The "XTC are really really good" thread

[PaulTMA]

What an incredible experience that was... absolutely worth flying down for (as well as getting lost in the outskirts of Swindon looking for the hotel while pissed).  Meeting the band was all I could have hoped for really, I told Colin that Bungalow is my favourite and he seemed a little surprised.  Guess he needs to get some more feedback these days.  Looks like I met Head Gardener as well along the way.
https://instagram.com/p/Bpp_50sHBbI/
If I was a poet like Darius Danesh I would possibly express feelings by declaring there was 'a lot of love in the room'.

[Head Gardener]

I was gonna take my copy of The Colonel to get signed but couldn't find it. I did get a few 7"s signed but loads
of folk had albums & posters etc and there were huge queues, but my mate did the honours whilst I wandered about

[Brundle-Fly]

If we'd all gone on the same night it would have been a Cab meet.

My highlights were the Skylarking numbers, Bungalow, the TC & I stuff and Cynical Days with its Jerry Dammers organ vibe. Oh fuck it, it was all 'greatness'. The whole night was simply one the best evenings of my life. I'd go back in November but the whole shebang cost me £200 nicker what with the ticket, hotel, travel, food and getting the rounds in at The Tuppenny. Some people went every night, don't know where they find the dosh.

[Crabwalk]

We can have a CaB meet when they do some bigger shows next year, which I'm convinced they will.

My highlights were similar to yours, Brundle. 'Grass' into 'The Meeting Place' was especially magical, with Terry playing them for the first time and both just sounding brilliant.

I didn't think 'Cynical Days' would be played and was overwhelmed when they launched into it. Such a hidden gem in the xtc catalogue. 'Bungalow' was an absolute show-stopper, of course. It was the song I was alluding to in my spoiler free review on Monday night when I talked about Colin being in great voice. He's not shot his voice through overuse like most singers his age and the upside of all those years away is how well it's been preserved.

'Nigel', 'Statue' and 'Hop' was an amazing trio to end on and on Monday the place was going nuts by then. They really earned that crowd-pleasing finale. Christ, I've just remembered that 'Generals and Majors' preceded those three too. Wow.

The songs I'd most like to hear next time out would be:

- 'Vanishing Girl' and 'What in the World?' (I wondered if the bass-playing and vocal demands of those were too much for these shows?)
- 'English Roundabout'
- 'Runaways'
- 'I Remember the Sun'
- 'One of the Millions'
- 'In Loving Memory of a Name'
- 'Fruit Nut'

[Jockice]

I didn't know anything about this but I did go through Swindon on a train on Tuesday evening and thought about XTC when we stopped at the station. Does that count?

[Brundle-Fly]

I still can't believe I've seen half of XTC consecutively perform Day In Day Out and That Is The Way a few feet away from me in 2018.

Tuesday night really does feel like a dream.

[The Culture Bunker]

We can have a CaB meet when they do some bigger shows next year, which I'm convinced they will.

In which case, I very much hope they come to Manchester, or somewhere close by. That would make me incredibly happy.

[Crabwalk]

I know not everyone can travel far for shows, but if the opportunity arises to see them anywhere, and you're any sort of XTC fan, just try and get there however you can. As others have said in the thread, and hundreds more on other forums, this week has literally been a dream come true.

The week after next I'll be waving Gerry Love goodbye at the final Teenage Fanclub show featuring the original three songwriters, which is like the inverse of this experience, somehow.

[Brundle-Fly]

Talking in the Tuppeny afterwards to some in the know; Terry really worked his bollocks off for these gigs to get match fit again. We have to thank him for galvanising this whole miracle reunion too.

Salutes!

[Crabwalk]

Incredible. He hadn't drummed for half his life before moving back to Swindon. Then he's seamlessly playing stuff live that was drummed on record by Dave Mattacks and Prarie Prince.

[Brundle-Fly]

Incredible. He hadn't drummed for half his life before moving back to Swindon. Then he's seamlessly playing stuff live that was drummed on record by Dave Mattacks and Prarie Prince.

And has grafted like a cunt this past year.

Fingers corkscrewed if this goes beyond 2018 though. They need a savvy and decent manager. The merch stall was cash only. Absurd.

But then..? .I kind of like that.

"Pick a broad bean"

[daf]

The merch stall was cash only. Absurd.

No income tax, no VAT
No money back, no guarantee . . .

[Brundle-Fly]

Sell yourselves, boys?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxQkBArsxwU

[Head Gardener]

[Nowhere Man]

How the fuck do you go 36 years without playing proper live concerts and then fit back in like a glove playing a song written in the late 70s, barely missing a beat?

Colin and Terry are fucking superheroes as far as i'm concerned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpAWcjjtzRw


and another one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtpET65Xd64

[Crabwalk]

Have to say, those videos do them about 10% justice.

[Nowhere Man]

Yeah, but it's the best those of us weren't there will see in the meantime! You can see even there that they've still got it.

They have to do a proper tour really, it'd be mad not to.

[Head Gardener]

lamps out for the lads!

[Head Gardener]

XTC in Spanish

[DrGreggles]

Caught up with a mate last night who was at one of the TC&I gigs and he was raving about it.
He's far more of an XTC fanboy that I am, so this was as good as it gets.
Surely more dates or a full tour beckons?

He did express concern about Colin's metamorphosis into Stan Boardman though...

[Crabwalk]

There are a couple more dates in the coming days and then, apparently, Colin and Terry will sit down think about what to do next.

I think more shows are absolutely inevitable, it's just a question of where and when.

[Crabwalk]

Update: Colin raises the prospect of London shows in the new issue of Mojo. If it happens, do whatever you can to get a ticket. This could all stop for good at any moment.

[non capisco]

Update: Colin raises the prospect of London shows in the new issue of Mojo. If it happens, do whatever you can to get a ticket. This could all stop for good at any moment.

I absolutely will.

[Brundle-Fly]

Update: Colin raises the prospect of London shows in the new issue of Mojo. If it happens, do whatever you can to get a ticket. This could all stop for good at any moment.

We were discussing this in The Tuppeny after that momentous gig: What London venue would be perfect for a TC&I gig?

Realistically, I reckon a night(s) at The Jazz Cafe, Camden Town.

[non capisco]

Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. I wanna see Colin framed by that big tacky heart in a room that still smells of wet dog and phantom cigarette smoke from 1983.

[Crabwalk]

We were discussing this in The Tuppeny after that momentous gig: What London venue would be perfect for a TC&I gig?

Realistically, I reckon a night(s) at The Jazz Cafe, Camden Town.

I think a seated show will suit them better and suspect that's what they'll want. I can see it being a concert venue like the Queen Elizabeth Hall. 1000 seats would probably be a comfortable scale for them at this stage.

[Brundle-Fly]

I think a seated show will suit them better and suspect that's what they'll want. I can see it being a concert venue like the Queen Elizabeth Hall. 1000 seats would probably be a comfortable scale for them at this stage.

Just imagine it tho'?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHq9jZ9mQEw

[Crabwalk]

Can't see it happening. Union Chapel, mind...

[non capisco]

Union Chapel would be absolutely perfect!

[Brundle-Fly]

Yes, Union Chapel! Imagine Colin stood in that pulpit singing Sacrificial Bonfire.