Echo and the Bunnymen

Liverpool Carling Academy, Saturday 17th December 2005

Set list: Going Up, Show of Strength, Stormy Weather, Bring on the Dancing Horses, Seven Seas, The Disease, Scissors in the Sand, All That Jazz, The Back of Love, The Killing Moon, In the Margins, Never Stop, Villiers Terrace, Of a Life, Rescue, The Cutter, Nothing Lasts Forever
Lips Like Sugar, Ocean Rain

It’s Christmas, time for the now traditional seasonal Bunnymen hometown gig. This year sees a second night added.

It has been a good year for Bunnymen fans – it was the year, which saw the release of ‘Siberia’ – an album that has been described as a return to form and one that certainly evokes memories of the past.

It may well have something to do with the fact that Hugh Jones who’d previously produced ‘Heaven Up Here’, back on production duties. The talk of a classic Bunnymen album is probably not that wide of the mark.

Numerous reviews have alluded to a return to form – though this is seemingly always the case with new Bunnymen releases. It certainly has its fair share of magical moments that will keep the diehards happy. It is an album that has been described by Ian McCulloch as coming in from the cold hence the title ‘Siberia’. It’s a position that normally fires the band to record their best work especially when they are written off. It’s an album that sees the main protagonists on top form.

The so-called return to form is also a good recipe for the live dates and tonight sees the Mac and Will certainly on top of their game. There is certainly no feeling of going through motions after last night’s home gig.

The set list has a familiar ring to it. Though it may be a tried a tested format it is invigorated by the inclusion of ‘Going Up’ to start the proceedings. There is also the inclusion of a number of new songs from ‘Siberia’ that are not out of place amongst the list of classic Bunnymen tunes.

The two singles ‘Stormy Weather’ and ‘In the Margins’ plus ‘Scissors in the Sand’ are given an airing tonight. They are well received by the fans and certainly compliment the rest of the bands twenty-five year plus material.

Now with a collection of records going back over a quarter of a century there is always going to be the odd song omitted from the set list that disappoint the diehard. One song I was glad to see omitted was ‘Over Wall’ – my recently sprained ankle certainly would not have lasted another 8 minutes longer tonight – normally I would feel short-changed by its omission.

It was another cracking live experience to keep the home crowds happy for another year. Though on tonight’s form I think it would be advisable for the band to book a third night next year.