Portsmouth - Wedgewood Rooms 1996

The last show of the tour found us in Portsmouth at the Wedgewood Rooms, a medium sized venue with excellent acoustics and a very loud sound system. Despite the (relatively) large size of the venue it rapidly filled up to a very appreciative crowd. Ether were as usually providing the support and played their normal set, finishing with the rather good "Best Friend". Why didn't you release that as your first single lads? Rox and Mark were spotted in the crowd during Ether's performance, but the rest of the band were nowhere to be seen.

Finally My Life Story came on to a note perfect (as usual) rendition of "Sparkle (Concert Hall)" from Danny on keyboards. The set unfolded as per normal but with Megaphone Theology thrown in as an added extra between Mr. Boyd and April 1st, and The Garden Fence Affair replacing Angel in the Encore.

Jake performs at his best when he has a responsive crowd, and the crowd at Portsmouth were certainly that. Jake's theme for the night was "Pretend we're all in church" to which from somewhere in the audience the reply "Praise the Lord" was heard.

All the songs were of course fantastic, but the inclusion of Megaphone Theology, which I hadn't heard live before was the highlight of the show. Other high points were Mr. Boyd, which always sounds fantastic, but this time had added vocals from Danny, and a special version of Funny Ha Ha featuring Ether on stage, and lines such as "The way he sticks his fingers up Rory's arse."

After the show was over I managed to have a quick chat with Paul (in the toilets of all places) and asked him whose phone number was scratched on the run out of the 7" version of Sparkle. Apparently it's Jamie the A and R man's and Paul urges us all to phone him up.

So far my vote for "Best gig of the century" has to go to My Life Story at Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms. I have a feeling that it will be a difficult show to better, by them or anyone. They might just do it at New Years Eve though, I'll let you know

Silently Sparkling

Chris
blue bar
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