I know it has been discussed often around here but why was the g-mex '88 so much of a buzz???
was it the coming of acid-house/madchester? the right, the right place? or just a big fuck-off thingy?
just curious (and to bored @ work now)
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G-Mex 88
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It was a 'comeback' gig of sorts.
Lots of rumours the previous year about them splitting up and Wemberlee being 'it' for the band.
A year off from gigging in them days was an awful long time. 
Fcuk all to do with Madchester (which wouldn't exist for another year) or Acid House (the gig would've been huge with or without acieed).
El Jarvo wrote: It was a 'comeback' gig of sorts.
Agreed. It was also a Factory thing, for me anyway. Possibly the birth of Madchester.
Just wish I could remember more about the gig and not the 'sleeping' rough after it.
mediamark wrote: Agreed. It was also a Factory thing, for me anyway.
Agreed. It weren' just a 'New Order' gig, was it.
Like you said, it was Factory - New Order, ACR, Mondays. A proper 'event' if you like, and not solely a gig.
It was something very special - I didnt know what at the time, and still dont, but it was just Very Special
It was a mixture I think. Split up/argument rumours, Factory bands playing, good setlist, expectancy, playing in Manc.
All those elements went together. I'm sure I enjoyed it. I had to go through my ticket stubs to check I was there and not just imagining it! 
Pretty sure there's a recording around. Not so sure if I've got a copy though 
For me it was the ultimate Factory Xmas party that we always wanted, full of the various northern casual groups, not a cockney piss up in a tent in north landan, nor the various bands mix up they had for 10yrs celebration 2 yrs earlier.
I didn't think of it as 'relief', cos i knew (via Bez from an earlier Mondays gig) Technique was done & dusted 5 months earlier, but it was fucking special compared to the shambles the previous december.
Id kill for those heady days again 
For me it was awesome - first New Order gig, 14 years old, plenty of beers, train did not stop at Northampton on the way home so ended up in London in the early hours, best gig ever in my book ….
Hearing Dream Attack, Vanishing Point and Fine Time live for the first time and Age Of Consent … happy days.
I have a taped bootleg gathering dust somewhere but would love a digital copy if anyone has one
& you got 3 quality bands for £12 English pounds ( I think ),whereas the Mondays & 808 State were charging £20 EACH 12 months later.Ratio were a bit shite that night tho...fookin' 'Rivers Edge',I ask you.....
Hooky and his bikers look...u gotta love it
Oh yeah, does anybody have a digitial copy off this gig??? willing to get my hands on this..thanks
Review by James Brown? The last name I expected to see at the end there. I stood next to him at one of the Roctober gigs. I think it was Glasgow? Or maybe it was the earlier Apollo gig. God knows.
I wonder why he put her in italics when speaking about Gillian chewing her guitar?
Great scan Johnny, enjoyed that.
BIGINLYCRA wrote: Review by James Brown? The last name I expected to see at the end there. I stood next to him at one of the Roctober gigs. I think it was Glasgow? Or maybe it was the earlier Apollo gig. God knows.
He's pally with the Hac. Yorkshire mafia, innit.
Two one-song encores though? What was he taking?! 
And "shitty media-land" - isn't that exactly where you were working, James?!
BIGINLYCRA wrote: Review by James Brown? The last name I expected to see at the end there. I stood next to him at one of the Roctober gigs. I think it was Glasgow? Or maybe it was the earlier Apollo gig. God knows.
I wonder why he put her in italics when speaking about Gillian chewing her guitar?
Great scan Johnny, enjoyed that.
Thanks Biggy. I like to contribute something relevant when and if i can.Has a funny old history that cutting.I lost it for many many years then found it.Then lost it again then found it again and tried to upload to Imageshack once before when there was a thread about the G-MEX gig but Imageshack said it was too big to upload.Recently discovered i could upload pics , scans etc far easier by simply right clicking and selecting upload to Imageshack on the desired file in my Pictures album.Just wish i'd kept many many more cuttings from the 80s instead of foolishly throwing them away in a clear out once
Aye , i'm baffled too by James Brown's use of italics when describing Gillian's guitar her guitar .
All i remember from the day of the gig is being at my Mother's house with a couple of mates round in the afternoon (which was a freezing cold Saturday in December) , my car in the driveway with a full tank of petrol and umming and arring about zipping up to Mancland without tickets on the off chance of paying a fortune off a tout.But we never got in the car.Oh , one of life's biggest opportunities for a massive night that would form the latter days of our youth but we never grasped it 
The issue also carried a full back page pic of Hooky from the same gig .Will try and scan and upload sometime.Have the NME review of Wembley 87 somewhere too
anyone have the pix from some NME or MM back in 1991 or so that showed Hooky all fat and wasted with Revenge? it was some little photo shoot of him out drinking and was NOT very flattering... he was definitely looking like a biker, after many many kegs....
i find it interesting those pix have never been resurrected and posted anywhere.
Good to see that again, thanks johnny, can't really add much to what's been written above but the gig was special as the Manchester/Madchester thing was really starting to gather pace and the Mondays had not long released Bummed and were starting to get a lot more attention. Them and New Order on the same bill together was a massive thing to me at 15!
