Christmas was going to
be perfect. Just fantastic. Public Image on Christmas Day, more than
a gig... an event. I mean, they made the best single of the year, and
although the album was disappointing 'Low life' and bits of 'Religion'
were good. Anyway it'll be great to see them live... no doubt about
it, something to look forward to.
The stage looks fantastic,
just like the new posters Virgin have been putting up 'round town. All
green and black. The minute Mr. Rotten walks on stage you think it's
all been worth it. I mean, he looks so great. Checked suit, funny hat
and shopping bags... you only saw me for the clothes I wore... They
start with 'Theme' from the LP. The barrage of requests for old favourites
that follows is met with characteristic snot - "Listen, don't ever
ask for any Pistols numbers, that's history, ya know what I mean."
The sound still hasn't improved. The bass and drums are OK, very much
like the album, but the guitar's virtually inaudible.
Next is 'Low life', which
gets a bit of action out of a remarkably lethargic audience, then after
about a minute of 'Attack' a huge fight breaks out at the front and
the band stop playing altogether. Another five minute wait while John
throws a moody (threatens to leave) and gives us a lecture ("Don't
fight among yourselves - when will you ever learn?"). Then follows
a good version of 'Belsen was a gas' which is introduced as a song "me
and Keith Levene wrote". Funny, before we were told it was Sid,
anyway I don't care who wrote it, it is the best moment of the night.
The words are changed around a bit too.
Then 'Religion' and 'Annalisa'.
All through the set though it seems that the total is so much less than
the sum of the parts. Keith Levene ambles round the stage and spends
an inordinate amount of time trying, but not succeeding, to tune his
guitars. Jah Wobble just sits, struggling with his bass. Donut on drums
is great, he's holding the whole thing together. The initial visual
impact of the stage just doesn't hold up... in short, it gets boring.
At two minutes past twelve
Rotten walks off, comes back and tells us we can have one more, which
is the single. As great as it is it can't seem to revive many failing
spirits. Even before it's finished the house lights are flashing. They
played for about 40 minutes in all. What more can I say? It didn't so
much end as fizzle out.
During a two hour walk home
in the early morning rain you get to think of a lot of things. Basically
it's just been horrible from beginning to end. A bloody disaster. Just
a bad gig, organized by and starring a group you didn't think could
ever be bad. No magic. No spirit. It may be purposely anti-intellectual
but it's very little fun, ya know what I mean. Christmas comes but once
a year.
Did you ever get the feeling
you've been conned...? |