Things kick off late with an extended overture. A conductor appears on a screen shot in 3D format moving to a slightly eerie soundtrack. It all seems a bit grandiose for The Fall. Things get weirder as the footage cuts to a Culture Club video and both picture and sound start looping and distorting. Other video clips from the 70's and 80's come in and the sound becomes almost nauseating. It's as if a probe has been placed in Mark's subconscious and the contents are being projected on screen. It's an unsettling world. As it continues the crowd become restless. After 15, 20 minutes we're wondering if, not when, the band will turn up. It's after 10.30 when the film freezes on a close up of Boy George's face and the band take to the stage. After such a punishing introduction they have to be good.

They launch into a set consisting mainly of songs from the latest album Imperial Wax Solvent. A long intro culminates with the entrance of Mark E. Smith, who is recovering from a broken hip, in a wheel chair. Wrenching the mic from its stand he launches into the first song Hot Cake. Although incapacitated Mark has no shortage of energy. Indeed he rises to the occasion more than he did last time I saw the band. Then he skulked about the stage going off in a strop repeatedly, the band playing on whilst he only joined in when he felt like it.

Tonight he shows an almost boyish enthusiasm as he wheels around belting out the lyrics at full volume, adjusting the monitors and occasionally struggling to his feet. He is at all times an idiosyncratic performer, making little eye contact with anyone and delivering one verse cowered behind an amp stack. The band are a virtuoso group of musicians. Mark's wife, Elena, takes lead vocals on one track, but it could never be more than a one man show. The other players are little more than puppets controlled by their charismatic front man.

The set doesn't touch on anything more than five years old, a testament to their enduring freshness. Their career has remained at the point where they are just breaking through with a new sound. With regular line up changes and constant experimentation they have never had to record ‘that difficult second album.' Few bands sound as fresh after 10 years never mind 30 but The Fall have never been like other bands and never will be.

Writer: Patrick Widdess

www.patrickwiddess.co.uk