Well, that was a memorable weekend! 4 sets featuring band members (5 if you include JJ & Polyphonic Size), a huge cast of guest supports and some amazing other events. And a venue packed with the best fans in the world!!!
We had: JJ cooking, Dave remembering (!), Baz singing his heart out, Jet thundering away, Sparky bongoing, John Robb enthusing, 6 new tracks and lots of old ones, a £3350 bass in auction, a guy in a black & white suit, Chiswick Charlie and a Finchley Boy recalling and the world's hardest pub quiz... All packed into one weekend.
We got: Bitching, Lowlands, The Raven, Unbroken, Swine, In The Shadows, Don't Bring Harry, Freedom Is Insane, Rise Of The Robots, Bless You, Genetix, Boom Boom, Mean To Me, Do The European, Giants and Shut Up...
Many, many people to thank but here's just a few of them: the band, the crew, the management, Neil Sparkes, the legendary John Robb, Goldblade, Mike Peters, Gus & Fin, Polyphonc Size, the Wilko Johnson band, Al Hillier, Garry Coward-Williams, Chris Twomey, Ava Rave, the Butts Brewery crowd, the Mamstore girls, the Music Glue girls, the Maidman sisters, Phil Johnson, Rab & Tracy for trophies, the venue & security staff and last and most importantly the fans... Thanks to everyone!
We'd like to throw this open to comments and feedback from you. Please let us know what you think-you never know, there may be a next time...
ratter
21st November 2011
Really enjoyed the event! did hear some people groaning that Enough Time was not played, Which is a bit silly when you consider everything else from the period with the exception to 'Rok it' was!!!
ReplyDeleteReally good to see the band on form and a great chemistry between JJ and Baz which can only be a good thing for the quality of the new material.
Was Dave struggling with his new keyboards?
All the supports were great - the venue was adequate - the security very good and all in all the event was great value........cheers
What an absolutely fantastic weekend and met some new friends with my partner !!!! Great new tracks !!!
ReplyDeletesuperb,black & white in full what more can a mib ask for many thanks to everyone for all the hard work that went into the weekend!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend, despite the tired and aching feet. The Q&A was an informative section, specially JJ saying that no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't get the feel for Enough Time. Watching JJ and Baz both cooking and acoustically was highly entertaining and the chemistry between them, as previously stated, can only enhance the future. Not sure if anyone else noticed Dave's keyboard malfunction during Raven! All in all a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable weekend. Thanks to all involved with the organisation, security and mostly the music.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe I got outbid for the meet n greet tickets for the Roundhouse! Thats a double whammy as I couldn't get tickets for the convention! Bah humbug! Anyway, I'll be at the Roundhouse in March, home of the meninblack.
ReplyDeleteWeekend was excellent,organisation was superb and the music, well what more could you ask for , an exceptional event ,highlights for me were hearing several tracks live for the first time like Rise of the Robots,In the Shadows,Shut up as well as 5 new tracks from the new forthcoming album ,supporting cast was superb and top marks to Goldblade,Polyphonic Size and Wilko Johnson,an absolute joy and an honour to have been there -Many thanks the band ,Owen,Jacqui and eveyone behind the scenes who made this the weekend of the year for me
ReplyDeleteTwo biggest highlights.....In the Shadows, surely a stayer for the set in March as the groundswell of opinion seems to be that it was the best track from B&W and seeing JJ perform 'Do The European' which I hadn't seen performed live since my first ever gig which was 32 years ago on 29th April 1979 being the final date on JJ's 'Euroman Cometh' tour. The new material sounded good especially 'Boom Boom' and 'My Fickle Resolve'. The staff at the Camden center were also really professional and welcoming.
ReplyDeleteJust brilliant. Great to see Yuka and four other Japanese fans make it over! Surely Hey, Shut Up and Shadows, to stay in March and April:-).
ReplyDeleteI'm presuming the guy who coughed up a monkey for the School Mam bell is now seeking the services of a divorce lawyer.
ReplyDeleteI could see JJ squirming playing In the Shadows and i'm pretty sure he said he'd never play it again before he started ... I reckon the whole band were more comfortable with the White side.
ReplyDeleteIn the Shadows and Enough Time - when the album came out were surely just fillers tacked on the end to complete the album, just my opinion but i think one shared by the band as they have chosen not to play them live since (or ever).
I mean if you listen to how dumb the lyrics are to In the Shadows compared to the rest of the fabulous album ... I totally understand how JJ was struggling to summon the will to play it, even tho' it has a menacing, dirty bass sound.
The new material: Some of it was good indeed, i did see JJ squirming again a bit at one of them that had a bit of a cheesy Johnny Cash riff chugging thru it ... ha ha.
Maybe they need a producer with the balls to stand-up to the band and squeeze one last stunning album out of them?
Great to hear 5 mins, Walk on Bye, Shut Up, Duchess, Who Wants the World, Raven etc - brilliant.
It was a great weekend on reflection. I have posted a lot longer review on the wknd here:
http://louderthanwar.com/featured/the-stranglers-convention-live-review
Cheers - Billy R
Great Weekend, all the entertainment was thoroughly top-notch! Sat on the balcony for some of it and the sound up there was good. Thanks to everyone involved for all their hard work. Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteYou're a swine!
ReplyDeletehad a ball,great songs new and old,baz could have a career as a stand up if he ever lays down the telecaster,dave is the absent minded prof,(with a little help from stella artois)and jet is economical at best,jj is king no doubts about that,really good venue just the right size,all the staff were excellent and the fans well they are the best....great wk-end
ReplyDeleteOverall, the weekend was a 9.5 out of 10. Half a point lost for 2 things. Unless you were down the front at the sides in front of the speakers, the sound was absolute crap. We stood in the middle on front of the mixing desk to start with but had to move as it was so bad. Also, we missed Do The European - GUTTED. Which set was that in?
ReplyDeleteFantastic to see proper ale available. No wonder it had completely sold out by Sunday late afternoon.
Fantastic weekend. Thanks so much to everyone involved in making this happen. Respect to Gus & Fin and Wilko for being totally brilliant!! Cheers.
I think what JJ actually said re Shadows is "I thought we'd never play this again." Got to disagree with the negative comment above re shadows. I think it was a cracking rendition and should be included in the set for next year's tour.
ReplyDelete@ Beninblack-DTE was played by Polyphonic Size and JJ sang. He did mention on his ratter that he would be appearing with them.
ReplyDeleteratter
Fantastic weekend - I really do hope there is another one. The real ale bar was an excellent, unexpected addition - although need a few more barrels next time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a weekend!! 3 scousersinblack had a great time (topped off by Liverpool beating Chelsea!) The support bands were superb -keeping us all happy until the MIB sets. New stuff sounds great, old stuff sounded amazing. Hey!Rise Of The Robots...please keep this in the set.
