NikNik Posted October 27, 2023 Share Posted October 27, 2023 34 minutes ago, Rich said: Oh the lustre was back last night, in absolute spades. It was the best I've seen them in years. For anyone who's interested, the set was: Hide contents Almost There To Be With You Again Running In The Family Micro Kid The Sun Goes Down Children Say Heathrow Love Meeting Love Kansas City Milkman World Machine Love Games Starchild Something About You Lessons In Love encores: Heaven In My Hands The Chinese Way Hot Water I'm off to make a playlist of it KCM is one of my fav tracks. I could never get the hang of the count before the bass came in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted October 27, 2023 Share Posted October 27, 2023 I missed out on tickets ☹️ Saw them last year, and the horn section, choreography, and most of all THAT drummer have elevated the band to possibly their best inception IMO. MK and ML are obviously enjoying the new onstage vibe, their collective playing was absolutely brilliant. And yeh, Mark King doesn't just do slap, his finger playing is superb - and then he goes and sings over the top of it! Mint👌🏼 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bassman Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Saw them in Guildford last Monday. The sound in the theatre wasn’t brilliant unfortunately, a bit boomy and undefined (O2 Indigo last year was far superior) but not the band’s fault. The band was so incredibly tight and put on an energetic show (let’s not forget that MK and ML and now in their mid 60’s and even Nathan King is past 50…). Mark’s voice struggles a bit nowadays but I thought it was improved over last year. Maybe they’ve detuned a semitone to ease the vocal strain? The horn section adds an extra dimension and showmanship and the set list had a couple of nice surprises (e.g. Micro Kid and a shortened Love Meeting Love). The standout for me, alongside his much overlooked finger style capabilities, is just how hard and accurately he hits the strings. There are no fluffed or half-hearted slaps. Every strike is pure conviction. Years of gigging and muscle strength/memory (plus a large dollop of natural talent). Even though we can never experience the original lineup again (for obvious reasons) it’s still a privilege to be able to see 2 original members, backed by outstandingly talented musicians, performing these songs live over 40 years later. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Great show- saw them at the Lowry in Manchester. As with other posters, agree that the Christians were good too! The L42 rhythm section were on fire! MK obvs but that drummer. Horns well integrated too. Fantastic show. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 On 27/10/2023 at 10:41, Rich said: Oh the lustre was back last night, in absolute spades. It was the best I've seen them in years. For anyone who's interested, the set was: Hide contents Almost There To Be With You Again Running In The Family Micro Kid The Sun Goes Down Children Say Heathrow Love Meeting Love Kansas City Milkman World Machine Love Games Starchild Something About You Lessons In Love encores: Heaven In My Hands The Chinese Way Hot Water I'm off to make a playlist of it That is a really great setlist. It reads like a list of pieces they wanted to play rather than stuff they thought they were obliged to play ('lessons in love' and 'something about you' excepted). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Saw them at the Cliff's Pavilion, Westcliff last night. Great show. Since I saw them last MK has shed a decent amount of weight and looked great. His voice was even better - best singing from him for years. I wonder if the two are related? Great set, too - loads of oldies. Not heard them play Microkid for yonks. Technical problems - something in his board went wrong and he ended up playing the last few songs and encores going straight into the amp with a lead. And his white bass developed a problem with the output jack so he abandoned it and stuck with the red one. It did impact on the sound but I thought it was interesting to hear the band without his effects in the mix. Someone in another post mentioned a rumour that this was going to be their last tour. I don't know if that is right but they kicked off with 'Almost there' which I haven't heard them play for years. When they started to gig after COVID they kicked off with 'To See You Again'. I wonder if MK enjoys playing around like that, giving off little clues? Also on the last few tours he has always ended the night by saying 'See you in 2 years' and he didn't this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricky Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Here's MK's board 😉 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huge Hands Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Pete Ray Biggin is fantastic. I first met him in the early noughties when I was a sound engineer and he was about 19 playing with Jimmy James (and the Vagabonds). As a drummer myself, I instantly snapped my metaphorical sticks over my knee the first time I heard him play as I was simultaneously amazed at him and disgusted at how much better he was than anything I would ever be able to play - he was that good! He stopped coming to gigs with them and I was told he had left to join Incognito for a while. I have since seen videos of him doing drum workshops with a giant kit but back then he would borrow the house drummer's kit with just top and floor tom. It wasn't particularly his fills that were amazing (although they were) - it was just his feel and groove that were top notch and on another level that I could hear (no pun intended). