Post by skrappey on Jun 9, 2007 20:31:36 GMT
As promised, a review of the Madness/Stranglers gig at Peel on the IOM
After the normal b*ll*cks of 'security' at the fence (smuggled in a 24 pack of tennants in my mates wheelchair thingy) once in the tent the atmosphere was truly electric, local bands were warming the crowd up to fever pitch with some pretty good attempts at Ska and Reggae classics, good enough to get the bar busy, even at £3.50 a pint of luke warm p*sh. Considering there were 40.000 + bikers on the island for the TT a lot must have bought Fezes with them because the arena was awash with pork pie hats and Tommy Cooper impressionists. Crowd estimate was at 7000 by about 8 pm and, in a 10.000 capacity tent, it seemed more.
Stranglers started with a raucous 'Five Minutes' which segwayed effortlessly into 'Get a grip on yourself', always good for a sing song and a bit of a dance. the powerful set was continued with classics from the 80's including 'Nice, n, Sleazy' 'Always the Sun' and the great crowd pleaser 'Peaches' with a nice twist when the question of a worse place to be was answered with "on an island with 40.000 f**king greasers" by JJ Burnel, to much applause. the men in black ended their encore with a storming rendition of 'Hangin around' and the brilliant 'No More Heroes'
After the shortest of breaks the lights dimmed, a spotlight went out to the centre stage to highlight some fool climbing the scaffold, but wait, he is holding a saxaphone and playing the thing!!!
MADNESS ARRIVED
A puff of smoke and a blast of Alto Sax and we were off on a whirlwind of noise, from the opening shots of 'One Step Beyond'. i say shots because we were attacked from all sides with noise.
As they launched into 2000 decibels of 'House of Fun' the marquee erupted into a sea of nutty boys and girls stomping to the rock steady beat. Hit after hit was hurled at us from their position on the high ground; Wings of a Dove; Embarrassment; My Girl; Tomorrow's just another day and It must be love to end the first salvo from the masters of arena rock steady and a final full frontal attack by Lee Thompson on his weapon of choice, the Sax, we were spent.
But no, it was not over, the first of two encores brought us 'Baggy Trousers', a surprise attack almost from behind as they snuck back in under cover of darkness. After a quick withdrawal to gather amunition it was back to the affray and the 'coup de grace' a ten minute rendition of 'Night boat to Cairo' along with the gathered forces of TC and chums with their fezzes and many many pork pie hats being thrown in the air in surrender to the better men that were Suggs and his gang. Madness Sunday was over and we were left counting the casualties. CLASSIC
After the normal b*ll*cks of 'security' at the fence (smuggled in a 24 pack of tennants in my mates wheelchair thingy) once in the tent the atmosphere was truly electric, local bands were warming the crowd up to fever pitch with some pretty good attempts at Ska and Reggae classics, good enough to get the bar busy, even at £3.50 a pint of luke warm p*sh. Considering there were 40.000 + bikers on the island for the TT a lot must have bought Fezes with them because the arena was awash with pork pie hats and Tommy Cooper impressionists. Crowd estimate was at 7000 by about 8 pm and, in a 10.000 capacity tent, it seemed more.
Stranglers started with a raucous 'Five Minutes' which segwayed effortlessly into 'Get a grip on yourself', always good for a sing song and a bit of a dance. the powerful set was continued with classics from the 80's including 'Nice, n, Sleazy' 'Always the Sun' and the great crowd pleaser 'Peaches' with a nice twist when the question of a worse place to be was answered with "on an island with 40.000 f**king greasers" by JJ Burnel, to much applause. the men in black ended their encore with a storming rendition of 'Hangin around' and the brilliant 'No More Heroes'
After the shortest of breaks the lights dimmed, a spotlight went out to the centre stage to highlight some fool climbing the scaffold, but wait, he is holding a saxaphone and playing the thing!!!
MADNESS ARRIVED
A puff of smoke and a blast of Alto Sax and we were off on a whirlwind of noise, from the opening shots of 'One Step Beyond'. i say shots because we were attacked from all sides with noise.
As they launched into 2000 decibels of 'House of Fun' the marquee erupted into a sea of nutty boys and girls stomping to the rock steady beat. Hit after hit was hurled at us from their position on the high ground; Wings of a Dove; Embarrassment; My Girl; Tomorrow's just another day and It must be love to end the first salvo from the masters of arena rock steady and a final full frontal attack by Lee Thompson on his weapon of choice, the Sax, we were spent.
But no, it was not over, the first of two encores brought us 'Baggy Trousers', a surprise attack almost from behind as they snuck back in under cover of darkness. After a quick withdrawal to gather amunition it was back to the affray and the 'coup de grace' a ten minute rendition of 'Night boat to Cairo' along with the gathered forces of TC and chums with their fezzes and many many pork pie hats being thrown in the air in surrender to the better men that were Suggs and his gang. Madness Sunday was over and we were left counting the casualties. CLASSIC