I feel I should post something to add to this, especially as I was there! It was the best Chems gig I've ever been to, because of the fact that I was with forumites and the surprises in the set (maybe because Tom & Ed knew we were coming and would love it? Maybe, maybe not!). I was super hyped as soon as Tommorrow Never Knows starting, singing my head off, and by the time Block Rockin' Beats came on I was totally lost in the music. I remember Get Yourself High as there was a strobe-y light pointing straight at me, and it was making me trip to the light (I only had a couple of drinks, nothing else), all I could see was just patterns in front of my eyes, even when I shut them - it was bright. Three Little Birdies Down Beats came later in the set, Acidchildren, I think it was around Believe time. The Big Jump was quality too, it's a real fave of mine live, it's so awesome. Around the Come With Us part, it got a little weird, I thought it was gonna go to Song To The Siren as it seemed to be getting more cut-up, but it passed through into Music:Response which totally set me off - I was going nuts! That bass sweep in Under The Influence went right through me - we were standing about 10ft from the right speaker stack :D It Doens't Matter just shook me to bits, it was beating the breath out of me. Quality stuff! I was slightly disappointed by Out Of Control, I couldn't really hear anything expect the bass, but the energy and the visuals still worked it for me. Star Guitar seemed shorter, I remember turning round and seeing a few people singing the chorus out (I was too) and the biggest smile appeared on me face, it was awesome to be a part of it. I loved the start of Surface to Air, it was all quiet, and the next sound was that robot voice, the plinky-plunky bits came in after, it was great! "Animal Song" was cool, when the visuals came on I thought it was gonna be It Began In Afrika! It seemed short though, still a work in progress I think. Believe was pretty cool, the bass was really big in this one. EBW7 really impressed me, those bassy breakdowns had some much energy and life, despite the fact I was getting knackered at this point I was driven on hard by the music. The Golden Path was alright, got me singing away (I think even Tom & Ed were too). Swifting passing through Elektrobank brought the Come Inside visuals, and I was thinking "How are they gonna mix this one?". The answer - they didn't: Chemical Beats came ripping through :D I love this tune, it really seemed to get the crowd going.



Chems disappeared off stage, and the mic appeared. There was much debate about who was gonna join them - it seemed like a toss-up between Tim Burgess or The Magic Numbers. When Out of Control (album version) started, I was slightly confused, looked over only to see Bernard Summer standing there, mic in hand, singing away! I was totally gobsmacked, it was the most incredible moment! When he started the guitar part, I saw Tom looking over and smiling at him - what a moment that must have been for them. Performing live on stage with one of their greatest idols, I expect Tom & Ed were loving it just as much as everyone else. No, probably a lot more actually, you could see it in their faces. Hold Tight London followed, and it was alright, but I prefer the album version. I love the emotion of the track, and it doesn't seem to translate live. If they'd have got Anna-Lynne Williams in and done the album version live, I'd have probably fainted. The Sunshine Underground was such a moment, I remember hugging Acidchildren & Jeanie at this point, it was so amazing. I was drumming out the intro in the air with my fingers, and I turned around to see a few other people in the crowd in various places doing it to. I was like, "Yeah, they know the track too!!" It was another quality connected moment like Star Guitar, I was totally euphoric.



Pretty surprised when both Tom & Ed went to the mighty Octave Cat at the end of The Sunshine Underground to blow our minds with crazy synth noise, as as that moment, I knew The Private Psychedelic Reel wasn't coming. It was strange, I know they've been playing it for ages, but to me, TPPR signifies the end of a Chems gig. When it starts, you know to dig out your last ounce of strength and just lose it. It was really nice to hear The Sunshine Underground, it is an incredible live track, but replacing The Reel? I wasn't so sure. The used TPPR's visuals during it to, which did work quite well. I thought they might mix into TPPR at one point, near the end when it kind of winds down with that crazy synth, but it went more crazy as the brothers worked their magic, and then Tom lifted the synth high in the air (like a sportsperson winning a trophy) whilst still messing with it, before casting it back to the desk and leaving the stage (or coming to the front, I can't quite remember). It was a great moment actually, a fantastic end to a mind-blowing show.

Excellent review chemicalfan!

:o WOW what a experience all of you have!!! :D

robot.mx Escribi�:

:o WOW what a experience all of you have!!! :D

I know its expensive, but be cool if you came over some time for one of the bigger gigs like this one mx or a glint party.

ACIDCHILDREN Escribi�:

robot.mx Escribi�:

:o WOW what a experience all of you have!!! :D

I know its expensive, but be cool if you came over some time for one of the bigger gigs like this one mx or a glint party.

Yeah man i would give my left nut!!! :'( , is def on my plans someday, someday!! :D

what brought bernard sumner into doing a live apperance last night??? i was just thinking earlier maybe it was like tim doing a few shows with the brothers last year. maybe they have been collaborating in the studio again which brought about this exciting hook up!!



anyway hope they do it again tonight, or with someone else like the magic numbers! right better get ready to go to brixton!!

yeah im womdering sneaker if tonights show ill differ much from last night. Maybe some other special guests, I expect a review ;-)

Oh my god you guys!!!!



I love you all so much! What an incredible show it must've been I had feeling Tom and Ed were going to whip up something super special to treat you all!



I love it chemicalfan how you wrote about having a hugging moment during Sunshine Underground. I'm really amped that you all got to experience it live because it's... well, it's a beautiful thing!



