Super Furry Animals. Bowery Ballroom. N.Y.C. 16.06.00
There was much excitement in HOBO TOWERS when we found out SFA were playing in New York at the same time as we were there researching our travel guide. They aren’t touring the U.K yet with new album MWNG, so this was a real bonus for us as we are big fans of SFA. The Bowery Ballroom was nearly full, a testament to those American fans who do know about the Super Furries. The stage show was stripped down from the last time we saw them on the Guerilla tour, no more T.V’s hanging from the ceiling, just a simple effective MWNG backdrop with projections, and the trumpeters costumes replaced by hawaian shirts. The band came on to big applause and launched straight into Bad Behaviour from the first L.P. The crowd, save for us and a gang of mad Irish folk, were pretty static but were clearly enjoying the show. The set was well chosen and varied and thankfully included the storming CALIMERO from OUT SPACED. They played some of the gorgeous MWNG but didn’t force all new material on the crowd. The boys have a big pool of songs to choose from now and I swear not one of them is any less than excellent. Cheers and jeers from the crazy Irish gang were greeted with a “shut the fuck up” from the SFA. This band communicate with their audience almost entirely through the music, and with songs this good that’s no bad thing. They of course end with the anthem ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck ‘ and no encore after one and a half hours of top entertainment. Both times I’ve witnessed the SFA live I’ve thought that Gruff looked slightly less than confident. He should be though, he’s the frontman for one of the best bands in the world today and no mistake.
HOBO SAYS “SFA OKAY”
Click here to go see the SFA interview
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