NO: 14 MAR 1985 Great Hall, Lancaster University

 

Setlist

Sooner Than You Think, This Time Of Night, Confusion, Blue Monday, Face Up, Thieves Like Us, Love Vigilantes, Sunrise, Age Of Consent, The Perfect Kiss

Lancaster is halfway up the M6 between Greater MCR and Carlisle.  The show was held at the Great Hall, which still stands and is used for events.

Here are TJ's recollections about this gig.

"Yes, it's one we found out about at very short notice, like the night before, from a mate who was a student there. It had been hastily arranged and hadn't been publicised at all, in fact we were a bit sceptical as to whether he was taking the piss, we half expected to get there and find no gig!

If I recall correctly it was a Thursday night, and I usually worked Thursdays but luckily had this night off, so we were able to head up there, having rung a student mate to secure the tickets. I do have the ticket somewhere. From where I lived then, it was a four hour drive. We didn't arrive until about five minutes before they came on stage, I was still on my way from the bar area. It wasn't a very big crowd, maybe 100 if that, certainly nowhere near the crowds they were drawing everywhere else. ATR was there, though I didn't know him at that stage, just recognised him from gigs. Barney said "hello everyone" at the start, and I think Hooky said "alright cunts" off-mic to the group of lads stood right in front of him. There was enough room so that everyone wasn't jammed tight to the stage as would usually be the case. I've got a sneaking feeling Gillian was wearing a really shiny red top, couldn't tell you about the rest though. We always stood just between Gillian and Barney in those days, the lads who wanted to put themselves about a bit went on the Hooky side.

The gig itself flew by, they seemed to be off really quickly, so it was a surprise when we listened to the tape and it was 65 minutes for 10 songs, it felt more like 45. I suppose that's from having so many new songs that are still bedding in, sure you recognise them but don't have a feel for how long they actually last. If they did an encore I wouldn't have known about it, we were out of there within a minute of Perfect Kiss finishing and back heading for the M6 home. Didn't get in until 3am but it had been worth it."

Tape used for this writeup also courtesy of TJ.  Indicated as second generation.  The one up on YouTube comes from bcingyou (same lineage) and is sourced differently

First two songs are lower in volume than the rest. Second side of his tape is unbalanced toward one side.  These issues don't exist in the latter used on YouTube.

Sooner Than You Think

Hooky mutters something before the start of this that I can't make out, but quite like was 'Alright, cunts' off-mic as described above.

Johnny Dobbyn was there and shares his observations:

"The comment 'Hooky mutters something before the start of this that I can't make out' for the March 14th 1985 concert at Lancaster University. My recollection is that Hooky opened the gig, after a disastrous support and what felt like an hour's wait, with the words "Evening, cunts". It's also my possibly imperfect recollection that he closed it with the words 'Night, cunts' too."

BS: "Thanks very much."

Some feedback amidst the shouting for Procession.

This Time Of Night

About three minutes in the muffling goes away. Think this is a tape defect rather than a source issue.

BS: "Eddie, turn the white sequencer down. It's still on."

Punter shouts out for "The Perfect Kiss", which

Confusion

Barney's mic cuts out, so Hooky ends up sounding like he's doing vocals here! During the bridge, it also sounds like New Order's sequencers act up.

PH: "Oi!" (may not be him)

Blue Monday

lyric: "Now I stand here masturbating."

BS: "Thanks a lot."

Face Up

BS: "Thank you, cunts."

Thieves Like Us

(During the intro)

BS: "This is a Barry White cover version."

Punter really goes on and on shouting out things like 'warning in the park'

BS: "Careful, you little creep. You probably have... I can see you, lad. Slim, slim, this fucking squirt, make him [s/l: sue your head]? Somebody adds 'Kick him out!'

Love Vigilantes

A/B split after this song.

Sunrise

The lyrics are -still- not in their final form!

Age Of Consent

Guy with a couple more of those 'walk in the park' pronouncements, presumably wanting to hear "Subculture".

BS: "Do something."

You can hear Sumner end the stanza with an "Oh, baby."

The Perfect Kiss

The singer/guitarist admonishes those who see the only as miming in front of synths.

BS: "Who said we couldn't play our instruments, then?  Keep it up!"

lyric: "I should have stayed at home, playing with my big fat cock."

Versions

AUD #1 - unknown taper / equipment, ANA2.  Two variants, one from TJ, the other from bcingyou, so taper is likely somebody that traded out.