And of course Bernard Sumner. I imagine Tom and Ed must've been having the most incredible Chemical moment of their lives being on stage and having Bernard join them...



Thanks a ton for the reviews! 8)

wow I didn't read the setlist well ^^



Come with us ? F**k I got to hear a recording of this set !!!!!

I'm shocked about Song to the Siren not played. I think that's their first live ever where they don't play stts...

Oh my God, that is an unbelievable set!!! That has every good song ever, and they brought back SSU, I think I'm going to cry!



I'm Going on Hunger Strike until they confirm this show will be released as mp3, dvd, or cd. they must be planning that, it sounds like this show was set up for an amazing experience.

Great review, chemicalfan. Made me feel like I was there. Can't stop smiling just knowing what you guys and girls got to experience. If only, if only I could have warped time and space to be there....

Wicked review chemicalfan, thanks! What you did during SG and TSU is exactly what I'd do too. I wonder if OOC with Barney will make a future bside or digital d/l.



Haha, and I see john smith beat me to NOOL. The luck of the irish I guess. :-D

Biff Escribi�:

I'm Going on Hunger Strike until they confirm this show will be released as mp3, dvd, or cd. they must be planning that, it sounds like this show was set up for an amazing experience.

I'm not going to eat either !

"come with us", "SSU", "OOC (w/Bernard)" and new tracks.......hot damn }:-)

Friday was fantastic, even despite it taking us 3 hours on the night bus to get home! It was also fittingly good considering it was the tenth time I had seen The Chems as well.



I can't decide if the best thing about the whole night was Bernard Sumner appearing for OoC or the fact that they DIDN'T finish the set with TPPR. Surely even Tom & Ed must be getting bored of that by now?



I really like the way that they seem to have a bit more room for improvising in the sets. I mean, their gigs are ALWAYS great but in the past have always appeared very rigid - especially compared to their peers such as Underworld who have always used improv and have more freedom to 'jam'. We had teases of 'Thee Little Birdies Down Beats' and 'Morning Lemon' which were fantastic but too short! I hear they did 'Loops of Fury' in Glasgow as well?



The new intro after HBHG is great - will be interesting to see if it eventually ends up being a completely brand new song or just used as a live intro. I initially described it as a hybrid of Kraftwerk and then New Order when the melody comes in.



Not too sure about 'The Animal Song' - I generally like to hear things like this more than once to determine how great it is. It had some kind of creepy theremin sound on top of the tribal beats which was nicely sinister though.



There wasn't a huge amount from 'Push The Button' which for me personally was a good thing because I felt slightly deflated by around half of the album. I'm not convinced about 'Surface To Air' in the set either, I can understand that it is perhaps placed after 'Star Guitar' to bring the energy level down a tad before the final act and encore, but I think it brought the crowd down too much and ended up being a bit of a damp squib. Not good. I'm also not really in love with the 'new' 'Hold Tight London' in the encore. I prefer the version they were playing earlier in the year.



Overall though, a really fantastic night. Cagedbaby were amusingly bad as well. Much more enjoyable than the shows we saw in March too.



I feel the pain of all you guys in the US who didn't get a proper tour this year!

I certainly agree with your points regarding TPPR orange_pelican, and I wish they had played The Sunshine Undergound in Glasgow instead of TPPR, sounds like Glagow got the worst and shortest set list for some reason.



But Surface to Air bringing the crowd down???? Maybe it did in London but it certainly didn't in Glasgow. My only beef with this years set list is that Surface to Air is way to short, the slightly longer version they did at T in the Park and Chili in 2004 is better but its still not long enough, Surface to Air is the highlight of the set for so many people, definitely the best visuals as well. I'm open to the idea of them dropping Star Guitar from the set, great track but it just seems to long and Surface to Air which follows, to short.



It has to be said I've enjoyed both of the two live versions of Hold Tight London I've heard this year, though I think the version they did earlier in the year is better when the beat kicks in at the start.



I dunno about Push the Button, personally I think this years tour has been the best ever simply because PTB contains some of their best ever music, certainly live, Believe has to be one of the greatest live dance tracks ever written. Galvanise, again incredible though a tad empty sounding without most of the vocal part.

Their best 2 setlist ever are certainly



09 12 2005 Brixton and Live from London... I hope they'll release one of these 2 as a CD or Video DVD ...

Hey i'm listening to It Began in Afrika live @ Ultra music Festival 2004, and it sounds like what you say Animal Song is. Are you sure this is not that ?



Anyway, this ibif version is totally wicked, with the beats which made Pioneer Skies afterwards. It's great !

the animal song is called so cause it has the visauls of animals used from hoops but no animal sounds at all.

Ben_j Escribi�:

Hey i'm listening to It Began in Afrika live @ Ultra music Festival 2004, and it sounds like what you say Animal Song is. Are you sure this is not that ?



Anyway, this ibif version is totally wicked, with the beats which made Pioneer Skies afterwards. It's great !

no its the demo version of it began in africa. they have been playing that version of afrika in their dj sets from 2000 onwards, although i havent heard it recently. its a cut up record of about 5 tunes



the rolling drums at the beginging are 'Resonance - yellow train' as sampled in pioneer sky.



'it began in afrika' vocal sampled from Jim Ingram's 'Drumbeat'



main beat riff 'Sparks - Beat The Clock'



1234 same sample they used in base 6. dunno where the sample actually comes from



"Ma ma ma, Ma ma sa, Ma ma Makossa" Micheal jackson - you wanna be starting something