ReplyDeleteStanding outside for 5 mins fresh air on Sunday afternoon I overheard staff from The Camden centre calling the stranglers fans THE BEST! she remarked that it made her weekend at work a pleasure dealing with such polite and happy customers.
We are the best, and we follow the best band!
Can't wait for next year..
cliffinblack + mikeinblack and paulinblack.
Great fun - excellent support acts throughout.
ReplyDeleteMike Peters had a difficult slot but carried it off very well. Well done to the MIB. Thanks to all for their organisation and especial thanks to Mr Robb.
Only criticism thought security could have smiled a bit more - it was'nt a difficulat gig for them!
Phenominal - so refreshing to hear other tracks, instead of the regular Golden Brown / Always the Sun track-list.
ReplyDeleteGiants is just gonna be awesome!
Really well organised & delivered, better still to meet so many likeminded fans.
The top/horizontal Decades Apart banner is going straight into my converted garage/Stranglers den. Thanks to all the fans for their cheer at the final £300 bid! Reckon I got a bargain compared to the School Mam bell :-)
Just have to say a ggggggggggggggggggggggreat weekend in black. Well planned and well performed,made lots of new friends and caught up with some old ones, the real ale bar was pure genius and loved the cooking sketch on Sunday am. Looking fwd to the Giants tour in May new tunes sound like they could hit the spot. Just a final thought do we have to wait 10 years for the next one? 15 more studio albums to dissect how about one a year all around the country then retire disgracefully.
ReplyDeleteCheers for a fun weekend... The Man in the Zebra Suit
aye, shame on anyone who stayed in the pub and missed Polyphonic Size not only missing JJ singing DTE & Je Tai Toujours Aimee, a great performance with other old favourites & 2 lovely dancers :)
ReplyDeleteOverall an excellent weekend with the band generally on great form and the B&W set fantastic - Sunday felt reminiscent of the early 80s with WWTW,Raven, Thrown Away, but no Shah Shah A Go Go :( although I don't remember them playing Duchess?
Excellent weekend, thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyone interested in DG's keyboards will have heard references to his Mini Moog during the Saturday band questions,the guys on the mixing desk had MOOG written on a piece of paper showing the various channels intruments were assigned to and with the absence of the 4 Ocatave CME keyboard during most of Saturday our hopes were raised. Alas the CME was wheeled out and whilst it's obvious Dave has worked hard to replicate the older synth sounds with new technology many don't cut the mustard. In the Shadows lacked the Mini'S Chirps and even DG himself looked a little embarrassed at his Nice and Sleazy 'solo' . I would like to have seen a Hammond and a Mini up there with Dave even if it was just for the Convention weekend. Not detracting from a truly wonderful experience, we will always keep coming back for more and relish in the talent, but Dave, when you own a Golf , why play something which sounds like a Golf. With repect.
ReplyDeleteOverall, this was a fantastic weekend. Great to see the band perform old and new material. They are tighter now as a live band than they have been for 25 years.
ReplyDeleteSpecific feedback: Venue was in a great location but a bit sparse for facilities. Sadly, the acoustics were really poor and this was really noticeable on the Saturday semi acoustic set
The reminiscing sessions with old photos and stories were tremendous. Much appreciated. Would be great to see some of these archived on line and kept for posterity.
It would have been nice to have had some form of meet the band session i.e. for autographs and photos. Some of us middle aged muppets idolise the band and this is easier than jumping out on them in hotel foyers, etc and risking making an imposition on them that way.
The planned DVD of the event is a great idea but I also think that including an audio CD of Sunday's JJ & Baz acoustic set plus the evening set would be best.
Overall, a great weekend with the best band in the world. Please pass our thanks to the band.
Gary
Fantastic weekend and no complaints from me whatsoever,highlights were....Everything!!. This should happen every year IMO.
ReplyDeletemany thanks to all involved.
Roll On march and April!
Just a magnificent weekend - so many highlights but gotta say "Robots" and Baz doing "Blees You" were amazing.
ReplyDeleteRoll on the next decade - the stranglers are GIANTS!
Nige
what a great weekend and thank you to the band and everybody else involved, really enjoyed it and cant wait to see the photos posted online.
ReplyDeletethank you.
toneinblack.
Absolutely fantastic weekend! Had a great time from start to finish, meeting other fans and seeing some great sets. Closing set was superb, especially Sometimes, Thrown Away and Unbroken.
ReplyDeleteAgree with comments re : Baz as a stand up comedian - he'd be a star!
One slight criticism was rendition of In The Shadows, didn't sound good and I thought it was the only poor track the lads played.
Overall,brilliant - can we do another one soon????
Many Many thanx for a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteToo many highlights to go through, my typings not up to it. Great to catch up with old faces and even meet some new ones!!
Here's to next year, thinks it'll be a good'un.
Best weekend I have had for a long time. The atmosphere was great and it was really special to see the chemistry within the band. As others have said, the banter between Jean and Baz and with the crowd was just great. The Stranglers are a very special band and I felt honoured to be able to attend this 'celebration'. I really hope they can do this again.
ReplyDeleteSpent a lot of money and travelled a long way. Was i the only one expecting a bit more from the Saturday night set? Just 1 hour of the best from the best seemed a little less than i was expecting. Q.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with In the Shadows I thaught it wss brill also rise of the robots and shut up.
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend, only thing missing was a meet and greet with the band.
ReplyDeletegreat weekend, great atmosphere, great music,great people... good to meet people you normally read or reply to on the burning up times forum . the quiz was a blast (where the f**k did owen get those questions?)ice cream van reg...lol. we did finish second though so our team are only semi professional stalkers!!!!brill weekend the staff at the venue could not have been nicer especially the security people on the doors a smile and a hello every time you went in and out.we should do this more often!!!
ReplyDeleteA great weekend overall but I have to agree with the above comment regarding the band coming out to meet the crowd. It would have been a nice gesture and a fitting end to the celebrations.
ReplyDeleteAmazing weekend with fantastic people! Thanks to the organisers and the venue staff, it made for a perfect weekend. It was a superb set list with some very entertaining support!
ReplyDeleteWhat can you say, great weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to have sets that did not have the usual hits for the occasional "fan" but the wife was not too happy as she only knew Heroes from the final set!
Only slight downer was not enough seats, given that most of us were middle aged or more. I know that several of us had to keep nipping to the cafe area to sit down as our backs were aching!
What a great week end never mind a few cock ups keyboard crashes etc what other band plays what the fans want? most never talk bout the past never mind play the stuff again unless they skint and have to!! the guys worked hard and have entertained us all thanks, haway bazz you never used to cook food in the Jarrow Viking pub on your gigs pre stranglers!! great venue nice pppl! Thank you all!!
