The All-Singing All-dancing Acoustibollox Review Thread

[pcough]

I hope you'll reconsider.

It's hard to make out, was this the first time you've seen him live? Or just first acoustic gig?

First time in any guise...although I have been a WH/Ginger fan for a while...

I *really* tried to enjoy it...but combinations of grumpiness and crowd and high expectations, it just didn't cut it...

Pete

[IceMan]

Exeter was brilliant and surprisingly busy - Ginger was on very good form I thought. And Eureka Machines were ace

Indeed Eureka Machines were good at Exeter. Ginger opened well with humour and songs and then played non-stop for about an hour. But I didn't think it was brilliant...

Firstly my girlfriend didn't really like the music and left me to it, and secondly because there was way too much guitar noodling in between songs. I was trying my best to toe-tap and keep into it but the delays between songs (whilst Chris and Scott attempted to work out exactly where Ginger was heading with it) went on twice as long as any fillers on his current album!

Jake was out of tune, wrong time, wrong everything (at the start) leaving me with a puzzled expression! Most of the gig Ginger had his eyes closed or seemed to ignore the audience (only talking amusingly at the start really).

The Spinal Tap bit was funny, but as I'm not fully aware of the film (shame on me I know!) it left me a bit confused but laughing anyway!

But the biggest downer was the set ending and the guys legging it at high speed with no encore despite the crowd shouting the place down. Then the crowd started singing Weekend (which the guy next to me said he was "saving himself" for) and the DJ whacked on a loud metal track cutting everyone off! Grr! Then again the DJ kept playing even when Ginger was on stage at the front, prompting a torrent of abuse hehe!

So not really a perfect night, the last time I saw Ginger was at the Bulldog Bash in 2001 and I was hoping for a bit more fun having heard Grievous Acoustic Behaviour... was hoping it might make get my girlfriend into it, but the music they played (and the not-at-all-acoustic nature of the gig) just left her unimpressed.

A shame really! I got some pics and a bit of video of Loveshit (which he went back to, as well as When She Comes) which I'll upload in a bit.

Maybe Ginger's getting a bit bored with gigging so much?

p.s. there was a brief moment when he did the opening to "Everybody Wants A Piece Of The Action" by Def Leppard and I was like "wow!" then didn't go any further with it!

p.p.s. According to Eureka Machines the best song in the world is Witchita Lineman, and the second best is Take On Me hehe

[The Breakdowns]

Action is by The Sweet, guv! i think Leppard covered it...

The Sweet are great!

And the Best SOng In The World is clearly 'Anything That's Rock N Roll' by Tom Petty.

Eureka Machines were good lads- we had fun hanging out with 'em!

[vickyp]

Nah, the best song in the world is 'Another Girl, Another planet' by The Only Ones.
Although 'Wichita Lineman' is up there in the rankings. I've been shocked by just how many people don't know that song. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!

[The Breakdowns]

ach, everybody knows that song really!

[vickyp]

I thought they did but there are a worrying number of educated, otherwise normal people who have no awareness of it. In a straw poll of everyone I asked last week, 80% of them didn't have a clue what I was on about. Tsk!

[The Breakdowns]

ah well. It pays to ask those who are already in the know.

it is a great song indeed!

[shadow]

i get the feeling gingers left a lot of people disapointed so far on this tour----yes i know lots of you will disagree----but MH deserves much better----dya not think gingers just squeezin as much as he can out of his die-hards???? before maybe leggin it back over the water?

[firedup]

Anyone got any comments about Nottingham?

Due to meeting and drinking too much with some of you lot on the board my memory is kinda hazy... I do remember the huge sing-along for 29x and the massive crowd demand for an encore - generally I thought it was a good gig and well received. I did dip a bit in the middle and during one song there was a lot of talking - I think Ginger might have said something. (cant remeber what it was, maybe I was talking...) He also kept saying something about 'well, I've got your money now...' which was a bit odd.

I think I was involved in some of the banter - all friendly though, but I seem to remember some idiots giving him actual abuse - no idea what that was about - anyone else remember?

