Fer sentimental reasons I usually give Birmingham NEC 26-03-89 as the answer for choice of favourite concert (as it was my first ever concert) this question pops up quite a lot, and yes I have it on CD.
Anyway fer a change of gig, I'm gonna go fer Liverpool Olympia 18-07-01, set out early afternoon with John & Lorraine, got to Liverpool around 4ish I think, proceeded to the pub just across the road from the venue (Mr Jarvis will have to help me out with the name.....again
) Had a few beers and a great craic there, there were loadsa fans, both inside and outside the pub (as it was a lovely sunny day) we were on our 3rd or 4th beer, when John spotted Bez from the Mondays, he was with various members of Black Grape and Rowetta (backing singer fer the Mondays) decided to march on over and see if Bezrick was up fer a photie, he duly obliged, Lorraine took the photie and I have used it several times to impress pals when they come to mine fer a bevvy
This was New Order's first gig of the tour, and was not long after Crystal was doing the rounds in bootleg forms....I think the single came out just after the concert (but with my memory, it's possible it had just come out!) Got into the venue after the cue had died down a wee bit (which gave us time to have another beer at the pub across the road:D ) Got into the venue, where we looked at the merchandise, and bought a couple of T-shirts, unfortunately we were situated up at the balcony, so there was no chance of us getting down the front, the security guys said there was no chance
I remember people handing out "Aftershow Tickets" and we actually thought the band would appear in the Grafton (Famous Liverpool club situated next door) silly us
Got into our seats, can't remember the support act, but from what I remember they were ok, and I think they covered a New Order song (again, I may be wrong!) The band took to the stage with 2 "New Members" messrs Cunningham and Corgan (who was wearing a Reni style hat)
Barney or Hooky mentioned it was good to be back, and they started Atmosphere which Hooky dedicated to his mam and Rob Gretton....very touching moment, and if reports from the papers are correct, there were a few tears down the front.
The band during the course of the gig played 5 debut live tracks (from Get Ready of course) Slow Jam, Crystal, Turn My Way, Close Range and 60 Miles An Hour, all were greeted by enthusiastic applause, now it might have been the beers consumed during the course of the day (and during the gig) but all the new songs seemed familiar, Close Range in particular! they also played what would turn out to be the blueprint for the rest of the tour, old favourites like Bizarre, Touched, Temptation....
But a big highlight for the die-hard fans who were in attendance, would definitely have been the re-introduction of Your Silent Face (and Love Vigilanties) , the band were playing Isolation, when we ran out of beer, so I had to go to the bar, which was luckily, right next to the exit on the balcony, just before it was my turn to order, I heard Barney's harmonica......decided to make a dash back into the hall, then Your Silent Face started, I decided to stay and watch to savour the song, and ended up dancing with several other fans right at the back of the balcony, all of whom were delighted to hear this wonderful song being played again!! At the end of the song the place went crazy, I decided to head back to the bar to get the beers in. I heard a strange noise as I got back into my seat.....it was Billy Corgan singing on Turn My Way
The sound to the whole gig was absolutely brilliant, they seemed to gel perfectly with the 2 new guys, it's just a pity that the bootleg doesn't do the sound any justice at all! They came back for an encore, and I remember Barney saying something like "We having that much fun, we're gonna play the set again" then kicked into Ruined In A Day. They finished as they always had with Blue Monday, and I think Barney said something like "Yes, it's that fookin song again" We got outa the gig and headed straight for The Grafton Rooms, hoping to see New Order, bumped into my good friend Bez at the bar again and he said hello. We were at the Grafton till 1.30 in the morning and decided to head home, disappointed that the band never turned up, but still on a high from an absolutely storming gig! We went on to see another couple of gigs on the tour at Manchester Apollo and London's Brixton Academy, but I'd have to say that this concert was easily the best, and right up there with the best I've seen.
Full set list was
Atmosphere, Slow Jam, Crystal, Regret, Love Vigilanties, Isolation, Your Silent Face, Turn My Way, Close Range, Touched By The Hand Of God, Bizarre Love Triangle, True Faith, Temptation, Love Will Tear Us Apart, Ruined In A Day, 60 Miles An Hour & Blue Monday.