ReplyDeleteThat really was a fantastic weekend. I consider myself truly blessed to have been following the meninblack for 34 years and they just keep getting better and better. Sunday nights set was one of the tightest I have ever seen them play. Next convention needs to be Suite XVI played all the way through.Numerous highlights but one for me was Skin Deep. Thank you to the 3 folks that kept me company; my Dublin Pal, Mobb handed, and little miss sunshine. What memories!
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend, great sets by the Mighty Strangs, Wilko was absolutely ace, top class staff at the Camden Centre, caught up with old friends and made some new ones too. It doesnt get any better than this, thanks to all concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe previous convention had the advantage of being a "campus" event with everyone living on site. That added real community to the event.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend was great fun and the band were in a better place than 10 years ago so musically it was much better.
The PA was not right for the venue in that it had a narrow sound spread so the middle of the hall was pure mud.
As a small point, Ian Barnard has quietly kept The Stranglers viable as an international act. He is a charming, unassuming guy and never seeks the limelightbyet without his efforts the band would have been a UK only act. It is a shame Ian wasn't recognised at the convention.
Don't take the above as critiscism as the weekend was well e ecuted but you asked what would have made it better so I have chucked in my two penn'orth.
Well done. (inviting Gus and Fin was a stroke of genius)
Constructive feedback:
ReplyDeleteWhilst venue was OK, London is the most expensive place to stay in the UK and not always easy to get to.
The fact that it was surrounded by pubs meant fans kept leaving the venue, whereas at Pontins, there was no choice but to stay, which meant all the fans were in one place (a good thing).
Would've been nice to have opportunity to meet/greet with band for autographs and photos. Hate thought of hassling them after gigs but would have thought a convention would be the most appropriate place.
Filming the sets of Wilko and the band on Sunday would've completed the event.
Pity the quiz was a closed door event.
Positive feedback:
Black and White set was a fan's heaven! Best album choice.
Sunday night set = ditto.
Giants sounds great; more of the same will make for a good album.
Garry's old photos tour was interesting and worthwhile.
Wilko band probably best Stranglers support ever.
John Robb was the perfect compere; a nice bloke.
Great to hear the band's thoughts on B&W (when they remembered!!).
Saturday unplugged probably the best acoustic set I've ever seen from the band.
Raffle was a brilliant idea (even though I didn't win!).
Overall, a nice relaxed atmosphere with no aggro from anyone and a welcome change to spend time with so many people with whom I've got so much in common.
I'm sure it must be mega-hard work but it would be lovely if it could happen again in the not too distant future. (I would volunteer to help.)
great weekend ,well organised black and white set great.staff at venue really nice.would have liked some sort of interaction with band as a few have said.
ReplyDeleteCan't add anything to the above comments except to confirm that it was a fantastic weekend. Band played really well and I have to say Baz has added a new dimension and plays really well - top guy! I was privileged to shake the hand of keyboard god Dave Greenfield which was a bonus. Wilko was superb as usual along with the awesome fantastic Norman Watt Roy. Fans were so polite and friendly in the Dolphin and O'neill's and having a lady on a mobility scooter moved from the pit at the front in the B&W set was so funny! Fantastic weekend, I hope it becomes an annual event.
ReplyDeleteJohn Robb's criticism of my meagre pickings of the Pad Thai notwithstanding ("I had to prize the plate from his hands"-was a bit of an exaggeration I'd argue..) the event was a tribute to all who organised,arranged and performed.ShutUp,Dont Bring Harry,Robots,Cruel Garden,In The End were favourites for me..London was a good place for the convention-with internet pre-booking on hotels and train fares London can be as cheap as anywhere else,my train ticket from Swansea was £14 and Travelodge Euston £198 for 3 nights,not too bad..brilliant array of support bands,lets just book Wilko as Stranglers support for the rest of their career shall we? Himself and Norman are just rnb masters at work...the girl on keyboards with Polyphonic Size reminded me of Martha Ladley ( Echo Beach,faraway in time..)Goldblade were spectacular as alway,and I really enjoyed the band interviews between sets too.Good to see many long time friends here but also sad not to see some otherwise expected colleauges..never mind..they may turn up at the next convention..early days yet..best wishes to all fellow fans,band,security staff,roadies etc for a good Christmas and New Year and see you all again in March..Dave
ReplyDeleteKronenbourg's ad with the acoustic Ace of Spades is magic. They could better it by asking the Stranglers to record their acoustic 'Go Buddy Go' ..my highlight of the weekend. Fabulous.
ReplyDeletePoor venue, poor organisation and some very ignorant people.
ReplyDeleteWhen JJ talked obout the ghetto mentality of the band, he must have been thinking about some of the idiots in the audience who had just crawled from their ghetoes.
Mind you the disgusting sexism and homophobia coming from Baz Warne just fuelled some of those morons.
Judging by some of the strange buggers in the venue it looked more like a League Of Gentlemen convention.
I see one of the above fans mentioned London wasn't perhaps the best choice, it is the best for anyone flying in from abroad - or from France/Belgium/Holland etc via Eurostar. There is certainly scope for a Northern one tho'.
ReplyDeleteI was fairly happy with the sound, sometimes JJ's Bass was a bit muddy, sometimes Baz's clean sound was a bit weedy, I've already said Dave's surely not happy with his sound, Jet sounded fine ... BUT Wilko sounded great - so go figure.
I was @ The Holiday Camp Convention - very hard to get to - but had a good atmosphere, very grubby chalet's tho', made me feel sorry for the people who actually holiday there.
I would recommend more fan input re future Conventions - what drinks they would like for example - as i said having no draught lager was a joke and the £3.50 prices for what would be no more than 50p per bottle of beer wholesale - a small plastic glass 175ml of cheap wine was the same price ... i'm not in any way skint but i did feel we were being ripped off.
I didn't try the real-ale - i prefer chilled Belgian or German Wheat beer - not warm, flat ale ... each to their own.
The food was ok and well priced.
Looking back on it i had a great time, but was quite picky when i attended, the lack of seats and decent alcohol was the reason i was choosy susie.
The guy who thought the unplugged set was a highlight should have seen the one ten years ago - it was actually better than the Electric set the next night!
Supports for next time suggestions anyone?
I'll stick one in - 999!
Billy.
fantastic weekend, enjoyed all of the diverse sets. more seats for old gits please and having spent a fortune to stay in london, a meet and greet with the band would have been much appreciated. please don't leave it 10 years to do this again!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust got back - great gigs - great to see old and new friendsinblack - thanks everybody!
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment from the poster at 2.02am on the 23rd November above-just goes to prove that you can't please all of the people all of the time...
ReplyDeleteNot sure about idiots, morons or Baz's alledged offensive comments though. Please feel free to email via stranglersofficial@live.co.uk with details qualifying your comments so we can investigate any issues.
