MERCURY REV/THE FLAMING LIPS - Aberdeen Music Hall - Sunday May 2nd 1999

The eagerly anticipated Spring tour of the UK opened in Aberdeen and nearly came to a grinding halt only three songs in. Over to our reporter live on the scene.

"Tonight Mercury Rev’s "Car Wash Hair" turned out to be more incendiary than the band intended. As the song died down it was clear that there was still a strange noise in the background. Nothing unusual there perhaps at a Rev gig, but after a few seconds it sinks in that the noise ain’t coming from the PA. The band are looking confused and someone says it’s the fire alarm. Shit, it could be. But faced with a choice of abandoning a Rev gig after only three songs or potentially being burnt to a crisp, most people are opting for the crisp. By now the band are doing their best air stewardess impersonations to encourage people to leave, the mikes seem to be out, and people are gradually taking the hint. This has to be the least panicky fire evacuation ever, even outside the venue staff have to force people away from the exits outside to let people out.

On the steps there’s no sign of the fire brigade - some people head for a pint in The Grill across Union Street. It occurs to me that if it is a fire, not only won’t we get back in tonight, but there’s a possibility of the Rev’s equipment going up in flames and tomorrow might be affected as well. Where the f*** are the Fire Brigade? Oh there they are - at the bottom end of Union Street, the road’s packed it’ll take them a while to even get here.

They’re here at last and in and out - bloody hell that was quick. We appear to be getting back in, despite the no pass-outs rule. False alarm then. Game on again."

Much earlier in the evening support came from the Flaming Lips . I had no context to expect anything from this band (come on I’m getting old and find it hard to keep abreast of the modern world!) and so took it as I saw it. What do they sound like? Keyboards samples guitars and vocals. What do they look like? Three guys in front of a large screen and a gong, in the dark.

First number is very performance art-rock, I’m not impressed. The singer says it was essentially a sound and vision check and they’re going to go off and come back on again. They do neither, but the first real song is very good. A bit like a cross between poppy New Order and a cheery Wild Swans. There’s a virtual drummer on screen and the visuals are well integrated into the piece . The fact that it’s dark isn’t pleasing the singer and he asks for lights so they can see what they’re doing. They don’t get them, but this leads to some banter between the next few songs and some relief from the samey sounding approach taken. (If somebody reading this is saying heresy - sorry.)

Things then improve dramatically with "Tangerine?" - short and poppy - it’s great really and the virtual drummer is back. (This helps) . The next song is underpinned by a Big Black backbeat and some heavy guitar. The closing songs are again a bit more varied (bits sound like an ambient Mogwai) and bring to an end an intriguing set. The band look happy and they’re well received.

Rev hit the stage in their usual unassuming manner. From the off it’s clear that the mix is different to the Glasgow gig with the guitars mixed higher at the expense of the keyboards.

"The Funny Bird" is a great opener, a tantalising glimpse of things to come. Its otherworldly atmosphere hints at the essence of Mercury Rev and its power chords are an early indication of the twelve legged rock beast about to be unleashed.

"Tonite It Shows" is next, much the same as last time, much MORE than the record. Then "Car Wash Hair", which seems a bit less funky than on previous occasions, but the crowd is locking into the groove. The unexpected fresh air break follows, but to the uninitiated, the sandblast of "Syringe Mouth" is probably even more of a shock. Wake up Rev are back on stage.

"Endlessly" and "Holes" lose some of their beauty with the mix, 80% remaining perhaps, but are still damn fine songs. And making up for lost time, it’s straight into "Delta Sun Breakneck Stomp" (no typo!!). A 180 degree turn on the laid back, even languid, take on the last tour, this version BURNS. Yet again nothing like the LP version.

"Frittering" takes us back into the realms of the guitar freak-out and we are getting the impression that this is going to be a shorter set than expected. "Goddess" next confirms this, all the greats are coming out to play early. This song is awesome - everybody should be forced to buy the single - V2 should be forced to re-release it as a single (preferably with live versions of "Cortez", "Frittering", "Opus 40" at least on the B-sides"- sorry I digress). Live it’s even better.

The finale is "Opus 40", rearranged to include lines from Talking Heads’ "Once In A Lifetime" in the extended finale. On record it’s the third single, although I don’t think it has enough behind the tune to draw people in, but live it stands proudly next to "Goddess" and holds its own comfortably.

And that is it for the main set. It looks like the set was truncated by the delay in starting and the fire delay. Encore was "Cortez" - it seems a lot shorter than it used to be and doesn’t quite reach the intensity of previous occasions, but it remains mighty all the same.

A few surprises then, but all the songs had been played on the previous tour. So on to Edinburgh tonight. Any surprises to come?

SET LIST

1. The Funny Bird 2. Tonite It Shows 3. Car Wash Hair 4. Syringe Mouth 5. Endlessly 6. Holes 7. Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp 8. Frittering 9. Goddess on A Hiway 10. Opus 40

Encore - Cortez The Killer

[Mercury Rev Index] [Flaming Lips Index]