TIAB Pics & Reviews

15.05.2007 - Bristol

Pic: Chinners

The anticipation and excitement for this gig has built up over a few weeks since the release The Mission's new album "God is a Bullet" , the album is a celebration of The Mission's 21st Anniversary and shows that after all this time they can still produce some of their best work.The 1st show of the tour is in Bristol Wayne's birth town , the place is not full , however that does not stop the band putting on a brilliant performance.Kicking off with "Headshrinker" , Wayne strolled on with his usual bottle of wine in hand , and despite it being was the 1st time it had been performed live , it was a really storming version , a great opener. Next up was the more familiar "Hands across the Ocean" , which had most of the crowd in full voice.

With a large part of the set being made up of new tracks from the album , Wayne got a little frustrated as most of the audience did not seem too familiar with it.My personal favourite tracks on the album "Absolution" and "Grotesque" did not disappoint at all and sounded even better live , however it would be great to hear Simon Hinkler play "Grotesque" live at some stage."To love and to kill with the very same hand" is one of the other stand out tracks >from the album , after it's 1st live airing I believe will become a classic Mission track , even as I write this now the song is well and truly stuck in my head. I was a little disappointed not to hear "Keep it in the Family" and "Draped in Red" , but then again they just do not have time to play everything.

All too soon came the encores and finally the audience got what they were waiting for "Wasteland" , "Beyond The Pale" , "Deliverance" and of course "Tower of Strength" , to be honest not the best Mission gig I have ever been too , the atmosphere was a little lame due lame the audience reaction , taking nothing away from the band who put on their usual top notch performance , however this is only the 1st night of the tour , with 14 more dates to go performances will only get better!!
Review & pics by Chinners, thanks Dave!
See also:
Butterfly On A Wheel @ YouTube

Pics: Chinners

16.05.2007 Manchester

Die folgenden Bilder und der Bericht stammen von Jill / Visionthing64.
Many thanks for the great pics & the review Jill!

Reminiscence time. Twenty-one years ago I lived in a flat in Liverpool, upstairs from early Mission super-fan Ray Ramone. If the band played in town, the climb back up to our flat afterwards involved stepping over sleeping Eskimo bodies all the way up the stairs. Happily, The Mission have been slogging away ever since. Granted there have been several personnel changes since they sprang fully formed from the ashes of The Sisters Of Mercy, and Wayne Hussey is the only surviving original member. However, the newly released album 'God Is A Bullet' is being hailed by many as a return to form, and the current tour is pulling in the punters, from the old faithful fans to curious emo kids. In fact, this particular gig has had to be upgraded from the smaller Academy 3. The Mission are striding back into town, like bigger boys, here to show The Horrors and other young whippersnappers of their ilk just how it should be done.

It's not a sell out, but the room is pretty full and the atmosphere is one of cheerful expectation. The band stroll onto the stage and open with 'Hdshrinkerea' with its classic Mission sound, all swirly intro into dramatic driving beats and archetypal grandiose Hussey vocals. It's swiftly followed though by the familiar sound of 'Hands Across The Ocean', which has everyone in full voice. There are plenty of tracks on show from the new album, with perhaps 'Blush' and 'Draped In Red' as stand-out tunes, and they are all quite happily received. There are, no doubt, some Mission classics of the future among them. The older material is greeted rapturously with arms raised aloft, showers of paper confetti and some enthusiastic moshing about to the strains of 'Severina' and 'Naked And Savage'. Hussey swings from a bottle of wine and admits that he's feeling nervous, although he has no need to be. Despite some slightly dodgy sound, he has a crowd hanging on every note that he and his fellow band members produce.

Between the main set and the encores, though, the stage backdrape of the new album cover is removed to reveal the familiar old logo, and there's a buzz of anticipation that we'll be getting down to business now. The three encores do not disappoint, as 'Serpent's Kiss' and 'Wasteland' bracket the latest single 'Keep It In The Family'. Hussey finally appears with a Manc-baiting Liverpool FC scarf held aloft, and climaxes with an epic 'Tower Of Strength', complete with wailing Eastern backing vocals. At the climax he professes his affection for the city of Manchester. As the lights come up and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' drifts mockingly from the PA, there's a slight air of disbelief that they aren't going to return one more time, but we spill out and down the stairs, hot, sweaty, happy, and feeling some twenty-one years younger.

Pics: Jill aka Visionthing64

Noch mehr Bilder von Jill findet ihr HIER

20.05.2007 Zoetermeer

Band, Pic: Petra

In Kurzform:
Volle Halle / tolle Stimmung - bevorzugt allerdings bei den alten Songs / gute Lichteffekte / ein paar bekiffte Störer, die von der Security & Goerge nach draußen befördert werden mussten, da sie Wayne ziemlich auf den Senkel gingen / absolute Live-Premiere von Father (was Rich und Mark vor dem Gig ziemlich erschreckte, da es nicht abgesprochen war und nur kurz geprobt war) / 1. Gig seit laaaanger Zeit OHNE Wasteland. Der komplette erste Zugabenblock wurde weggelassen. An der Stimmung in der Halle lag`s bestimmt nicht. Entweder wegen der beiden o.g. Idioten, aber ich persönlich vermute als Grund eher die tolerante Drogenpolitik in NL, und dann ist man(n) halt nicht mehr so fit :-)