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 4 hours ago, tricky said: Here's MK's board 😉 Being unfamiliar with their output post '85, what's he using the Mooger on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricky Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 Don't really know tbh.. Manchester setlist though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 (edited) Saw them last night at Reading Hexagon. Fantastic show.... so tight and funky.... and FUN! Lots of smiles, killer horns and the drummer was off the chart. As for Mark King.... I've never particularly wanted to play like him but wow.... not sure how he plays/sings like that but he's hugely impressive. How does he not have an arthritic thumb/right hand?! lol! So great to see my old bass mate and fellow BassChatter @Bobby K nailing it with The Christians too! 😎 Edited November 1, 2023 by cetera 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 1, 2023 Author Share Posted November 1, 2023 5 hours ago, cetera said: As for Mark King.... not sure how he plays/sings like that but he's hugely impressive. Yes, for me it's the playing/singing that's the most impressive aspect of his playing. Something as complicated as To Be With You Again, and he sings over it AND makes it look easy. How? 5 hours ago, cetera said: So great to see my old bass mate and fellow BassChatter @Bobby K nailing it with The Christians too! 😎 Great playing. At Bath his fretless work on Words was lovely, I really wish he'd been further up in the mix. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 It's been an absolute pleasure opening for these guys every night 🙏😊 A dream come true. Cannot say enough good things about Mark and his crew, they're just the best!! Even got to hold Mark's original "ol' girl" on his 65th birthday. It felt like my own birthday!! 😂 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 I saw them down in Hastings last year. Absolute treat! Our guitarist recently said that no one likes a bass solo... 😅 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 Went to Kings in Southsea a couple weeks ago. Think it was the 5th time I’ve seen them and every time I’m blown away. True masterclass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 On 31/10/2023 at 11:59, tricky said: Here's MK's board 😉 He's stopped using that Shure wireless pedal for the last five gigs or so. He's now using a Shure rack mounted unit, which, according to his tech and sound crew sounds a million times better. You can see it here, under his Caveman preamp (which he absolutely swears by, apparently) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 On 19/10/2023 at 11:58, EMG456 said: Excellent player and his five string (Yamaha?) got best bass sound of the night award from me! Crystal clear and punchy. Thanks so much mate 🙏🙂 Yes, using my trusty Yamaha TRB1005J - it really cuts through 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 Credit where due - really enjoyed your set! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 21 minutes ago, EMG456 said: Credit where due - really enjoyed your set! Thanks mate 🙂 Two more left and it'll all be over 🙄 We're not playing on the European leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 I was always a fan of their early jazz-funk stuff, just not so much their poppier bits'n'bobs. But here's one of his solos 😁 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 1 hour ago, Leonard Smalls said: here's one of his solos In a similar vein, Michael Manring 😅 It takes some skill to make it so wrong! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 32 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said: In a similar vein, Michael Manring 😅 It takes some skill to make it so wrong! The Les Dawson of bass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 On 02/11/2023 at 10:10, Bobby K said: Moved onto proper wireless - Axient! Not cheap! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 (edited) 1 minute ago, EBS_freak said: Moved onto proper wireless - Axient! Not cheap! Shure Axient is great gear. Edited November 27, 2023 by NikNik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 Just now, NikNik said: Shure Axient is great gear. Its more than great gear. Its the cream! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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