[kj] Viva Jester!

[Graeme Rowland]

This is my recollection of the day Killing Joke played
a benefit at Camden Barfly for Jester. 

Just about drifting off to sleep on Saturday night and
I'm kept awake by police helicopter choirs of ugliness
and exit dogs conspiring against shut eye. At least I
can get a bit of kip on the coach to London the next
day!

I saw no sign of Islamic Extremities letting off bombs
between Victoria and Camden, but maybe they were all
busy hiding their weapons of mass destruction? The
papers that morning reported that the family of the
Brazilian shot dead by London police after being
mistaken for terrified were a bit upset at the small
amount of money they'd been offered for his lost life.
They were quoted as saying that the British
authorities thought they could fob them off as they
were just stupid poor people.  

I found a couple of CDs for less than the price of a
pint in Reckless records closing down sale:

Charger - Confessions of a Man (mad enough to live
among beasts) / www.peaceville.com

Silver Ray - New Love / www.brokenhorse.co.uk

After scoring a Democracy CD single in Record
Exchange, found the Enterprise just after 6pm and
there met Gatherers Loose Gannon, Brian, Woody 2Shoes,
Bob Barathy, Robs Arse and the drinking began.
Actually Lisa had already downed a bottle of red wine
on the train from Preston. Jaz was at the bar and Lisa
was talking to him for a while, and at one point
pointed me out to him and it seemed to me from across
the pub that she was shouting, "Chessboards!" which
seemed a little odd, but in fact she was saying I was
from Manchester. Jaz seemed in a very good mood.

Most people were setting off to the Barfly, but I was
still waiting for Dave Gingoblin to arrive from
Edinburgh, as I was getting his spare ticket. A pink
haired woman told me that the support was a Punch and
Judy show, which Dave and I missed. Peter West was
rushing about in the street trying to get rid of a
spare ticket, but only had the one head. At the Barfly
saw Anthony Adamiak and Jane Shadforth but said little
more than hello, and introduced myself to Juliet
Pleming and Jester.

Raven walked past as I was getting rid of my leather
jacket at the cloakroom. It was the thirteenth Killing
Joke gig I'd been to, and my cloakroom ticket was
number 13.

Pretty soon after we got upstairs Killing Joke kicked
into Wardance and the sound was superb. Nick Walker
has gone and been replaced by a keyboard player who
I'm told is from the band Inertia. Jaz was in his
civvies, with no warpaint visible from where I was
standing waving my arms about like some drunken fool.
Primitive had seemed a bit too epic and overblown at
their Motley Crue stadium support in Manchester, but
was now back in more familiar hunting grounds. Sun
Goes Down was as tribal and inspiring as ever, and I
cannot repeat enough how thrilled I am that they've
resurrected possibly the finest 'B-side' ever recorded
by any band. Unless of course that's Pssyche, which
they played later, a song that could get cripples out
of wheelchairs such is its momentum. Asteroid caused
more of my beer to go on the floor than down my
throat. Are You Receiving stormed past in a flash of
pure adrenaline. Jaz introduced Song and Dance as
something Geordie hates to play. Complications sounded
the most apocalyptic I've ever heard it and The Wait
was as wired as ever. Jaz looked quite pleased with
the Frenzy singalong, whereas usually he seems
derisive of the Gathering's attempts. I'm pretty
certain they played Bloodsport too, but have no
recollection of Requiem being played, although that
doesn't mean it wasn't.

Change was the final song, which considering Jester's
illness, seemed highly appropriate lyrically.

TV Smith and Gaye Advert of the Adverts were at the
gig and I talked with TV Smith for a while downstairs
after the gig. I'd recently bought the reissue of Cast
of Thousands and it seems in retrospect to be
lyrically along similar lines to some Killing Joke
songs. Also said hello to Geordie and his hat. Thats
the last thing I remember.


  

Cracked Machine irregular cyberzine
http://www.webinfo.co.uk/crackedmachine

"What one thinks of as extremes seldom are" :: BC Gilbert


		
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