Posted: 16 November 2009 at 1:09am | IP Logged

I'll do a full gig review tomorrow but suffice to say the 2009 tour has got off to a storming start!

There were probably 70-80ish people in the venue and after a "far too polite to make much noise" first half the crowd warmed up in the 2nd!

It certainly didnt seem like a first night gig, the band were sharp and very together, and there were some notable perfomances but more of that in another post later.

It was great to see ATF back oop north, they were missed last year and I hope we can gather a crowd again soon, meanwhile I will have to find a way to get down sarf to another gig this Autumn, especially if I get the chance again of achieving my lifetime ambition of singing with the band, thanks Rob!

Cheers

Duncan (The guy near the front who bobbed up and down like a yoyo, I'll never get used to sitting at a gig!) 

PS A couple of short videos will be appearing off my phone on Youtube tomorrow

Posted: 16 November 2009 at 10:49am | IP Logged

So as promised a proper review.

It was the first time I has seen the new line up of the band with Tim Turner on drums and Rob Halligan on lead vocals joing the trusty trio of Pete, John and Ian.

Tim is clearly following in the fine traditions of After the Fire of great solid drummers, his pace and consistency was superb throughout the night. Rob has brought a new energy to the front of the band and the guys have clearly responded to it. When the crowd shook off its shyness it really turned into a cracking night. He is no mean songwriter either with 4 of his songs being performed with the band and I've bought his CD to listen to more of his stuff.

Anyway, so what was the set list? I tried to note them down until my phone ran out of battery, doh! but here goes:

80F

High Fashion

Bright Lights (edited doh, clearly not got brain in gear) (First time performed live? what a great live song!)

Darkside (AT2F)

One Rule for you

Frozen Rivers

Love will always make you cry

Dancing in the shadows (You need to get cooler shades Rob lol)

Life in the City

Interval

Sometimes

Sailing Ship

Carry me home

3 excellent Rob Halligan songs, can someone else name them?

My phone had ran out at that point but I think it was roughly:

I dont understand your love

Der Komissar

Billy Billy

Wild West Show (Thanks to lufcman80f, my memory is getting shocking!)

Laser Love

Starflight

Encore: (By audience request!)

Take Me Higher

Joy

Who's gonna love you when you're old fat and ugly

Rob went walkabout ala Bono style in the 2nd half drawing the audience in, and a warning, if you singalong to every word as I usually do it is more than likely you will have a mike thrust in your face to join the band for a brief glorious moment (glorious for me, not the band or the crowd lol) and "lead" the band for a few lines. Another lifetime ambition achieved then, thanks Rob! :)

In summary the band have got off to a cracking start, it was a shame there were not 150+ people there, the band certainly deserved more. A note of congratulations to the back office crew, the gig sounded well balanced and the lighting was excellent for a small venue, this is a very professional setup on tour so I strongly encourage you to get to at least one of the gigs, spread the word!

Somehow I will re-arrange my diary and head down sarf from the cold wet climes  of the north in York, if only to get the chance to sing Laser Love with the band again :)

Cheers guys, come back soon!

Duncan Langtree

Posted: 16 November 2009 at 10:54am | IP Logged

Oh and I meant to add with kind permission of Pete Banks I have posted a rough and ready video of last night, just a taster for those going to the next gigs or thinking about going!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L68WvjJb7aQ

Posted: 16 November 2009 at 12:14pm | IP Logged

Duncan,

Were you wearing a rugby shirt? I think I was sitting near you and talking to you in the entrance before the doors were opened. I was the person who kept going outside to see if his school friend had arrived yet. I had his ticket and he didn't have a Sat-Nav and got lost.

Excellent show. I bought a CD of Rob's last year and think I'm right in saying that one of the songs of his that was performed is called Waterfall. I'll check at home tonight.

Highlights: they did just about all my favourite ATF songs. The tee shirt Banksy wore for the encore (I won't spoil it for those of you going to later shows).

Highlight for the rest of the audience: I stopped singing just in time to persuade Rob not to thrust his mic in my face! My voice would have emptied the pub - I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Low point: charging two camcorder batteries and then leaving the camcorder at home! No ATF Live at Leeds on Youtube from me.

Memory Banks lived up to the name. During the interval, my school friend told him he'd seen ATF in 1980 and 1981 and Banksy said he remembered those gigs.

Unfortunately I can't make it to any of the southern shows this year so I'm hoping for another northern one next year.

Posted: 16 November 2009 at 12:21pm | IP Logged

Hi Mark,

No I believe he is called Rob, and was organising the Normanton gig last year. I was the chap in the black shirt in front of the mixing desk. I did remember seeing you hop in and out, I thought you were trying to make your mind up to stay or go lol

Posted: 16 November 2009 at 7:44pm | IP Logged

Some good reviews emerging, thanks guys. I wasn't going to give the game away on the set list, but I noted Bright Lights instead of Space Walking (I'm fairly certain), and the last (BIG) six were I Don't Understand Your Love, Der Kommissar (still have to check the spelling!),  Billy Billy, Wild West Show, Laser Love and Starflight. Rob on WWS was ... let's just say memorable. Incidentally, what a song, what fantastic lyrics. It's really quite a powerful statement, actually.

What a great show it was too, and an intelligent and well-conceived set list. I think it was an inspired idea to have no fewer than seven from Batteries Not Included, especially the four after the break. I did not hear the later stuff from BNI live in the early 80s, and really enjoyed those last night, immensely. They gave extra maturity and balance and were a good lead into (and out of!) Rob Halligan's excellent stuff. Of these, my wife particularly loved the first one, and me the second (or was it the third? it starts his latest CD). We, too, bought Rob's album (and got it signed for when he's famous!).

People, you must go and see them live. Sit near the front and watch the technique used on all the instruments, which helps you appreciate the CDs and songs afresh. The exception to this is of course the synth, and the synth riffs. You can never see what PB's doing - it could be the ironing, for all I know!

I know the numbers were a little disappointing, although my wife heard there were folk there from Wigan and Manchester, and we came from Notts. It was a good idea for a venue, but other than the intimate scale I personally didn't really think it was quite right.

I hope there will be more to come from ATF. I think it should focus on what it could develop, and (re)consider on whether it could try some pre-evangelism event/s. For example, it could link up with interested churches whose responsibility it is to rustle up the crowds. Many of the audience were men, the target audience the church never reaches consistently. Get back on at Greenbelt, and remind everyone how good you really are. Also, I don't want you guys finding the income not covering the costs. For example, I would happily pay more for the ticket, certainly £15, or more.

ATF, you've meant alot over the years, as have many of those wonderful lyrics. Thank you. Keep going into 2010, please please!!

Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:21am | IP Logged

Cheers all - it was a grand ole' time. Good to meet some old and new friends and thanks to Rob D, the first-time promoter - you done good!

Highlights for me were the KFC supplied by Rob, dancing with Ian, Banksy saying nice things about me and hearing Duncan fulfill a lifelong ambition. It was by all accounts a cracking start to the tour.

And in case you're interested heres a wee bit about the guitar I played in one of the songs www.playitforpakare.com

Roll on Burgess Hill!

Posted: 17 November 2009 at 12:11pm | IP Logged

You're right lufcman 80f, the Tyros does look like an ironing board!!!

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