[vickyp]

*predictably disagrees with shadow above*
The gigs I went to were very enjoyable but it sounds from on here like there have been some nights that weren't quite as good as people hoped (i.e. Leicester seems to have not gone well due to sound problems) and i think Ean had a point when he said about the gig he went to that 'it may have been more of a great muso's night out than a great gig' - the shows I saw they were clearly enjoying themselves and really getting into the playing, especially of some of the instrumental parts rather than actual songs people expected to hear. It was nice to hear Ginger say that he enjoyed playing the intro to 'Geordie...' so much that did we mind if he played it twice? So no, I don't think he's 'just squeezin as much as he can out of his die-hards' as you say.
In Leeds there was a nice bit of back and forth chat with the crowd about other bands, Ginger mentioned some singer that was much bigger 'back home' and then caught himself, realised he was talking about the states and promptly took the piss out of himself by starting into 'Turning American'.
That's what's great about these small acoustic gigs, they are more informal, relaxed and intimate, there is more freedom for Ginger to play whatever, and that's why you get him perhaps indulging in something he wants to do, whether that be a bit of a celtic jam session or a cover version of something you've never heard before, or splicing 'Loveshit' with a different song in the middle everynight.
I know you really love MH, and I don't blame you, but I don't think this tour is really just about MH alone, and touring that album. It's more of a solo-stuff in general tour, with bits from all over dropped in for good measure.
*hands over soapbox to next in line*

[burgerrock]

The 2 gigs i went to were superb..

Very glad i didnt go to Leicester or Worcester by the sounds of things!!!

[IceMan]

Click here for a video of a bit of "Loveshit" from the Exeter gig.

And vickyf, picking up your soapbox (lol), I don't disagree that the nature of the gigs is somewhat different to a more structured Wildhearts or other band gig, it was more that the instrumental noodlings (in Exeter at least) went on so long I was beginning to get bored! I like to sing along not just play the "is he working his way into another song yet, come oooon!" game heh!

I did sing along to every song, it was just a shame there weren't more songs in the place of the fillers!

[Chris Davies]

God I don't think i've ever seen such criticism before , which sometimes is good to see.

Suprising that many people on here said that the Wildhearts xmas tour was the best they've/Ginger has played in awhile , now its seems like this is the worst tour he's done in years.

I'd still have liked to have been at one of the gigs though.

[lob]

My twopennorth for what it is worth. I think to sugest Ginger is ripping people off is frankly bollocks. It seems that some people either want a 'play the new album' type tour or an old style pissed up and pissing about type gig.

I went to the London gig last night and I thought the whole thing was great. Loyalties - nice choruses and great good humour, Eureka Machines - well the boy Catalyst is just brilliant - he deserves genuine success, my first time seeing this incarnation and his oppo seems just as determined and hard working - I can't wait to see the full on electric version.

As for Ginger - what I saw was someone playing and singing as well as he has ever done, probably better, and really enjoying the process of music making. We got a great mix of songs and I especially liked the instrumentals they made for a good way to break up the set. In the past I have never really 'got' Geordie, it seemed out of place but last night it fitted and had me singing along. Chris Catalyst makes is as good in a supporting role as he is front man and the American guitarist - not the prettiest bloke in the room but my God he can play.

We had a nasty incident as they were about to leave the stage when a rather odd bloke who had been banging a tambourine appeared to jump up and try to kiss Ginger who pushed him away quite forcefully back into the crowd from his face I would say the bloke was lucky to get away with just that. I suspect that because Jake was still on stage at that point Ginger was feeling protective and I can't blame him. I thought that would be it but after we raised the roof singing 'Don't worry' they came back on for a couple more and finished with a really strong 29X, lots of singing and Ginger back to beaming all over his face again.

Perhaps there wasn't the sense of danger or drunken bonhomie that we might have got in the past and perhaps the night didn't make for a genuine album promo (I bet everyone in the room has it anyway) but I for one would rather see the man clean, sober and enjoying his music .

Steve

[burgerrock]

Well said..