I don't know if any of you have found this, but each time I listen to a new GVSB album, I always think, hmmm I'm never going to like it as much as Venus Lux/Cruise/whatever, and I'm always wrong. I'm here to tell you, boys & girls, that it's happened again. The lads walked onto the 6 inch raised bit that passed for a stage (excellent - nose to nose with Johnny, tho' I doubt he was as chuffed as I was), broke into "Park Avenue" & everything clicked into place. All you doubting thomases, this material was created to be played live - it's what they do best. The new stuff really came over well, and if you greet the older stuff like a long-lost friend - hey, you're only human. Eli leapt about like a dervish & sang like an angel, Johnny cool & unflappable, sporting a strangely yellow 'do, Scott straining and snarling, sweating like a sprinkler (oh God, oh God), & Alexis thumping away behind (what a top drummer that bloke is), raising his head only to shout "kill the singer" at Scott as an intro to "Kill the Sexplayer". There's a list of what they played at the end, as I remember it - I can't tell you what the order was except that Park Avenue kicked off, the main set ended with Kill the Sexplayer, & the encore was In Like Flynn, Cowboy's Orbit & they finished with Let Me Come Back. Frankly, during that 11/2 hours, I doubt I could have told you my own name. While they were playing, they were so intense you could see steam coming off them; in between songs they were relaxed, joking around when Scott seemed not to be able to read his playlist. They did an interesting Freak*On*ICA-style reworking of Life In Pink that I thought came off pretty well. I was a bit surprised at the choice of venue - they played the Leadmill last time which is twice the size & was pretty full then (the Boardwalk used to be a pub - ah the halcyon days of my youth getting bladdered there on halves of cider), but it's not a bad venue, & the sound was spot on. The crowd were appreciative, if a little subdued (if anyone else was there, I was the girl going mental right at the front in black with cropped white-blonde hair - come & say hello next time). To those of you who haven't heard Freak*On*ICA yet - stick with it, it's a grower. If you're going to London, I'll see you there. I can't wait, & you're in for a stonking time. Shut the freak up & dance.

Playlist
In Like Flynn
Vera Cruz
Let Me Come Back
Park Avenue
Learned It
Psycho Future
Bulletproof Cupid
Roxy
Kill the Sexplayer
Exorcisto
Superfire
One Firecracker
X Rated Car
Speedway
Disco 666
Cowboy's Orbit
Life In Pink