NO: 09 MAY 1983 - Tower Ballroom, Birmingham

Fractured/Image playlist

Setlist

Love Will Tear Us Apart, Age Of Consent, Blue Monday, Senses, Truth, Leave Me Alone, Denial, Everything's Gone Green, Temptation, Confusion

James was the opener.

Aside from opening with "Love With Tear Us Apart" (with football-style chanting by the audience), the only really interesting part happens when NO goes to play the final song.

BTW, both my tape copies as well as the MP3 from the Lars Nelleman anthology are missing Senses and Truth, FWIW. However, I've since got the excellent copy seeded by davemings that includes these.

The running order of my second copy is:

LWTUA, Age Of Consent, Blue Monday, Leave Me Alone, Denial, Everything's Gone Green, Temptation, Confusion.

The fourth and subsequent tracks are faded in and out.

This seems to be the same as the 'Birmingham 83' boot, except that lists 'Your Silent Face', which must be an error, as that song wasn't played here.

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Gillian howler, she messes up the intro synth riff.

After LWTUA finishes, Hooky can be heard saying "Happy Birthday, Rob!" at the end. Lots of singalong on this. The opening synth falters, and then regains its footing. Barney forgets the lyrics at at least one point in the song.

Blue Monday has a interesting deviation:

lyric variation (about 1:40 in):

"Now i stand here waiting
Oh so close to me
When I find out who made it
I'll throw[?] away [???] own teeth[?]"

More interestingly, this seems to be a soundalike of the TOTP version! The song lasts four minutes as opposed to the usual 7-8 minute rendition.

Denial

BS: "Good evening punters, I hope you're all enjoying yourselves..."

The drums kick in.

BS: "This is for the punk twatters amongst you. It's called, eh...I don't know what it's called, actually."

Everything's Gone Green

Has interesting final bit with Hooky's echoed bass.

Temptation

Last lyrics of Barney's are improvised.

lyric: "I've never seen such a twat like you before."

(edit)

Barney strums guitar in between the tracks.

Confusion

PH: "I'm getting paid for it, though..." (cheering)

Somebody calls for Sister Ray.

BS: "Okay, this next one involves use of a Sequential Circuits ten thousand note memory sequencer..."

Of course it messes up and Bernard mumbles something unintelligible.

I can't 100% vouch for what I'm hearing, but Bernard's improvising lyrics on Confusion strangely...

BS: "You just won't believe when I tell you all how bad this is!" (Hooky does backing using the standard line)

lyrics:

"Hiding your feelings
You told me you care
But you think the cost
Stop laughing in bed

Your tits are so big
They hang down to the ground
Your nipples are for sucking
That's why they are round

BS: "Thanks very much."

Ends with repeated synth note until fade-out.

Versions

AUD #1 - Eddie Wolfram (Sony TCS-370), the YT version is this one

AUD #2 - SD (Sony WM-D6c / ECM-909).  Also the "Birmingham '83" boot LP.

AUD v3 - JK (Sony TCS-300 / Aiwa CM30)

Jon Marsh and Dec Hickey (perhaps) also recorded.