Thanks for the feedback
ratter
Loved it! Thanks to everyone involved, it was well organised. The venue was good with security staff who treated the fans as human beings.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been great to have Sunday filmed too but hopefully the DVD and CD will be jam-packed with Saturday highlights (ie. every damn minute!). A meet and greet would've been nice but even limiting every fan to only one handshake and one autograph from each band member might have jeopardised their ability to play!
Thanks to the band for taking the time and trouble to rehearse such great sets for us! Maybe Enough Time will get perfected one day?
Great weekend! The Stranglers and Polyphonic Size (Brilliant) The sound toward the back was poor, but loads of fun upfront. Should have done Enough Time like Live X-Certs, it is one of the best Stranglers albums by far. Loads of great memory's from this convention, but nowhere near as intimate as The My Young Dreams convention all those years ago...I've been Strangled!
ReplyDeleteHats off to Owen, Jackie and all those behind the scenes who ensured it was a trouble free and slick running event.
ReplyDeleteA meet and greet would have been the icing on the cake, but was not to be.
The Familyinblack is larger and stronger for having this weekend.
Maybe a bi-annual event???? Please?
Will be happy to advise dates that fit in with my crew-change ;-)
Lucky the band didnt play IFLAW or "NOVEMBER 23, 2011 2:02 AM"'s head would have exploded! Miserable git.
ReplyDeleteThe poster who sent the not so good report should have joined his freinds in a justin bieber concert where he/she belongs.Had a fantastic weekend,agree with the meet and greet coments,but it just adds the the image.Plus points for the door personel(couple of venues could learn alot).Now after having such a great time I will crawl back to my ghetto full of real good music loving people,not wet twats who woulnt know a great time if it shit on there head.Bring on the next convention
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic weekend and with regards to the Anonymous comments above I can’t remember the disgusting sexism and homophobia comments coming from anyone. We had a fantastic time and watched four marvellous performances from a fantastic band. We loved everything about it and couldn’t stop laughing at the cooking sketch.
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky enough to be staying in the same hotel as the band and I must say they were great, infact everyone who was dressed in black were class in and out of the venue, Baz top man.
Looking forward to a few more gigs in the spring and meeting some more of best fans around. The League of Gentlemen me arse.
From Joe, Lisa, Keith, Annette
At first we thought venue was perfect but after spending 2 days of our life there it was very uncomfortable, very hot and stuffy, no seats, so yes thats why we and so many others needed to keep leaving in droves and missing some of the action. Beer at £3.50 a small bottle was taking the piss. Everybody I spoke to agreed it would have been great to have been able to meet the band and was surprised that they didnt make themselves more available.
ReplyDeleteOverall the music shone through although their were a lot of tired legs and backs by the time the main Sunday performance kicked in
Nominblack
I wasn't at the convention but footage looked very good.The new material sound's very good.But a few obvious observations must be daves terrible keyboard sound these days,sorry dave but maybe invest in a decent keyboard with the money from the UF6,And as much as Baz does a great job,his voice just doesn's have the sinister edge of a certain HAC on tracks like in "in the shadows".Sorry baz.
ReplyDeleteSaturday was great and Sunday was brilliant as it was more relaxed with a sense of humour that you come to expect from the Stranglers and why many of us started to watch and still watch the most underestimated rock and roll band this country has ever produced. So those who have turned into Victor Meldrews leave the tickets to those who still understand them. More of In the Shadows, Relentless and I know you have a big catalogue but please don't leave out peaches. Defenders of the Stranglers
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend, infect the best. The band were great. The interaction great. The guests great. The security great. The fans great. Venue so so. Great to meet the lovely Spangle and her lovely sister on Sunday. When is the next one?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant weekend an accoustic set, my favorite stranglers album played in full, lots of new songs great support acts and a cookery class from JJ and Baz, what more could any fan want. Sue and Bernie Woods
ReplyDeleteAs most people have said great weekend.
ReplyDeleteHighlights for me Black and White set. Garry Coward-Williams photo's and stories, has he thought about putting them in a book?
The biggest highlight not only John Robb selecting my question to ask the band, but JJ giving a long and detailed explanation (mine was the question about the french part of 5 minutes).
Shame no meet and greet, but cannot have everything.
Brilliant to see the band so relaxed and Jet's health had improved enough to play all 3 sets, he is a LEGEND.
Thanks to all involved in the organisation.
Martin
Naughty Stranglers not having meet and greet/photo opportunity time with the fans. Who made that decision and why? would have been my question in the Q & A session if I'd known beforehand that they weren't going to mingle.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise a great weekend and a reunion for me with a friend I haven't seen for 15 years - brilliant!
As mentioned previously on our Facebook page my only downside was the fact the ale was in short supply....Admittedly the sound was not the best I've heard it but it was certainly bearable (especially down the front).
ReplyDeleteI think the venue staff at the door were the cheeriest I've ever seen-do try coming to Glasgow gigs some time for a comparison.
I had an absolute ball with the mates I travelled with and had a great time meeting so many like-minded fansinblack at the venue & later on in O'neills....
Was also great to see younger fans like Berti and the two who were celebrating their 18th birthdays.....
Oh and a final mention to Wilko & the band for a great set too......roll on the next one please....
Thanks for a brilliant weekend. I laughed so much at the cooking, thanks Baz you made it so funny. I sung my heart out to the annoyence of the people around me sorry. The only thing that was a downer for me was I was lucky enough to go to the Marriage of convenience covention in 1985 and got to meet Dave and Jet face to face and they signed my T shirt. It would have been nice to do the same. Thank you to all. See you at the next one. W.I.B x
ReplyDeleteId say one thing to that 2:02AM commenter-this is a local gig for local people,there's nothing for you here..
ReplyDeleteA fantastic weekend! Lots of thanks to everybody involved!!
ReplyDeleteJust got back to Melbourne from the best weekend of my life, I would rate it as somewhere between excellent and infinity !!!
ReplyDeleteSince emigrating to Australia 4 years ago I can tell you its difficult being an overseas “Strangler”
My only message to the band is to please make ALL the material from the weekend available, not just the Saturday !!
Fantastic weekend - great to see the band playing some less hit-oriented setlists than usual, 'The Raven' in particular was a great treat for me. Great job all around, only complaint was the price of the booze!
ReplyDeleteAmazing ... no one has mentioned JJ's 'Dad Dancing' during 'Do the European' ... i thought he was part of the Rhythm section ... :)
ReplyDeleteBilly.
Apart from the smashing job all the bands did throughout the weekend, spare a thought for the security who were the best I've seen in over thirty years of gig going.
ReplyDeleteWell done to everyone concerned, you did us proud.
Great to see so many familiar faces there too. Can't wait until next years' tour.
The Best 48 hours I've had all year...... 'nuff said!
ReplyDeletePJ
fantastic weekend.just about got rid of the hangover!! to the very few moaners and groaners,get a life.what more coud u want for 99 quid.stranglers forever.roll on 2012!!
ReplyDeleteBloody good weekend , great location, all the support acts were magnificent and the Stranglers were top of there game .
