7.5.02
Glasgow
Barrowland Ballroom
by Paul Brown
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES AT GLASGOW BARROWLANDS 5-7-02
Most, if not all, punters were greeted by a survey asking where they first heard about the gig and which radio stations they listened to, but these all seemed to be stations local to Glasgow or Scotland, ignoring the fact that a number of people had travelled from very far afield.
There was new merchandise on sale, including 3 black T shirts, a CD, and a set of 4 badges. The T shirt designs were one based on the "Join Hands" album cover, one with Siouxsie's old striped eye make up, and one of Siouxsie wearing an old Seditionaries topless print T shirt. One of the badges said www.siouxsie.com, so all of these goods may be available through there if it ever opens for business.
I walked round talking to a few people in a Scottish accent, but I don't think I really fooled anyone!
Siouxsie was wearing a grey pinstriped suit with a shirt and tie, as she had done previously in Chicago, while Budgie wore something like a light blue cyclist's shirt and long black shorts covered with silver stars. Steven Severin wasn't dressed all in black, and his recent grey haired stubble faced image has been replaced by a return to his bleached blonde clean shaven look. Guitarist Knox Chandler (who played on the Banshees' 1995 tour as well as The Creatures "Anima Animus" album and live with The Creatures in the USA during 1999) wore a long dark coat. The audience were of various ages and dressed in numerous different styles. Siouxsie's and Knox's hair was lightly feathered into a sort of "semi Punk" look.
I thought Knox Chandler did a very good job, although most groundwork that created the Banshees' guitar style was laid down by John McKay and John McGeoch.
They started with "Pure", leading into "Jigsaw Feeling", just like on the album "The Scream". This was followed by "Metal Postcard", "We Hunger", "Arabian Knights", "Christine", "Lullaby", "Lands End", "Kiss Them For Me", "I Could Be Again", "Icon", "Night Shift", and "Voodoo Dolly". The encores were "Red Light", "Spellbound", and The Beatles' "Blue Jay Way".
The venue wasn't completely full, but someone suggested to me that this may have been due to fire regulations.
Siouxsie's voice has either changed or deteriorated through the years, but I'm not sure why this is, as the much older Cher (who I hate) seems to be relatively unaffected. It's obvious she can't hit the high notes, preferring to use a more mellow, Jazzy style to try and compensate.
All in all, this gig marked a very impressive return to live British performances by one of the most original and influential bands ever.
Afterwards, I was hanging round outside with several people I'd travelled to Glasgow with (i.e. Dazzza, Roberta, Don, etc) then, about an hour after the gig finished, Steve, then Siouxsie came out, followed soon afterwards by Budgie. I congratulated Budgie, shook hands, and he said he was pleased to see me. He was wearing the kind of outfit mostly associated with Wing Chun Kung Fu, black, including a jacket with frog fastenings (i.e. toggles) as favoured by Bruce Lee and Wing Chun instructors. He then joined the rest of the band in a double decker coach with lots of frosted windows.