¡Forward, Russia! at Manchester Academy 2. 16th February 2007

Setlist
Fifteen Pt 1
Twelve
We Are Grey Matter
Seventeen
Don't Be A Doctor
A Prospector Can Dream
Nineteen
Nine
Fifteen Pt 2
Thirteen
Sixteen

Having seen ¡Forward,Russia! live before, I knew I could expect an energetic performance, and after the initial disappointment of the support acts (Damn Arms' late cancellation and Men, Women & Children's indie-synth-pop boy-band rubbish), Tom Woodhead et al strolled onstage before storming straight into 'Fifteen Part 1', sending the crowd into a frenzy as Tom dueled with his mic cable and pelted out his famously bizarre lyrics. "In a pretence of inducing vomit, you took my head and built a supermarket on it"
As well as several tracks off their debut album 'Give Me A Wall', the Leeds four-piece also previewed two new tracks, 'We Are Grey Matter' and 'A Prospector Can Dream' and new single 'Don't Be A Doctor'. Seems like they've dropped the numbers-as-song-titles idea then… The new songs were all excellent, mixing their usual amazing energy with a slower, quieter side, rarely seen in their music. The pick of the trio was 'Don't Be A Doctor' which was recently released as a vinyl-only single. The song snakes its way through seven minutes of mayhem that begins with a slow lament, builds to a massive tangle of hooks and riffs from guitarist Whiskas, before grinding to a halt again.

After returning to where they started by rounding off the set with Fifteen Part 2, ¡Forward, Russia! returned to the stage with album opener 'Thirteen', before dissolving the crowd to a haze of sweat and bodies with 'Sixteen' to conclude one of the most energetic sets the Academy 2 is ever likely to host. ¡Forward,Russia! at their brilliant best, a joy to behold.

Review by Rory Walker


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