ReplyDeleteCould have done with more chairs at the venue as my back was fucked by Sunday , had to leave the hall to sit on a table during Wilo's set,and I struggled through the final set with a mixture of pain and extasy .
All the staff and security at the venue were great .
23rd 2,02 am (of course anonymous-coward),
ReplyDeletewhat a twat! bet his/her dad/mum was a music journalist in the late 70's/80's !! no appreciation of what a great weekend that was,
my user name is king brog but have to be anonymous as its the only way I can work this out!!
Had a fantastic weekend, was lucky enough to is chat to both JJ and Baz - John Robb was the perfect host, his own band Goldblade were a revelation; brilliant!
ReplyDeleteVenue was in a good location, easy access, reasonably priced hotels - sound in there however was crap... but was a top weekend, can't wait for next one!
fantastic weekend...no complaints at all..except the prices for the auction were totaly out of my league...
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say that hasn't been said above. Took my 19 year old lad along, and both enjoyed it. Sound was woolly (bully?)...but the staff at the Venue were very friendly. We never heard any offensive comments, homophobic ? Think not if JJ's comments re his orientation are anything to go by !
ReplyDeleteFeels like a family, and the band are as good, if not better than I can recall them being so consistently. Roll on Giants and March 2012. I would happily help at any future convention.
The only omission was not meeting and greeting...did at Pontins, photos/chats, signed items capped the whole thing off. But hey... Baz is a true gent, and funny to boot.
The acoustic set on Sunday made the hairs on the back of the neck stand up... fantastic, and JJ/Baz chemistry is so clear to see...
David & Simon Arthur
Just a big thanks to all involved,one of the best weekends of my life.
ReplyDeleteAll the best
Shauninblack
have to have 1 moan, all that nonsense about 'ohh you must bring your credit card to get in to the event' 'you must not sell your tickets on e-bay etc.' (which ive never had in 30 years of events), so all this being over the top strict, yet by the afternoon you could just walk in without showing your wristband and the next day loads were just walking in from the streets!!
ReplyDeleteHad a great weekend, enjoyed all the acts. The new stuff sounded good. The cooking with JJ and Baz was very amusing. Great to get my name mentioned as it was my 18th Birthday, I had the ticket as a birthday present and I came down with my Dad. Also great to meet Wilko Johnson, Norman Watt Roy and John Robb as well as talking to some of the other Stranglers fans. The talks were very intresting and the pictures were very good as well. Had my photo with Baz on the Saturday night, and shook Dave's hand. Looking forward to the new tour, ty to get to a few of the dates and Manchester will be rocking on the 24th March.
ReplyDeleteFrom Alex and Mark Owen
A great weekend, very well organised (well done Owen!) the Black & White set was superb...
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to hear some of these tunes again... on the March tour!
Robots, Genetix, Thrown Away, WWTW, and Shut Up
sounded vibrant and energetic... Thanks to everyone involved in this Convention.
cheers... Burn e 77 / Bernie
PS. It was cool to meet all you B.U.T Forumsters!
a fantastic WeekendinBlack... good music, good crowd (Hello Forumsters!) good venue, good staff & security, very well organised Owen...
ReplyDeletegreat to finally hear "Robots" live.
cheers Burn e 77 / Bernie.
have just been reading through some of the comments, why on earth did anon. 23rd even bother!!!!! been following the boys since 77 this was an absoultley brill weekend totally agree with previous comment best 48 hours with stranglers. no matter what they play its THE STRANGLERS LIVE. "JET BLACK JET BLACK" cant wait till march
ReplyDeleteTravelled down from Leeds for the convention with a die-hard MIB and had a fab time. We got return rail tickets for £29 each and a cheap "hotel room" with no loo for £55.....but it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteThought the whole event was very well organised, timings went to plan, registration was smooth, venue staff were friendly/helpful - I saw them take good care of the over-adventurous lady in the mobile scooter who was reversed at speed from the mosh-pit on Saturday nite! Well done to them!!
Great to hear anecdotes from the folks who were around the band in the early days - had a brief and enlightening chat to the chap from the Finchley Mob outside O'Neills - diamond! Ava was the life and soul - very friendly/sociable. Met many top folks/fans too.
The Pad Thai cooking "challenge" was hilarious - well done to whoever came up with that idea!!! Looking forward to picking up a copy of Baz & JJ's "Eastern Delights" cookbook from my local Waterstones in the new year!!
The venue was a little too warm at times and the sound was occasionally muggy. The Saturday nite disco in the main hall was only attended by 10 folks so it was a shame that the quiz was simultaneously held behind closed doors in a side room. But hey, these were just minor blips.
John Robb was a great host and mingled well. Wilco and band were excellent as always and well done to Mike Peters for getting things off to as great start. Altho I'm not a die-hard Stranglers fan I respect them for their longevity, fantastic back catalogue and their ability to keep knocking out great new material......amazing to think of all the excellent stuff they didn't play over the course of the weekend!! The Q&As were entertaining and I don't think we should be surprised that certain members can't recall specifics from way-back-when!
We met Baz on Euston Rd after his cook-a-thon. He was witty, warm and friendly - and I agree with other posters re his chemistry with JJ. He energises the band.
9.5/10 for me for the weekend - looking forward to Giants, 1/3/12 in Leeds and to the next convention, whenever. Be very grateful you have a convention - my fave band is The Fall!
Had an absolute fantastic time, and as already mentioned in above comments, the relaxed demeanour of the band and the chemistry between them all bodes well for the future. My only slight egative was the small turnout for Polyphonic Size.
ReplyDeleteI have one major comment to make and maybe con troversial to some here. The band would be right to concentrate next year on the new album and touring commitments on this should take precedence. As much as I would love another magical weekend next year would it be as good as this one, maybe wait another year 2013 and hopefully the band still feel right in doing one. and how about JJ and Dave doing a Euroman/Ecoutez set. Having had Rattus at the Roundhouse and a B&W set obviously next in line is...... well we all know where Im going with this.
A big thanbk you to ALL involved in making it a fantastic weekend, roll on next year
JET BLACK...JET BLACK...JET BLACK...
Cheers
ice queen said..
ReplyDeletewhy in earth did the neanderthol at 2.02 23/11 bother forking out for a ticket if they were so clearly anti all things Stranglers?. Surely if he/she were a true supportor of the band they would be aware of Bazs' sense of humoour which is not sexist, its all tongue in cheek.
As for idiots in the audience,did he/she mean people smiling ,laughing ,dancing and generally having a good time?? umm.
I strongly suspect this person was not at the venue at all. Probably one of the anti Strangler brigade, perhaps some music journalist of the 70s watching the proceedings on u tube, seething and frothing at the mouth to see evidence of a wonderful time being had by all.
