Heartland

For what it's worth, here's the viewpoint from a twit who can't abide Marmite on toast...

This gig was a slow burner for me, the first part being marred by the constant battle to move in an unusually tight crowd. Nobody's fault - just far too many people cammed into a small space and none of us prepared to give up our spaces Once this eased off (only slightly), I was able to enjoy myself and really get into it. On the upside, the battle for space seemed to fuel the crowd and, in turn, the band.

Can I give an objective view of the gig? Probably not. The sound wasn't brilliant but it was good enough for me and I had no problem whatsowever recognising the songs or hearing Eldritch's vocals. For me, the buzz between the band and the crowd has always been crucial for a great Sisters gig. I've seen them when the sound has been very good but the atmosphere has been flat. At other times (and London was one of them), the buzz has been amazing and I'm left on a complete high by the end. And I'm still feeling it 3 days later

Twit!

Nowt wrong wi' Marmite

(or toast)

Andrew S wrote:For what it's worth, here's the viewpoint from a twit who can't abide Marmite on toast...

This gig was a slow burner for me, the first part being marred by the constant battle to move in an unusually tight crowd. Nobody's fault - just far too many people cammed into a small space

There weren't too many people in there, everybody has got fatter

I thought the gig was a lot beter than I expected and so much more enjoyable than previous SISTERS gigs. I operate a three strikes and you're out policy and this gig means I am scheduled to watch at least 3 more SISTERS gigs!

Pista wrote:Nowt wrong wi' Marmite

How wrong you are! 'Tis the Devil's work

Did anyone manage to record the gig?

markreed wrote:Chris is a breath of fresh air and the best guitarist I think The Sisters have had...

Yet some people harp on 'these new guys are s**t compared to Adam/Wayne/Gary/fill in the blank'. Having a preference is one thing; slagging off anyone who isn't your preference (especially when the latter is without doubt history) is just juvenile.

And also wrote:I don't understand how people could diss the band itself.

Neither do I. But they have.

OnlineSince1984 wrote:...I don't think it's dripping vitriol to say that the sound mix was poor, particularly if one was up in the gallery, it's simply fair comment.

I very much doubt the 'dripping vitriol' comment was meant in regard to the negative reactions about the sound. Rather, there are posts to the effect that, based on the sound, The Sisters: are 'rubbish'; 'suck', and should 'give up'; are 'pathetic' and will not be supported in the future; essentially are dead (and that's all I'm going to cite, because it just pisses me off reading them again... ).

All the I-walked-out-in-disgust-because-the-sound-was-so-bad comments are perturbing, in that they indicate these people don't have sufficient interest in the band to stay for the duration, but must be accepted as valid personal opinions. However, there's still this underlying attitude of lousy sound = lousy band.

Andrew S wrote:

Pista wrote:Nowt wrong wi' Marmite

How wrong you are! 'Tis the Devil's work

I thought that was onions.

7anthea7 wrote:However, there's still this underlying attitude of lousy sound = lousy band.

Nope- it was like listening to a great band and looking to turn up the volume

Marmite rules btw

I'm not sure I got the wrong end of the stick here, but I'm not slagging off any previous Sisters geetarist. Von all chose them for good reasons and I've never heard a bad guitarist in the band. I have my preferences regarding which ones I think wrote better songs or had a better sound, what I will say is that Chris and Ben seem to be having a brilliant time playing the songs and their guitars sound brilliant. If I were a big band in need of a guitarist I'd poach Chris, if I had the chance.

markreed wrote:I'm not sure I got the wrong end of the stick here, but I'm not slagging off any previous Sisters geetarist.

Never meant for you to assume that was meant for you - it was an observation on the content of other posts, in regards to people dissing the band.

And also wrote: Von all chose them for good reasons and I've never heard a bad guitarist in the band. I have my preferences regarding which ones I think wrote better songs or had a better sound, what I will say is that Chris and Ben seem to be having a brilliant time playing the songs and their guitars sound brilliant. If I were a big band in need of a guitarist I'd poach Chris, if I had the chance.

Total agreement on all counts. Which is why I have so little patience with the naysayers...

silentNate wrote:

7anthea7 wrote:However, there's still this underlying attitude of lousy sound = lousy band.

