Now I'm back home, here's a more detailed report on the weekend....
After a lovely day's drinking in Camden/Tufnell Park/Kentish Town (we were drinking just round the corner to Amy's Winehouse at one point, and no, it wasn't me), we quickly made our way to the Southbank. This was made more urgent by PH's post that he was lighting up a bifta in the beer garden. Unfortunately, me and PH found it hard to understand each other's accents, and had to get the Bavarian to act as an interpreter.
On to the gig, we just got into our seats in time for the first song. Looking round, it was a great venue, though weird to be seated. No matter though, as
Medicine Show started we were straight on our feet, and most people around us did the same. The band seemed incredibly relaxed, and played much better for it, this was probably the best gig I've seen of the reunion tour so far. Before
Everybody Needs a Holiday, Mick instructed everybody to sit down, relax, and put their feet up on the seat in front of them. It was quite a funny moment.
Straight after that the band blasted into a brilliant
C'mon Every Beatbox, and most people were back on their feet again, grooving around in front of their seats. At the very end of the set someone tried to get onstage and put a BAD cap on Mick's head, but was unfortunately intercepted by security. Mick seemed to take it in good nature, and at this point proceeded to shake a few hands in the front row. Hilariously, the grabbing hands kind of half pulled him into the crowd, and he was lying prostrate across his effects pedals, until a roadie saved him. He was laughing all the time though, and seemed to be having a blast. In fact, the band in general seemed to have great time, as evidenced by Greg's Facebook post.
Special mention to the new guy on guitar and keys, I was skeptical at first, but he has definitely infused a lot of energy into the band, and was great onstage. He was trading some great stage moves with Mick, and just generally seemed to be having a ball. Great backing vocals too.
I woke up pretty rough the next day, but a full English breakfast and a five mile walk around Hampstead Heath soon blew the cobwebs off. We then pub-crawled our way back to Kings Cross station, which was when the low point of the weekend happened. We were about to leave the pub for the 8 o clock train, when a Finnish couple asked us to join them at their table as they wanted some tips on English customs. We then decided to get the later ten o clock train, and had a whale of a time with this crazy Finnish bloke singing London Calling and SISOSIG, and dancing around the pub. We finally arrived at the station, only to be told that the train was delayed due to a fatality on the line. We ended up sitting on the stationary train for 3 hours(!) until we eventually got going. I finally got home at 6 o'clock this morning, well and truly fucked!
Set list from memory, not in exact order...
Medicine Show
Sightsee MC
A Party
BAD
Beyond the Pale
Rob Peter, Pay Paul
Everybody Needs A Holiday
C'mon Every Beatbox
Just Play Music
All Saints Rd.
Rewind
Bottom Line
E=MC2
Rush