The event was flawless except for one thing, not enough seating ... tis all.
charm said
ReplyDeleteAs previous stated I think a huge " thankyou" should be conveyed to the security staff at the venue. They were so acommodating and generous bearing in mind the mighty task they had of ensuring all issues of security and safety were adhered to.They surely must have been bemused to see several hundred ageing Stranglers fans descending on the building. They did a sterling job and I do hope the band have been made aware of this.
A thoroughly enjoyable weekend. It was a real treat to spend time with a great bunch of people.The band did a fantastic job bearing in mind all the material they had to play, the q and q sessions interesting if not exactly enlightening and the cookery slot simply hilarious( Baz you have missed your vocation, stand up comedy is definitely your forte)
ReplyDeleteThe only disappointment as already alluded to here, is the band did not do a meet and greet. I acknowledge that maybe this may have been difficult to organise but a lot of people travelled a long way and I think it would have been a nice gesture.Surely something could have been worked out.
Other than that a great weekend.
whose the tosser with the negative report. you mean to say you spent £100 on a ticket for a band you hate. you nicked or what?? homophobia , sexism, yeah..... its all good stuff.
ReplyDeleteyou pressed the wrong button when you ordered you tickest then? should it have been the Cliff Richard Christian Convention you were wanting to see. idiot.
Really enjoyed the weekend. Music was great, venue ok. Sunday was better than Saturday - didnt think the supports were great but i dont think Ive been to a Stranglers gig where I have heard a great support band. Would have liked a meet and greet. Really enjoyed when the band were being asked questions which fans had put to them. Much better than the day before when some members of the band were clearly left out on the B&W chat. Loved Jet and Dave - great to hear their voices at last. Would have been better if a separate room had been set up with photos etc- not on stage - the time could have been filled with something more entertaining. p.s. don't diss a negative comment. Everyone has to have their say whether it is agreed with or not.
ReplyDeleteas regards the above comment, he/she obviously not a true Stranglers fan,which begs the question... why did they go?
ReplyDeleteThe best weekend I have spent for a long time, the band in great form, from JJ forgetting the words to half the songs and Baz entertainig us with his great sense of humour. Great music, great fans, what more could a person ask for??
Great weekend, band on form all weekend. Don't get Goldblade though shouty teenage anthems that all sound the same, heyho that's just my opinion and plenty of folk liked like them.
ReplyDeleteWell done to Owen, Jackie et all for all the organisation.
Stu said..
ReplyDeleteTravelled from the falklands for this weekends events and thoroughly enjoyed it. Biggest disappointment was not getting a photo opportunity with the band. I attended the last Convention 10 years ago where there was plenty of mingling with the band and i guess I presumed it would happen again. Obviously the travel , tickets and accomodation cost me a fortune and it would have been the iceing on the cake had i managed to get a quick chat with the band members.I would be grateful if Ratter would convey this message to the band as I think it is pertinent. Many people travelled from abroad, such is thier devotion to the band and I think this could have been acknowledged and rewarded by an organised photo opportunity, albiet time consuming it would have been appropriate.
What a fantastic weekend of brilliant entertainment. Music that we love, brilliantly organised - well done Owen - and hilariously funny too...the cooking masterclass was quite something. I thought the venue was good and located close to kings cross - good for us northerners! Loved all the band sets but particularly B&W, and the Baz/JJ accoustic stint. Loads of highlights over the weekend but for me coming away with Jet's snare drum will take some beating! Looking forward to the next convention already....but will settle for the 'Giants' tour next March.
ReplyDeleteRE November 27, 2011 8:12 PM
ReplyDelete"i dont think Ive been to a Stranglers gig where I have heard a great support band"
But surely you are forgetting Starbase 109? ;-)
Thanks to all concerned for a truly memorable and wonderful weekend. Everything seemed to run like clockwork and the organisation was absolutely spot on. Even the venue staff were friendly and engaging. Nice to hear some new material and for the band to mix things up with the varied sets. No complaints from me, just a big vote of thanks. And always such a pleasure and great fun to mingle with the familyinblack. Being on the winning quiz team was just the icing on the cake!
ReplyDeleteI have been following the comments above for the last few days and as a fan for some 30 plus years ive come to the conclusion that most of the people at the convention were rather sad clones all wearing the Black uniform along with tee shirts etc etc. Yes the band are one of the best live acts of all time but if this was the best time some of you really have ever had then you need to get a life or at least try and open your eyes a bit more. Lets not get carried away.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I admire this band and would not have missed the Convention for the world, am I the only one who came away feeling... how do i put it?? ... as if it were all just not quite enough.
ReplyDeleteThe acoustic sets were short, i expected a good hour and a half each set and it was nothing like that. The lunch with Jj although entertaining was simply 20 mins of him knocking together some japanese stew!!. baz did the commentary, JJ concentrated on cooking, but all in all a bit disappointing. The Q and A sessions were over far too quickly and not enough opportunity was given for questions from the audience as a majority of the questions had to be submitted beforehand and it was all the usual stuff with nothing new coming out of it. Jet looked totally disinterested as did all of them to be honest. It all seemd a bit of a waste of time.
The black and white set was too short although i accept that the album was only about 45 mins in length, i think a few more fillers should have been thrown in. The electric gig on sunday was the best set of the evening running at about an hour and a half .The major disappointment was the band not coming out to interact/ mingle afterwards, which bearing in mind this was supposed to be a Convention ( as in convene, get together) I assumed would happen. Look we are all getting on now, we are not a bunch of screaming rowdie teeny boppers, you wouldnt have been mugged!!Like many of the other posters have already said on here this was a let down.
I love this band , have supported them for 35 years and at great expense bought all their stuff and followed them up and down the country and abroad too. When others have given up on them in their leaner periods , people like me have stuck with it and enabled them to keep the strangler machine ticking over. In the doing so they have been able to maintain a decent standard of living whilst their contemporaries are lucky to get a season in Panto . So come on lads, show some appreciation. I know it may seem like a hassle and a drag to meet the fans, probably tiring and time consuming but it would have been the right thing to do.
Suvie from Barnsley ....
ReplyDeleteI love the above comment but its a bit harsh . Yes I agree, as a 50 year old woman and a fan of 35 years I never ceased to be amused when I go to gigs to see the mode of dress some of my contemporaries adopt. However you have to bear in mind the Stranglers themselves adopted this meninblack uniform for themselves decades ago, indeed they still only wear black at gigs. So when in Rome?
Look, its only a bit of fun, I doubt very much that these people are wearing their Stranglers uniforms on occasions other than the gigs. The wearing of the uniform creates a feeling of comaraderie and belonging and if only for an hour two whats wrong with that? Its harmless fun.
