It was moved to Birmingham Academy - 1,2,3.
Great news from a gig point of view, but the downside was our hotel was near the NEC which is MILES away. Coaches were laid on to take us all back but even so it wasn't ideal.
As for the gig...as I mentioned on the weekly soundtrack thing, Julian was on great form in the mid-sized Academy 2. He opened with Drink Me Under The Table (I had so been hoping he would sing this one after a few plays last week) and also playing As The Beer Washes Over Me, from Drunken Songs. We also got three numbers from Wilder (Culture Bunker, a lovely Passionate Friend and a moving Great Dominions) and other faves such as Double Vegetation, Soul Desert, They Were On Hard Drugs. He was then told he only had four minutes left so he knocked out a quick Robert Mitchum and Out Of My Mind On Dope & Speed to end a shortish but fab set. He mentioned doing an encore but it was no-go. "I lied about the encore" he said with a smile.
Otherwise my highlights were Dreadzone (also in the A2), a band I had never seen before even though I've always wanted to. I missed the start but by the time I got there they had everybody up dancing followed by The Membranes (admittedly occasionally shambolic but hugely enjoyable) and A Certain Ratio, both in the much smaller A3. ACR are another band I had never seen before though admittedly they have always been a band I like rather than love. I didn't catch the whole set but I have to say that what I did see was really good. I was up-close listening to that funky guitar and those simple bass riffs. They ended with an excellent Shack Up.
Best band in the mainroom for me were The Happy Mondays. Not as great as when I saw them early on but hearing those old faves like 24 Hour Party People, Kinky Afro and WFL live was good fun.
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