Newcastle Arena 4th December 1997 Thanks to 'NO MAN ARMY' for this contribution We arrived at Newcastle Arena about 6:45 - ish and were frisked in apathetic - cant be bothered way...we found out pretty quickly that we werent allowed into the arena itself, but sort of stood in the big indoorfoyer type thing, but there was a door that would be opened soon so we waited in line next to one of the side doors. As soon as it was opened, at about 7:00pm, there was already a DJ warming up, but he wasn't a really bigname or I would have remembered who he was. He played for about an hour,till 8:00pm, dropping some real phat tunes but still everyone was just standing there, either smoking dope or trying to jump up and hit condoms someone had blown up, or standing still nodding their heads in apreciation. Next were Red Snapper, a Jazz / Hip Hop crossover who were really cool, incorporating an MC (who also played trumpet), guitarist, drummer, and a double bass. They were pretty laid back and relaxing, and about a quarter of an hour into their 3 quarters of an hour set, I noticed two or three people standing in the wings, drinking "Indigo" and nodding their headsalong to Red Snapper. One of these was definitlely Liam Howlett, anotherone may have been Leeroy. I thought this was really cool because here was guy whose music I had admired for ages, but always from afar. Now, here he was, physically stood in front of me... At about 8:45pm Red Snapper's gear was cleared, and a large piece of Linowas selotaped to the stage. The DJ came back on, and three breakdancers battled each other with the crowd acting as judges, and dishing out respect to those who earnt it. Finally, at 9:00pm the selotape was removed that held the curtains together. The lights changed dramatically from blue to a dark red. A roadie staggered onto the stage with a mic: "Alright?!" he yelled. Abuse was hurled at him. "Alright?! 'oo wants eet? WHO. WANTS. IT?" Then he sohuted "D'ya want this? ITS THE PRODIGY!!!" a deafaning cheer went up.Atorturously low sound was emitted fron the speaker stacks, which were a good eight metres high (bigger than my house), and then a laughing, poltergeist-esque sound, accompanied by haunting chords from what I think is the theme tune to the superb movie "The Usual Suspects" .. The curtains are flung back, to revealed a darkened stage with afigure crouched between stacks of obscenly exspensive equipment. The stagehas a drum kit on it. Not a small row as previously seen, but a full ontotal kit with a chair and a drummer and everything...... There was a set too, with steps leading down from what looked like a speaker, with large criclesleading inward, getting gradually smaller with a mirror in the middle,about man - sized. Also, tattered shreds of brown cloth were hanging fromthe ceiling. Smack my bitch up kicks in, and Maxim strides out....and so it began. All in all, a superb gig, even though it was my first gig of any description. Set list was as follows: Intro (its definitley on the soundtrack for "The usual suspects" anyway) Smack my bitch upVoodoo People Diesel PowerFunky ShitBreathe (at this point a freind of mine was taken to hospital after hecollasped because of a spiked drink - fool, he shouldnt have trustedsomeone he didnt know to buy it) Serial ThrillaMindfieldsRock n' roll FirestarterFuel My fire Full Throttle by One Man Army [go home] www.nekosite.co.uk - copyright © 1998-2001 by neko - all rights reserved |