Nope- it was like listening to a great band and looking to turn up the volume

Yup. Which is why I can't understand all the rubbishy comments. But then again, they weren't made by the regular inhabitants of our little world here, either...

The more I think about it, the more I think the only thing I would change about the gig - apart from it being set in my local pub where I choose the setlist - would be to make it louder and a more biting sound mix. The band themselves performed passionately and it looked, as Sisters gigs always do, very very distinctive. No one else ever looks quite like a Sisters gigs, there are certain palettes of purples, cold blues and greens, as well as spotlights and smoke that the Sissies excel at.

Review and pictures :



REVIEW : here http://www.thefinalword.co.uk/content/view/797/35/

TONS OF PICTURES http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-reed/ ... rsofmercy/

More pictures if you want, they're at flickr. Or I could post some up here. Not tommorow night though, I'm seeing AC/DC.

markreed wrote:REVIEW : here http://www.thefinalword.co.uk/content/view/797/35/

Brilliant! Nice to see one written by someone firmly on the band's side, for a change...

TONS OF PICTURES http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-reed/ ... rsofmercy/

Nice pix! (Pretty moggy, too. )

lob wrote:My first time here and Thursday was my first Sisters gig, I came to the band and this site because of Chris Catalyst - having admired the Eureka Machines and the work he has done with Ginger etc for a long time. I have been on various Band Forums and my regular visits to the Wildhearts web pages had sort of accustomed me to the less than positive attitude some band followers have BUT nothing had prepared me for the vitriol some of you guys drip!

I saw a fantastic gig on Thursday, sure a few things could have been better if I wanted to be fussy but I don't want to be, I want to be uplifted - and I was, I want to be entertained and I was and I want to see something special and I am sure I did see something pretty f**king special.

Come on guys - it was a damn good night out........nuff said, probably won't post again

Well then. Had I known you were there, I'd have come and said hello!

This was in the main why I was there too (I run the Eureka Machines website) but also when I was at University (in Manchester) I briefly shared a flat with someone who was a massive Sisters fan. I heard the songs more times than I can recount, so only the unreleased stuff was new to me. So there was a combination of reasons to be more than a little curious, and to finally want to break my duck and see them live.

All I can say is, I had a really good time. Regarding the sound, I was actually able to stand right next to the speakers without being deafened, which is kind of unusual, but from that placing all sounded good to me. I can see that people who have lived through a lot of line-up changes will have different views on each incarnation. Anyway, it sounded like The Sisters of Mercy to me, which was what I was expecting. Chris was great, but then I knew he would be - what I didn't know was what to expect from Ben. And what do you know, I thought he was great too.

I'll definitely go see them again.

robm wrote:Did anyone manage to record the gig?

There's a recording up on Dime now

robertzombie wrote:

robm wrote:Did anyone manage to record the gig?

There's a recording up on Dime now

Getting it now

foking Dime

robertzombie wrote:

robm wrote:Did anyone manage to record the gig?

There's a recording up on Dime now

aye.

*cough*

someone can upload it in other server PLEASE??

I enjoyed the gig much more than the Astoria previously. I'm not sure if that was because I wasn't expecting it to be too great. It should have been louder but then again my ears didn't suffer. The lights were great. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, even that bald bloke on stage.

markreed wrote:Review and pictures :



REVIEW : here http://www.thefinalword.co.uk/content/view/797/35/

Wow, your photos are really HQ, and I do like your comments, either.
Obviously work ... so thanks ...
Those on Flickr are nice work as well ... what sort of camera have you got?

As I said, I am sure the band's performance was great ... it's just a shame that I couldn't hear it.

So I've spoken to a couple of musicians since who reckon the fault could lie with the PA system at the venue. Von and his crew may have been saving a couple of quid by using the PA of The HMV Forum, rather than transporting their own rig around.

Interestingly, one of my group moaned as we got to The HMV Forum as he'd been to see The Residents play there in late 1990s and they had used this venue's own PA system and the sound quality was terrible then too; we've since heard other friends say similar about other gigs there too.

Goldblade appeared to be using their own amplification, and were plenty loud and clear as a bell, perhaps The Sisters were using the inhouse PA system and that was the cause of the problem?

I was planning on going to see Friendly Fires at The HMV Forum, but don't want to risk similar sound issues so have decided to give it a miss.