Live at Komedia, Brighton, Wed 25 Feb 2009

The Durutti Column Live at Komedia, Brighton, Wed 25 Feb 2009; Bruce Mitchell on drums

The Durutti Column began the most intensive part of the current tour (3 gigs in 3 nights - I realise this is nothing by usual touring standards but for The Durutti Column it going all out!) at Komedia in Brighton last night. A regimented approach saw them pretty much adhering to timetable all night from the unload right through to the close of play. Komedia's stage was deceptively roomy and with full backstage facilities quite palatial when compared to the spartan Baby Blue in Liverpool. The low entrance to the dressing room nearly took off your correspondent's head on more than one occasion though.

A quick but thorough soundcheck saw Vini indulge us with Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones riffs before a duet or two with Poppy Morgan. The full band ran through soundcheck staples Otis, Woman and Mother. After calling it quits Vini stuck around for a bit of ragtime jazz on piano. Everyone decamped upstairs for a bite to eat ahead of a 9pm stage time. Meanwhile a healthy crowd of punters assembled in the tables and chairs layout of the club.

As the clock turned nine, Vini and Poppy took the stage together (for a change). Vini made his introductions which were a variation on his usual theme of starting quiet and finishing very loud. "Thank you for coming out on a Wednesday to listen to our dodgy music". He also warned those in the front row of tables of the impending loudness. Talking about the songs Vini quipped "These are by... who are you again!?" to Poppy.

The full annotated setlist (notwithstanding a slight confusion over a possible extra track I missed between Otis and Woman) was:

Wild Beast Tamed (Vini and Poppy)
More Rainbows (Vini and Poppy)
Otis (Vini introduces Keir on bass & sampler and Bruce Mitchell "the only drummer even worth thinking about these days")
Woman (Long version with guitar and piano 'solos')
Gun (The story of Vini's life, according to Bruce)
The Missing Boy (a wag shouts "Come on!" and Keir responds "That's 'Come On', from our new album 'Get Out'")
The Beggar
Jacqueline (radically different sounding version, amazing)
Requiem for my Mother
--
Albatross (with Keir on drums)
Untitled for You

Hi to Bryn & co. Bryn's excellent photos are on his Twitpic and more will appear via my Cerysmatic Twitpic and the Official MySpace soon.

Also, check out Rob Orchard's Flickr Photostream.

You can also relive the gig via Twitter.com/cerysmatic and don't forget that I'll be covering more gigs.

The tour continues tonight at Thekla in Bristol and then tomorrow at the Firestation Arts Centre in Windsor (which is where I shall next be reporting from).