“This is supposed to be your night off: you’re supposed to be having fun”, were the telling words Echo And The Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch uttered mid-way through this disappointing show, and, well, he was right.
By now on their 12th album, a strong back catalogue, featuring some of the greatest pop songs of the 1980s, translated to a sometimes embarrassingly dull live performance.
New record Meteorites has a few standout tracks recalling some of the band’s earlier glory: Holy Moses felt like an old school Bunnymen hit, whilst Constantinople was a sprawling burst of quality psychedelia.
Sadly, at least half of the gig fell far short, with the time divided between a practically yawning crowd having to endure a mix of bland sub-U2 would-be-anthems and McCulloch’s infuriating stage banter, which consisted of hurling almost unintelligible insults into the front row and moaning.
It goes without saying that there was some magic to hearing the timeless Over The Wall, The Killing Moon and The Cutter live, alongside a couple of great Doors covers. Still, even these choice moments were interrupted by a sneering McCulloch muttering something or other mid-song, leaving a distinctly sour taste.
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