Ein vernünftiges Review folgt vielleicht, wenn ich fitter bin...
Hier vorab ein paar Bilder:

Pics: Petra

21.05.2007 Bochum

Setlist Sebastian

Was soll man da groß schreiben? War halt Bochum und wer schon mal da war, kennt die Stimmung in der Zeche! Der Laden war proppe-voll und man kam schon nicht mehr in Richtung Bar. Die Luft stand, es war stickig und die Halle tobte. Von der Setlist her gab`s keine Überraschungen, aber der dritte Zugabenblock wurde wieder gespielt und damit auch der alte Klassiker Wasteland. Auch Wayne`s Stimmung war um Längen besser, als noch tags zuvor in Zoetermeer. Der Sound war okay, wenn auch das langsame Intro zu Still Deep Waters an Körperverletzung grenzte. Das kommt live nicht so gut rüber. Aber sonst: Keine Klagen, super Gig mit grandioser Stimmung. Hier ein paar Bilder vorab. Einige professionelle Fotos von Barbara folgen demnächst...

Pics: Petra

22.05.2007 Herford

Nach dem phenomenalen Gig in Bochum, war Herford eine mittelschwere Enttäuschung - zumindest was die Publikumsgröße anging. Das X (ehemals Kick) war vielleicht maximal mit 350 Leuten *gefüllt*. Eigentlich komisch, denn die Gigs in den letzten Jahren dort waren immer ganz gut besucht. Aber wie auch immer, diese Handvoll Leute schaffte es trotzdem eine gute Stimmung zu fabrizieren und auch die Band gab ihr Bestes und es wurde noch ein toller Gig. Auch der Zugabenblock wurde wieder etwas erweitert. Überraschung des Abends: Heaven Knows!
Hier ein paar Bilder. Jetzt könnt ihr auch gut sehen, warum ich lieber eine Webseite mache, und keine Fotos :-)

Pics: Petra

Pics: Barbara Stiller

26.05.2007 Malmö - All pics: Dave Pepper

27.05.2007 Odense - DK

Setlist, Pic: Robin

In Odense spielte die Band leider nur vor knapp 100 - 150 Leuten, aber die Stimmung soll trotz allem gut gewesen sein.
Von der abgebildeten Setlist wurde serpents kiss und beyond the pale weggelassen.

Vielen Dank an Robin, Ingo und Dave Pepper für die Infos und die folgenden Bilder!

Pics: Robin

Pics: Ingo

Pics: Dave Pepper

29.05.2007 Paris

vor dem Gig, Pic: Richard

Laut diverser Berichte soll der Gig in Paris sehr gut gewesen sein. Beim Sound gab`s unterschiedliche Meinungen von brilliant bis eher ziemlich schlecht. Auf jeden Fall war der Laden mit ca. 600 Leuten gut voll und die Stimmung kochte.
Netterweise hat mir Richard die folgenden Bilder geschickt:
Many thanks Richard!

Pics: Richard

30.05.2007 London

Pic: Chinners

Thanks to Chinners for the review & the pics!

THE MISSION - SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE, LONDON- 30TH MAY 2007

The Mission hit London for one of the remaining date's of their "God is a Bullet" tour . Tonight they were on form top form and I cannot imagine anyone left disappointed , it has been said already some of the shows on this tour had lacked atmosphere , not tonight from the opening notes of "Headshrinker" the audience threw themselves wholeheartedly into the music . Wayne was in a really good mood despite the defeat of his beloved Liverpool in the Champions league Final ,he had obviously put this big disappointment behind him.

The setlist mainly culled tracks from the new album and the London crowd seemed much more familiar than other audiences with the tracks ,"Dumb" ,"Keep it in the Family" and "Blush" were all extremely well received. However the best reaction was saved for the older more well known tracks.This year sees the 1st 3 Mission albums all re-issued for The Mission's 21st Anniversary , and Wayne stated that the Mission's audience were "the best audience in the world" and who can argue with that as Mission fans must be some of the most loyal fan's around , with a lot of the original fans in the audience tonight still keeping the faith after 21 years.

Wayne is a brilliant guitar player , however when is takes off the guitar , as a frontman he comes to life , jumping around the stage , reaching into the audience and getting closer to the fans that he love's so much, tonight it was obvious he was enjoying himself and getting the adulation he deserves so much.The album is a very good and he's out to prove to everybody just how good it is.

Despite the venue's rules during the last number "Tower of Strength" , the audience built their human towers , with Wayne at one point telling the security off for trying to stop this , it's a tradition that must continue, despite looking very rough at the front in the mosh pit everybody is looking after everybody else , helping them up if they fall , sharing around bottles of water and that is the true spirit of The Mission , every time another tour is announced lifelong friends makes plans to meet at shows and help each other . Another Mission tour nearly over , we start to look foward to the next one.

Mein Review in deutsch folgt...

Some pics from Dave aka Chinners: