigel
Kennedy album? I was just chuffed to bits to have seen them at last. Very
intense show, very violent at the front (and *very* packed house).

Very touching the way they all hugged each other on stage at the end - got a
sense that these three guys really want to make music with each other.

Richard Chadwick was there as well, btw.

Ian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Medford" <nickmedford at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 1:05 AM
Subject: OFF: Killing Joke


> Saw KJ at the Astoria on Saturday night- I know quite a few on the list
> have a healthy appreciation of the Joke (and maybe some people were
there?)
> so here's a brief report- excellent gig, very intense at times. Jaz
Coleman
> still has that uniquely strange stage presence. Emphasis was on the
> faster/harder/heavier stuff- lots of pounding tribal rhythms. Line-up was
> Jaz, Geordie, Raven, plus a drummer and keyboard player, neither of whom I
> recognised, though I think the drummer may have been Ted Parsons (who
> played with Raven in Prong). They were augmented by a violinist on the
> opening number and the encore, neither of which were familar to me, but on
> this evidence I need to plug the remaining holes in my KJ collection as
> these were among the highlights. The encore was a soaring,
Arabic-flavoured
> song- can anyone reveal what this was?
>
> Unlike most bands, KJ select the records played over the PA prior to the
> gig themsleves- building up to the gig with the Sensational Alex Harvey
> Band's Faith Healer was an inspired choice- mucho atmosphere generated.
> Once they came on they kicked off with the aforementioned unidentifiable
> (by me) opener and then the set went something like this:
>
> Requiem
> Total Invasion
> Wardance
> Blood On Your Hands
> Empire Song
> The Wait
> The Fall Of Because
> Tension
> Seeing Red
> Kings And Queens
> Frenzy
> The Death And Resurrection Show
> Dominator
> Pssyche
>
> plus the encore as above
>
> There were a few other songs played, none of which I can name off the
> top of my head- I'd love a full setlist if anyone's got one. I was
slightly
> disappointed they didn't play The House That Pain Built, my favourite
track
> off the excellent new album, indeed one of the best songs they've ever
done
> IMHO, but then again, the new numbers they did play didn't sound as strong
> live as I'd expected. The older material, however, came over very
> powerfully. The sound could have been better at times (as per usual at the
> Astoria).
>
> KJ are still out on tour I think. Incidentally, do they vary the setlists
> from gig to gig? I saw a review of the Leeds gig a few days before this
one
> which mentioned them playing Asteroid and Follow The Leaders, neither of
> which were aired on Saturday.
>
> Nick
>
>