The Durutti Column > Forum des Images, Paris, France - 3 September 2005

Forum des Images
Forum des Halles
75001 Paris
01 44 76 62 00

This gig was part of L'Etrange Festival - a film festival [booklet image]. www.letrangefestival.com

Review (by Alexandre Boutet)

The show was of course too short (1h 10) but very good! Some of my friends, who had never seen DC live before were surprised it was so "electric": it was like the Ronnie Scott's show last year indeed, i.e with rough Vini's guitar solos. The show started with 'Sketch for Summer' and then went on with 'Otis', 'Jacqueline' (amazing version as Vini failed in answering Bruce's drum solo, so they started it again!!!) and so on.

The set list was similar to the one at Ronnie Scott's last year, except there was no 'The Missing Boy' (though Vini said in the 'Libération' article that he has never done a concert without this song!!) and a "solo guitar tune" (Vini dixit) in the middle of the show, with Vini sitting alone on the stage. They didn't play 'Someone Else's Party' neither, which gave me thrills last year. The crowd was very pleased and the group seemed very happy to be here. Vini was quite talkative: "Bonsoir, pardonne ma Français, c'est terrible, so i'll speak English".

There were a few technical incidents (live microphone, Keir having problems with his sampler to launch some tracks etc) but it was funny and Bruce was laughing all the time. The venue was excellent. We were confortably seated, just in front of the band. I didn't speak to the band after the show, but some of my friends did and managed once again in autographs etc. By the way, Rachel (Vini's girlfriend) took a lot of photos during the show.

Setlist

Sketch For Summer
Otis
Jacqueline
Vini solo guitar
+ others to be confirmed

- -

Support on the night was from Tempsion and Mayo Thompson and The Red Krayola. The concert took place in an auditorium (Forum des Images is a cinema) that has a capacity of 500 seats.

The evening was subtitled "Carte blanche à Sordide Sentimental" so was a tribute to the French record label of the same name. The description (in French) was "Trois univers musicaux aussi contrastés que novateurs pour un concert exceptionnel sous la houlette du militant Jean-Pierre Turmel, le créateur du mythique label Sordide Sentimental. Avec en tête d'affiche Mayo Thompson, musicien polymorphe aux créations toujours inattendues.". In English this roughly translates to: "Three contrasting musical innovators come together for a one-off concert under the direction of Jean-Pierre Turmel, the creator of the legendary label Sordide Sentimental. With headliner Mayo Thompson (and Red Krayola) the musical polymorph and his usual unexpected creations".

Thanks to Alexandre for info, review and the booklet. Merci!

Read the PopNews.com review (in French) replete with photographs. Many thanks to Guillaume at PopNews.com for all the photos.