Julian Cope: An Audience with the Cope

Liverpool Royal Court, Monday 13th November 2000

It is a case of back to the day job for Julian Cope at the moment. After his recent success as a critically acclaimed author, Julian Cope has once again picked up the guitar and turned to what he arguably does best playing live. It was also a return to Liverpool - his home in the late Seventies, early Eighties.

With nothing to promote, he treated the audience to a retrospective of a glittering career that featured heavily, songs from ‘Peggy Suicide’ his, erm tribute to Margaret Thatcher.

The acoustic set ended with a blinding version of Sunspots, complete with acapela riff (don’t ask!), while he prowled rows A to Z in the seated section of the Royal court, recanting the mantra ‘Education, Education, Education.’ You certainly would not call Julian your typical showman. You could not imagine Liam Gallagher dressed in twelve-inch platforms or wearing red shamanic face paint.

The second part of the set saw Julian joined by a second guitarist and long time compadre Donald Ross Skinner and a drum machine. Despite the notable omissions of Reward and World shut your mouth from the set, the crowd went home relatively happy.

On a grey and wet Monday Liverpool night, this gig showcased a man still on top of his musical game. Here’s to the next tour and the forthcoming album…Citizen Cain’d.