I doubt very much too that the Stranglers gigs/Convention are the only means of bringing joy into peoples lives. Of course fans are going to be thrilled to be attending these events and probably had the time of thier lives, but come on, I doubt attending a Stranglers gig rates as the most exciting thing they have ever done. May be just ONE of the most exciting things they have ever done. lol
Thought Burnel looked a bit destracted for most of the weekend, a guy with a lot on his mind I think. Baz in good form throughout. Dave away with the fairies, keyboards sounded a bit iffy at times, and Jet, well hes just Jet.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that , a great weekend, good music and a great bunch of old fogies kicking their heels up and reliving their past youth.
Read all the comments over the past week or so and I have come to the conclusion that Baz and JJ are the culprits known to true stranglers fans as 'annonymous' so they can have us all whinging and moaning whilst they sit back laughing. Do what us northerners do and chill out . Some of you are still not taking the stranglers for what they are - damned good musicians who like to have a laugh and a joke with their fans whilst causing a little bit of controversy. On the next tour there will be a big announcement from the boys that they are indeed 'annonymous' - or not. As I am writing this, that advert just came on telly with the MIB theme - kerching£££ So the drinks are on the lads on the next tour.
ReplyDeleteThere is a famous quote in the entertainment world "always leave them wanting more" so if you felt that the weekend wasn't quite enough,then in theory the band have done there job.
ReplyDeleteOverall it was a pleasurable weekend, John Robb was an inspired choice as MC, Mike Peters worked hard in a difficult slot to entertain, with success.
Gus & Finn very amusing, Goldblade being loud and proud, Polyphonic Size being.. well 'European', Wilko Johnson an experience not to be missed, all interspersed with some audio/visual history a little bit of Q&A.
Some quite tasty real ale.
Getting together with some old and new friends.
A venue that, although not ideal, was reasonably easy to get to, being between Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston, with pleasent staff, the security staff were very professional without being 'enforcers'.
The bring and buy sale made antiques roadshow look like a car boot sale - the school mam bell sale will go down in history - I'm guessing that the local divorce lawyers will be busy for the next few weeks. And maybe some mortgage payments will be missed for a few months.
Oh, and this countries most overlooked and underrated band played a few songs along the way.
We enjoyed the weekend and would like to thank all concerned for there efforts, the organisers, venue staff, security staff, merchandise and beer sellers, support acts, John Robb, the Stranglers and most of all the fans.
Can't wait for March next year, see you in Manchester.
From 'Fatinblack, Mrs Fatinblack, Daughterinblack & Soninblack'
I have also been reprimanded by my (76 year old) Mum(inblack) for not bringing her!
Why no mingling? they did it at the last convention so whose decision was it to not bother? A table could have been put out in the auditorium for the lads to sit at and a steady stream ( supervised) for autographs and a quick chat . An hour and a half - 2 hours would have done it on the Sunday night,after all the gig was done for just after 9 ish.Not everyone would have wanted to bother anyway but for those who did it would have been a great end to the events.
ReplyDeleteBearing in mind the distance people had travelled I think it was just shit that they didnt pay their respects to the fans in this way. Yeah some may argue that the Convention itself was a tribute to the fans but it wasnt a freebie was it? Lets face it the band made some dosh out of it. Poor do lads, you let yourselves down there.
" Always leave them wanting more" generally speaking that comment is appropriate when the entertainment was first class and the audience are gagging for more...... not when the audience are deflated at certain aspects and go home feeling disappointed.The sentiment then is " been there, done that, wont be doing it again" which is exactly how I feel.
ReplyDeleteA fair weekend overall but not exactly what I expected and purely for the reasons commented upon as per previous negative posts, esp the lack of a meet and greet.
If anybody saw the old boy in his Rattus t shirt on the Saturday , that was my old Dad (78) who was suitably indoctrinated back in the 70s when I first bought the album.He loved it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe those of us who didn't get to meet the band aren't 'in with the in crowd' , ie the organisers choosing who may or may not meet the band ? Just a thought. I managed to grab a chat with all bar JJ on Euston Road , but it wasn't acceptable , its been a big part of previous conventions and i imagine was expected again.
ReplyDeleteThe acoustics were terrible . Any individual speaking through the mike was barely audible. Maybe thats a ploy to get us to spend £40 on hearing what it really sounded like. Despite the sound i enjoyed the selection of tracks played by the MIB , Wilko is great but again the sound didn't do him justice. All in all i had a good time , but most of that was due to the social in the pub inbetween sets .
Yes , take ya point as per previous comment, 40 quid is a bit steep i think. Accoustics not great but band in good form.And yes it wasnt acceptable that the band did not mingle a bit, it was anticipated they would. What a let down.
ReplyDeleteGot Jets book earlier in the year and alarm bells started ringing. Hoped it was a false alarm but following the convention im afraid i feel like ive been "had" for a second time. Well done lads but there wont be a third!!
ReplyDelete@ Murderinblack What a twisted view of the weekend you seem to express! Lots of unreal conspiracy theories in your post. Having been part of the organisation team for all 5 conventions, there were no meet & greets arranged at any of them-let alone 'a big part'. Please also remember that we had to find a replacement venue at short notice when the original one went back on our contract for the weekend. The Camden Centre seemed like a suitable sunstitute. Please feel free to email your detailed criticisms into the SOS site under your real name if you wish to discuss this further.
ReplyDeleteratter
Maybe its not a 'big part' to you , as your a part of the organisation so maybe have more communication with the band than the rest of us, but it is a big part to a jobbing fan if you happen to meet one of the guys . Point taken that the meet and greets on previous occasions were not organised , but they did happen , and that spontaneity of JJ or Baz strolling into the bar was missed. Why that didn't happen is maybe down to them rather than the orgainers . The fact that you had to source a replacement venue is not missed , and the management of the event was excellant, but it doesn't detract from the sound quality. Apologies for the cynicism re the price of the DVD etc, but it's too much for me to spend. I don't have detailed criticisms , just observations and perceptions , i wouldn't take on a project like this for the world , so fair play to you for doing so. But you did ask for a debreif.....Twisted Views ? i'll take that as a compliment
ReplyDeleteUmmmm? would the poster at 9.15pm dec 1st care to elaborate?
ReplyDeleteDear Ratter , mi thinks you are being a tad oversensitive to murderinblacks comments. Peobably because you were involved with the organisation of it.I am sure he/she was only wishing to make a point that the dvd/cd combo is a bit overpriced esp as the sunday gigs arent on it. As for the organisers choosing who meets the band? again , we all know that didnt happen, it was simply a way of expressing disappointment. The event didnt please everyone, it would have been a miracle if it had, but overall looking at the comments they are very positive. Take a chill pill.
ReplyDeleteFantastic weekend, even better than I had expected. The venue was perfect in terms of location (a long way from Yorkshire, but real easy to find!), and whilst the acoustics were poor, that didn't really matter in the scheme of things.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to dip in and out - I spent time sightseeing, time in the local pubs - really added to it for me - I would have gone stir crazy being in the same room for two days.
