2003/04/23, Academy, Manchester, UK

Written by "Gripper" for Heartland forums

I've just got back too - what a night!

The whole set sparkled, the older stuff and the new stuff meshing well.

Good set from where I was standing, notwithstanding some absent classics. I hadn't heard Suzanne before but it sat between Dominion and Anaconda brilliantly. Ribbons was at its menacing best, and it was good to see everyone onstage enjoying it. Obviously I'd have liked them to still be playing at 4.30 am but they packed up and buggered off at 10.45.

> A friend phoned me in the middle of Alice and it sounded quite good

Alice was rather better than 'quite good', though I bow to your enterprise in listening to the gig on the phone.

I just realised that it's now just over 20 YEARS (!) since I first saw the Sisters in Manchester (Feb '82), and have seen them loads of times since - but tonight ranks with the best of them.

Let's hope some of tonight's noises make their way onto official releases soon.

Written by ivebeentothemountaintop@jesusanswers.com for Dominion mailing list

Ok, hazy review.

Temple of Love - sounded a bit rough?
Crash and Burn - loved it, but makes a much better opener?
Ribbons - seemed a bit short?
After that, no idea of order sorry.
Romeo Down - great
We are the Same, Suzanne - good. but never convinced audiences like it much?
Anaconda - as usual, trashy but charming
Dominion/Mother Russia - loved it
Will I Dream? - I am just not keen on song
Giving Ground - great. Song just gets better and better
Flood II - loved it
Summer - pretty good
Slept - Hmmm. it might grow on me?
First and Last and Always - actually I'd like them to drop it from set.
(I can hear the shouts 'BURN THE HERETIC!', let me explain. The Vinyl version is excellent, the original brooding slow live versions were awesome. But it just doesn't work (for me) when played in current style. I'm sorry, I apologise.)
Lucretia, My Reflection - i think was played and was great
When You Don't See Me - I think was played & is always great.
Never Land - fab. so nice its a feature of set.
I Was Wrong - I need to get used to hearing it this way.
Snubnose - loved it
Vision Thing - loved it. But wish they would stop playing it at the end. - it means you know when the end is coming, if it cropped up earlier it would catch you out. Or would be a fantastic opening song.

Things they didn't play:
No On the Wire/Teachers/On the Wire - shame as has turned into an awesome, crawling beast of a song.
No Marian - I'm curious to hear it but not convinced it would work as its another dark brooder. And was never that good live under previous Sisters incarnations. (Oh dear, all that shouting earlier has probably just started up again)
And no Sister Ray - such a crying shame as its quintessential of everything the sisters are, were, and will be.

The venue - is shoddy. (Well, it's in Manchester. :) Sound was on the quiet side, but I'm going deaf. Didn't seem like the place was particularly full.

Written by "Gary" for Heartland forums

Just got back, was brilliant! The sound was great (imho), the songs sounded tight (apart from Snub Nose) and I loved the new version of Lucretia, I Was Wrong and When You Don't See Me. Slept sounded kinda flat somehow.

Where I was the crowd seemed quite happy and dancey. Including one boy who appeared to be having a fit. But looking around there were some sections who didn't appear interested.

And one loud mouthed annoying women behind me who did nothing but whinge like a spoilt little brat throughout I Was Wrong.

And Starling looked alarmingly like Floodland era Eldritch.

Written by "Quiff Boy" for Heartland forums

There where a couple of times when I managed to wander down as far as the second row without having to squeeze past anyone.

We where about a third that way back, on the "outside" edge (facing Adam) and I felt that we where kind of on the edge of the atmospheric part of the crowd. Good view though.

The problem with that venue is that it's like a bloody aircraft hanger and unless it's rammed to capacity you always have huge pockets of empty space dotted around.

Top gig though.

Written by "Lars Svensson" for Heartland forums

Shame about the crowd.

Liked the new Lucretia, Anaconda was cool, etc etc

Not entirely convinced Von was actually THERE for the first few songs due to dry ice as never seen before!