PiL
- Brighton, Top Rank, UK
November 2nd, 1983 (2
reviews)
Review #1: (original, complete cassette bootleg)
Running Order:
1. Public Image
2. Annalisa
3. Religion
4. Low Life
5. Bad Baby
6. Memories
7. Flowers Of Romance
8. Chant
9. Anarchy In The U.K.
10. This is Not a Love Song
Running Time:
45 minutes (approx)
Sound Quality:
(7) Average Audience Recording
Tape Gradings Explained here
review by TIM McALLISTER
Notes:
Original cassette bootleg recording. Complete show, including second encore
of 'This is Not a Love Song'.
Review #1:
The older, complete, version of this show has lots of high-end, with
exceptional clarity. It's possibly been recorded closer to the
stage, and seems to have been put through noise reduction at some
point. Cymbals come through very clearly. It has a big cut in the
encore break to remove the down time.
A fine 1983 performance, with an "interesting" version of 'Anarchy'. There are long stretches between the last three songs where there's only crowd noise and a weird tape playing over the PA.
PiL
- Brighton, Top Rank, UK
November 2nd, 1983
Review #2: (internet distributed upgrade)
Running Order:
1. Public Image
2. Annalisa
3. Religion
4. Low Life
5. Bad Baby
6. Memories
7. Flowers Of Romance
8. Chant
9. Encore Break
10.
Anarchy In The U.K.
Running Time:
45 minutes (approx)
Sound Quality:
(8) 2nd Generation Audience Recording
Tape Gradings Explained here
review by TIM BUCKNALL
Notes:
This upgrade appeared on the internet in late 2007. It does not
feature the encore of 'This is Not a Love Song' which appears on the
original cassette bootleg, but still clocks in at 45 mins: 10 tracks;
due to an encore break.
Review #2:
Wow! What a nice surprise! The best thing about tape
trading is when you get hold of a tape that challenges your pre-conceptions
and sheds new light on a certain tour. I nearly didn't bother downloading
this show after enduring the tedium of Bristol and Newcastle 1983.
How wrong I was! It's difficult to say what makes this show special,
maybe it's the nature of this excellent audience recording which buries
the cheesy keyboards somewhat. Maybe it's the great set list which
features only tracks from 'Never Mind The Bollocks', 'First Issue',
'Metal Box' & 'Flowers…' and totally ignores the newer songs?
There are 2 separate recordings of this gig in circulation. They're definitely different sources, recorded at different spots in the crowd:
Version#1 - Older complete version. Lots of
high-end, and exceptional clarity. Possibly recorded closer to the
stage. Seems to have been put through noise reduction at some point
in its history. Cymbals come through very clearly. It
has a big cut in the encore break to remove the down time.
Version#2 Newly surfaced 2nd generation audience recording. Seems slightly
more distant, but has more bass. Missing the 2nd
encore of 'This is Not a Love Song'. Untouched tape, has
not been tweaked
except for a fade-out after 'Anarchy'; no other edits in the tape.
It'll come down to personal preferences which one people want to pick
up, they both have their merits…
The "cabaret
band"
had a tendency to rush through the songs way too fast, but not tonight.
'Public Image' is slow and steady, just like 'Annalisa' that follows
it. 'Religion' (with keyboard intro) is a solid if unspectacular performance.
'Low Life' is still hampered by cheesy keyboards but
at least it's not played too fast. The semi rare 'Bad Baby' is dusted
off for the next track. It's transformed into squelchy 80s funk by
this line-up but it's not unpleasant, and it's good to hear it being
played.
'Memories' is a solid performance, there's really nothing to pick at
or criticise here. 'Flowers of Romance' seems a bit pedestrian for
the first few bars, like Martin isn't really trying hard, but it soon
picks up and he's pounding his toms properly.
'Chant' is probably the highlight of the whole gig, you could almost
imagine it wasn't the summer '83 line-up playing. It's utterly
uncompromising, and unlike 'Bad Baby' Joe Guida hasn't tried to "tidy
up" or "sweeten" Keith Levene's original guitar
line.
After an interminable encore break it's 'Anarchy in the UK'. The best way I can describe this version would be like the Winterland '78 version; with a sprinkling of 50s Rock'n'Roll Piano on the top.
This is probably the best show of the whole "cabaret" line-up period, and probably the only one PiL fans need to track down. Lydon as usual comes out with some great lines.