The gig was taking place at the Duif in Amsterdam, via the venue Paradiso. I did not know what to expect exactly, since the website of De Duif doesn't say much about it as a venue, but more about the community that surrounds it. Anyway, De Duif was a church (not your regular one, you would not notice much about the outside of the building that it is a church) and the inside is beautiful. Seats were lined up (I couldn't say how many seats there were though, but my boyfriend estimated about 400 seats?). The gig was sold out, hooray! TMF's so deserve that.
So, the day and hour of the gig had arrived. Me and my boyfriend seated ourselves in the middle of the second row even though the seats on the first row were completely free (but reserved... :(). And after waiting an hour or so (we were the first to get in) the hall was crowded with people. It was a bit messy for everyone to get a seat because, well, to be normal is not to pass on of course! And there was absolutely no room for walking or standing in between the rows (which meant I was lucky to be on the second row so I could step right over the first row to get out, unlucky part was that I was wearing my platform boots).
I'm straying! The gig! The gig! (I never said I was good at reviews.....)
The band entered the stage and people clapped (duh!)
Here's the setlist! And it's a long one, it is!
1 - Kiss me like you mean it
2 - You must be out of your mind
3 - Interlude
4 - The luckiest guy on the lower east side
5 - Better things
6 - I don't want to get over you
7 - Acoustic guitar
8 - The nun's litany
9 - I don't really love you anymore
10 - I don't know what to say
11 - Shipwrecked
12 - Suddenly there is a tidal wave
13 - Walk a lonely road
14 - I'm sorry that I love you
[Break]
15 - Xylophone
16 - Long Vermont Roads
17 - The doll's teaparty
18 - Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget
19 - Always already gone
20 - All the umbrella's in London
21 - The one you really love
22 - a song by the 6ths (unfortunately, I can't find the lyrics anywhere so I've got nothing to compare it with for a title)
23 - Fear of trains
24 - Tongue tied
25 - We are having a hootenanny
26 - From a sinking boat
27 - 100,000 fireflies
28 - Papa was a rodeo
The gig was acoustic (practically probably because of Stephin Merritt's ear problems), and it was certainly an excellent choice. A church, an acoustic show, seats... Not something I am accustomed to, but certainly a nice change for once!
What was also particularly nice about the show was that not only were the songs played acoustically (well, almost) but the manner in which the songs were song (by whom and some of the melody or singing ways in general) were changed as well. It was very awesome to hear some of the songs sung by Stephin himself instead by Claudia or Shirly, and vice versa. Also the duets were very nice. Sometimes I didn't recognise a song at once because of this, or didn't even realise something had been changed from the "original" recorded/released one.
Stephin and Claudia were the ones who did the talking and I certainly was entertained the whole of the show. Dry humour at it's best!
I don't know if the band noticed me singing along almost every word of the songs (I did catch my boyfriend singing along softly too! Which was a very nice surprise, I didn't realize he knew so many of the words!), and I really don't know if the band or anyone else thought I was being annoying, but I just couldn't help myself. The gig was awesome and I love this music so very, very much. I was actually surprised that I could sing along SO very well to everything, except for two or three songs I didn't know very well (because I don't own every song Stephin ever wrote :P).
It was a nice surprise as well to hear some Gothic Archiness during the gig, since I absolutely adore that project of Stephin very much as well. I need that album.
Which reminds me, I would have loved to see more merchandise! I would have murdered for a poster (or perhaps a shirt, or the The Gothic Archies album...) but the only things they were selling were some albums (I did by Realism!) and the Realism LP.
Did I mention I got autographs as well? I didn't! But I did get them! Are you confused yet? Anyhow, Kevin and I just wandered around a bit in front of the stage and we were lucky enough that a roady was willing to ask the band to autograph my album and the tickets. The album has autographs of the complete band, but we could only get 3 on the tickets... Too bad, I really wanted to hang those on my wall. Oh well.
I guess this is the end of my very bad, but lovingly written review on the The Magnetic Fields gig. May they live happy lives and make many more records :3
I can only dream of the next gig....
Hey! Psst!
Some very bad, taken in the dark without flash, shaky and unfocused PHOTOGRAPHS! (at least you can recognise everyone... :P)
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