The Fall veer between strangely vacant and the usual mix of stroppy vocals and melodies, but they have a track record spanning three decades and they’re still fantastic performance-wise. Mark Edward Smith is an enigmatic legend to both die-hard fans and the curious younger generation that have piled in to see what all the fuss is about. In truth, it’s just a great feeling to be in the presence of Smith and his high-waisted grey slacks. He strides on stage to a deserving welcome and adds his trademark drone to the opener,The Door. As much as there is a band whirling around him, you’re compelled to actually watch him alone perform, even though not that much happens. Still, there’s not that many still cutting it with such fire after three decades. The former brewery is the perfect venue for The Fall and the myriad of fans that didn’t go truly missed out on a corker. In a strange way, the habitual sound problems and walls of feedback only added to the ambience. Bo Demmick, Pacifying Joint, Theme from Sparta FC, Fall Sound and Reformation were all met with an adoring reception and a sharp eye could catch the little appreciative smiles guitarist Pete Greenway kept flashing after the reaction to the opening chords of every song. They reluctantly left the stage but were summoned back on for an encore of the fantastic Blindness, leaving the Fall faithful to disperse satisfied and the new recruits dashing off to investigate their extensive back catalogue. | 
