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Fibbers, York (Warm-up gig)
16th September 2006

Happy Ever After
I Want Love
Some People Are More Equal Than Others
Inside Out
Kickin' Up Dust
Forbidden Fruit

--- Semi-Acoustic Set ---
Big Shot
Don't Prey For Me
Fools Gold
-End-

Unwind
All Roads Lead To You
Lucky
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
Refresh Yourself
Young Gods
Breakdown

--- Encore ---
Radical Your Lover

The fact that the band only had two days' rehearsals before this show, and that they were spent working out which new songs to play and their corresponding arrangements was not obvious!  With the possible exception of the end of 'Unwind' tonight show was very good - it's like the past 6 months didn't happen!

It was weird not hearing 'Breakdown' as the show opener (secretly I thought that it would become Tobe's 'She's A Little Angel' and always be a show opener) but new song 'Happy Ever After' proved to be just as good.  It's a rocky upbeat number and obviously a contender for next years' album.  This was followed by the very good 'I Want Love' which people seem to have accepted despite not really being one of the more well-known Angels tracks.  

Ignorance Is Bliss' 'Some People Are More Equal Than Others' followed.  Sadly this is not one of my favourites from that album ('I Won't Be With You' will always hold that honour) but Toby seems to like it.  Luckily it was followed by the crowd pleasing 'Inside Out' which never fails to satisfy, like the following track; 'Kickin' Up Dust'.  Hearing Fibbers sing "Johnny never cared about nothing at all" at the end was a highlight of the show as just about everyone joined in.

The rocked up 'Forbidden Fruit' was up next, again a good rocking number.  This was followed by a kind of mini-acoustic set.

When Toby mentioned that there were going to be three new songs on the tour I had assumed he meant 3 "new" songs, i.e. Twisted Rhapsodies tracks.  So surprise number 1 was 'Happy Ever After'.  Number 2 was 'Big Shot'; a song co-written with Nick.  This started off acoustic but built into a bigger rock number.  And its quite catchy; maybe not single material but definitely album worthy, though the title gives lazy journalists an easy target I guess.

Next was the always amazing 'Don't Pray For Me'.  Toby has mentioned that over the course of the next few years he will be dropping the Little Angels material but this is one track he will never lose and for good reason - it's amazing and always a highlight of any show.

Surprise number 3 was next; a rocked up version of 'Fools Gold' from Twisted Rhapsodies.  Using a very weird tuning guitar Tobe started off just like the CD version before the rest of the band kicked in.  Personally  would have liked to have heard 'Pure' played but this new version of this song was definitely a good move and is something different.

Fools Gold ended the "acoustic set" which gave us a little chance to breath before the awesome double set of 'Unwind' and 'All Roads Lead To You'; both great songs and crowd pleasers.  The third and final new song of the night was next; 'Lucky' is another rocky track, kinda Franz Ferdinand-y and definitely my favourite of the three new songs.  This would sound great with the Big Bad Horns on, but without them its still very good.

The rocked-up 'Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind' made a re-appearance from the July 2002 setlists and sounded good, especially the "I'll be in clover pretty soon...." Beatle-y middle section which I love though I have never fully figured it out!  Maybe that's why I like it so much.

EP title track, 'Refresh Yourself' followed though this is not one of my favourites but since 'Young Gods' came next, with its' amazing guitar outro I didn't mind.  This lead into set closer 'Breakdown'.  As I mentioned it was odd hearing this in the set instead of opening it but it's a great song so it didn't really matter by now.

After a 30 second break form the stage the band came back on for the "encore" 'Radical Your Lover' - always always a great song to sing/clap and dance along too.  And as it turns out a very good way to end the show on a high.

Can't really fault the setlist, the bands playing was good to excellent and the crowd were very good.  All in all a very good way to start the tour.

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(Photos by  Jules - with thanks)