The JJ and Baz set was just superb, especially Skin Deep, loved the unplugged set, thought the cooking set was hilarious, Robb was a great host, Wilko fantastic as ever, support bands excellent - hey, this was a brilliant event that me and my son will remember forever.
I just hope that the DVD includes the unplugged sets, they are too good to miss. Loved Black and White of course, but there was something very special about these.
The feeling of kinship was brilliant - for a mile in any direction you would bump into someone else in a MIB shirt, smile and nod, and in the local boozers it was full of us!
You may have guessed that I enjoyed myself and nothing could keep me away from the next one!
As 'wife of' a Stranglers fan I also really enjoyed the weekend.
ReplyDeleteVenue fab - for those who complained about hotel costs are obviously not a member of YHA!
Upstairs seating a great idea.
Security staff fantastic and very welcoming.
Agree would have liked a meet and greet.
When is the next one.....
Think some people should get a grip and stop bitching about the cost of the tickets, hotels, getting there, beers etc and the lack of organised meet and greet of the band. It was a great weekend with some outstanding performances from the Stranglers and their Sunday night set was awesome. I was in my usual spot at the front so can't comment about the sound from the back of the venue.....but from where I was situated the sound was fine. I left the venue soaking wet in sweat both nights, which is always s sign of a good gig in my estimation. Adam, faninblack since 1977.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why there's such a need for a meet and greet. The convention was great without it. Like Jack Dee once said "I like the Pogues but I don't want them in my house"
ReplyDeleteOverall a really good weekend, IMHO. I didn't go to any of the previous conventions so had nothing to compare this with other than regular gigs over the past 30 years or so.
ReplyDeleteHighlights for me were acoustic versions of Bitching and English Towns and seeing "Harry" live for the first time. The B&W set was also fantastic. Hearing three of my favourite songs - by any band ever - played one after the other (Toiler, Curfew and Threatened) was amazing. Also great to hear "Hey" and Outside Tokyo live for the first time - but why were "Hey" and Sweden swapped round? Stick to the classic 1978 vinyl running order chaps! On the Sunday, Goodbye Toulouse and Genetix were definite highlights and the new stuff sounded promising too. Overall, the band were tighter with more energy that when I saw them at the Hammersmith Odeon earlier this year - quite an achievement considering they had had to rehearse far more songs than for a normal tour.
To balance things up, my lowlights were:
The engineers took a while to get the mix right on the B&W and Sunday night sets - although it got better as each set progressed and the acoustics didn't help make their jobs any easier. Some of Dave's solos were a bit patchy (eg the first few bars of the Outside Tokyo solo) and the first Q&A (Black and White "dissected") was shambolic, with the band being either unable to hear John Robb's Qs - because of the aforementioned challenging acoustics - or struggling to remember any answers because as failing memories. It was obvious that there had been no rehearsal of any of the Qs or As and everyone involved should have done enough "media" by now to know that spontaneous, entertaining, informative interviews don't happen by magic. The one interesting bit was JJ's insight in to the writing of the music for Toiler On The Sea when stuck on his own in the studio over Christmas.
Other (pretty minor) gripes - they could have had a stab at Enough Time and "Rok It". I think a lot of people were there (like me) to see songs played live for the first and probably only time and even if they had broken down mid-song, I don't think anyone would have minded - you were very much among friends guys!
BTW I'm pretty sure JJ said of "Shadows" - "We're never playing this again". I guess time will tell!
If I'd have been organised enough to submit a question about B&W, I'd have asked whether the band were put under pressure (by their record company?) to put it out quickly rather than get it exactly how they wanted it - or maybe they ran out of studio time or budget. As other people have mentioned, B&W has the air of a 3/4 finished masterpiece with a couple of fillers ("Shadows" was an old B-side and Enough Time sounds forced) tacked on the end. There are also a couple of mistakes on the drum tracks - a tiny one on "Sleazy" and a much more noticeable one during the junction between Do You Wanna and Death And Night And Blood where Jet loses a beat then picks it up again once the band are in to "DANAB" and he realises that he's on the wrong beat. Both could have been sorted out quite easily - had they got enough time.
Anyway those are my thoughts. To get it all in perspective, the Stranglers are still my favourite band of all time, the £80+ I forked out to attend this event was well worth it and I can't wait to see them agian on tour next spring.
Best wishes to all fellow Stranglophiles,
Jon.
A great weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
ReplyDeleteA meet & greet would have been nice, there might have been a better venue, etc., etc., but I appreciate all they did and how they/things were.
I haven't read all the comments but this is how I think. We take what we have for granted and want more but not all bands are active for so long like the Stranglers so I appreciate what we have now. I want to recognise who they are and what they do now. I know it's hard to organise such a big event and at the same time please all. So, my thanks go to the Stranglers and all involved i the weekendinblack. Can't wait for the next one, in the very near future!
magsinblack said
ReplyDeleteHaving read through all the posts it appears there are a few grumbles esp related to the lack of a meet and greet. As much as I can appreciate the feelings of people in this regard it really would have been difficult to organise. The last Convention leant itself to a bit of a mingle, the venue being so different to this years. From my recollection the one who did the most mingling then was Paul who was always the most approachable of the band anyway.
Apart from that the weekend was most entertaining for all kind of reasons, not least the music. great fans , great comaradarie.
Acoustics a bit iffy and Dave a bit off centre with his keyboards but never the less the band in good form.A bit of a scuffle at the front with some jap birds who were misbehaving themselves a bit, pushing and shoving but apart from that a great spirit of friendship ran throughout.
A great weekend. Whens the next one?
A great weekend had by me! Some people are losing the plot. Too may people straying into geek Star Trek convention territory. It's The Stranglers you were at not the opportunity to get your photo taken with a polystyrene robot.
ReplyDeleteA really enjoyable weekend, I live in London so was able to go home on Saturday, however, personally speaking i did prefer Pontins!!
ReplyDeleteOn saying that the whole weekend was not just about the band, but also about all the great friends and acquaintances made over the years. It was nice that you could leave the venue as and when you wanted and mingle with fellow fans in the local pubs.
As for *the uniform* comment above, I love being part of that on gigs and conventions, it does make you feel part of the family, maybe thats sad, but ...........thats life.
I think the overall sets were great, I was also down the front and it sounded good to me. A general mingle wouldn't have gone amiss, even if only for an hour or walking about, I'm sure they would have got few drinks out of it ;-)
The DVD box set is overpriced, unfortunately I won't be buying it, I'll wait for the official 'Giants' release. Maybe a small discount for attendees would be a gesture. After all we shelled out £90 a head to be there (worth every penny), but a small discount or something would be a way of saying thanks for coming.
None of these comments take away the fact that it was an awesome weekend and if there was another next week, I'd be there. See you in March x
P.S
Support as someone said above star base 109 were brilliant, the best i can remember. Sorry but not keen on Wilko Johnson.