5 July 2005
I went, I saw, I got very sweaty and did the bourbon-fuelled dancing thing (for which I apologise profusely to anyone who might have witnessed it).
And lordy, did it rock.
For those who like that sort of thing, here's the set list, as best as I can remember it.
I know they played all those songs, I'm just not sure I've got the order right, but it matters not, because I was too busy enjoying myself.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
You Shook Me All Night Long
Hell's Bells
Ace of Spades
Whole Lotta Love
Holiday
War Pigs
Kirby Hill
Fat Bottomed Girls
Roses
Keeping your Poop in a Jar
Moonshiner's Daughter
Blind Beggar Breakdown
Corn Liquor
Highway to Hell
Encore:
Duelling Banjos
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
This is the third time I've seen them live.
The first time was last November at the Islington Academy, where they were fabulous even though the audience was perhaps a little too full of self-consciously trendy Islingtonites to fully start bouncing.
The second time was in February at the Empire in Shepherd's Bush, which was totally sold out and an absolutely incredible night (and boy did I suffer for it the next day...).
Last night though, was something special.
It was at the Borderline, which, for those not familiar with it, is a tiny underground venue, which has a capacity of maybe 250. It was the first venue they played in London, and so they've got a bit of a fondness for both the venue and the bloke who runs it, so when they were persuaded that they needed to do an industry night/album launch, they went for a night at the Borderline, and released 100 tickets to the public.
Happily, I managed to be in the right place at the right time, courtesy of a conversation with Sir Stuart of Hg, where I tried to explain why I thought they were so great, and went to their site so I could send him the URL. While I was there I thought I'd have a look at their tour dates. On seeing their date at the Borderline, I immediately went and bought tickets for myself and Adrian (Oh c'mon... hillbillies on the 4th of July? How could I not?), and before long, Stuart decided he felt brave, and bought himself a ticket too.
As usual, the crowd was incredibly diverse - even more so because of the high number of meedja folk in attendance - with about every age group and every stereotype represented. From sweaty biker to middle aged Radio 2 listener and everything in between.
I really don't have the words to describe how good it was. The atmosphere was incredible, and these two fairly rubbishy cameraphone pictures don't even come close to capturing it.
All I can say is that I feel like I've been run over by a truck, I've only just got my hearing fully back, my voice sounds like I've been gargling with razor blades and you should all go buy their albums.
Oh, and their version of Ace of Spades may indeed rock, but their version of War Pigs blows it out of the water.
Oh that sounds like a storming gig, made all the better for being dead small. Now all I need to is to persuade some poor saps to accompany me and I then I can squeal like a pig as well.
Sounds fantastic - am seeing them at the Cambridge Folk Festival THIS MONTH!
"am seeing them at the Cambridge Folk Festival THIS MONTH!"
Noooooooo! I'm from Cambridge originally and really wanted to go to this year (Idelwild doing an acoustic set!) but I was on holiday when the tickets went on sale and when I got back they were sold out :(
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