#133

This is tonight! Really excited about it, tbh.

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#134

I’ve just put two rear stalls seats on Twickets as I’m moving flat tomorrow and can’t make it work

#135

Both excited and nervous. Seems like a slightly weird bunch of guests, but holding out hope that it’ll be great.

#136

7:30pm sharp start apparently…

#137

What did you think?

#138

giphy%20(2)

My experience wasn’t helped by some absolute chump filming the entire thing on a fucking tablet a few rows in front directly in my eye line. Or the guy next to me man spreading and smelling of BO. Or the one behind me leaning forward and breathing right down my neck…

I thought most of the singers did a surprisingly good job, but the band were ropey as hell at points, fluffing cues, missing beats etc.

The main guitarist was particularly unprepared to my ears. He kept hitting bum notes and even in the really simple single chord bit in Eden kept dropping out of time, which was pretty painful to hear. It was like a covers jam session rather than a performance you’d expect from a band at an event like this.

Alexis Taylor doing The Colour of Spring from Hollis’ solo album was lovely though, and the guy from The Maccabees of all people delivered a pretty decent impression of Hollis. Living In Another World was good too.

Overall though… not that great if I’m being honest. I really wanted to like it but… yeah.

Hope you had a better time than I did?!

#139

My feelings are similar to yours, though I think I enjoyed it a bit more/was slightly less frustrated by some of the less than perfect aspects!

Highlights were Living In Another World and Give It Up. I actually enjoyed Tim Burgess’ attempt to give Such A Shame a Baggy Manchester stamp! It just felt very under-rehearsed at times. Which was silly, given the incredible complexity and fragility of Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. As such, the earlier synth-pop stuff worked best. Turin Brakes were bloody brilliant and showed how a really tight band, used to playing together, makes all the difference. And the sound in RFH is stellar.

Child 3 and I had a good time, and it was lovely to hear those songs for the first time (for me) in a live setting, and to remind us all of Hollis’ and Talk Talk’s irrefutable genius.

Only one actual gripe…where was After The Flood?? :sob:

Ben

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#140

I thought the show was incredible. I really wasn’t bothered by any under-rehearsedness, and I thought the band sounded fantastic.

Enjoyed the first half a fair bit more than the second. Alexis Taylor and My Brightest Diamond were particularly good.

Seeing Mark and Andy from Ride doing Living in Another World is one of the highlights of my year.

If the band toured with Orlando Weeks doing his Mark Hollis impersonation, I would definitely go.

I guess I got really lucky with my seats too.

3 Likes
#141

Gutted I missed this. Did they play ‘I Believe in You’ and who was the vocalist for that?

#142

Wasn’t at this so don’t have a strong opinion either way, but I think it’s notable Talk Talk didn’t tour SoE nor I think LS, because the songs were studio creations and Hollis didn’t think they could do them justice live. So I can perhaps understand if they struggled (but also this is why I was pretty skeptical when this was announced)…

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#143

Orlando Weeks sang it… brilliantly

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#144

Thanks, and welcome!

#145

Glad other people enjoyed it a bit more than I did. I don’t regret going because it was always a bit of a risk due to what @guntrip had pointed out with the latter songs and Hollis’ solo records being studio creations. Plus Hollis had a unique voice.

Orlando Weeks’ impression was pretty impressive though.

#146

Yeah - this review very much matches my own experience…thought Orlando Weeks was absolutely inspired - suitably under-stated, affecting and vulnerable during I don’t believe in you and i believe in you
And yes Mark and Andy’s version of Living in Another World was great.
Fitting tribute anyway

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#147

Agree with the review above. Orlando Weeks performed by far the most Hollis-like renditions. Wonder if this really will be just a one off or if we’ll get more opportunities to hear this material live.

Thought Hayden Thorpe’s vocals were outstanding and would’ve liked to hear more Jane Weaver.

Overall, I had hoped there would be a lot more late era Talk Talk which was probably unrealistic in retrospect. It was a fair mix of songs across their career, but the early stuff doesn’t do much for me.

If there were concerts which focused solely on interpretations of the last two Talk Talk albums and Mark’s solo album, that would be incredible.

1 Like
#148

The bits i’ve seen on YouTube sound fantastic.

#149

WOuld definitely have preferred more from Laughing Stock. Two of my favourite Talk Talk tracks “After the Flood” and “Time its time” (from Colour of Spring) missed the cut sadly. Like most people I’m all about Colour of Spring, Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock and the solo record but It’s my life is also a good pop record with some standout moments. Not keen on the debut thought.

Was wondering if there were any fans predominantly of the early period in the audience who didn’t get on with the latter stuff but I imagine the majority were in our boat. Did see a fair few earlier era t-shirts though and the beginning of the second set with the early material (my least favourite bit) got a strong response from the crowd so who knows.

#150

I actually thought that run of Talk Talk, Today and The Party’s Over was pretty cool. That young lad was an awesome guitarist and there was a real energy about the performance.

And this is coming from someone whose favourite album of all time may be Laughing Stock.

#151

Oh yeah…definitely admired the energy and vigour on show…they were a likeable bunch with a puppy-ish enthusiasm that was pleasing to witnesss…and it was good to have this area of their catalogue represented…it needed to be for a true reflection…but still preferred the other stuff…

#152

Yes, they did the songs justice, and it was brilliant to have Simon Brenner on stage with them, even if it looked slightly incongruous as the band walked on, one being old enough to be their grandfather!

My only small issue was the vocal. He sings perfectly well enough, but part of what lifts even the early synth-pop stuff above almost all contemporary pop was Hollis’ unusual, and magnificent, voice juxtaposed with such ‘frothy’ material. To have a perfectly competent, but pretty much characterless, vocal kind of missed the point a little! I realise I’m overthinking/analysing this far too much, but I’m an arse for things like that!

Also, was it just me, or was the bass practically inaudible when the Simon Brenner band were on? It sounded very empty at the bottom end, and I was watching the bassist who was playing some fairly intricate, and I’m sure excellent, lines, but I couldn’t hear them. And the bass mix for the Spirit of Talk Talk bassists was fine…

Ben