The Bluetones Lamacq Live performance may have just topped my list of best gigs EVER. 

It being invitation-only (by answering the contest question "What was the Fierce Panda EP 
that Bluetonic appeared on?"), it meant that it was nice and empty in the studio, and it 
assured that everyone there was a hardcore fan.

The Radio One Maida Vale studios are situated in this very long, impressive, white stone 
building in a completely residential neighborhood in North London. The outside and the 
ground floor were rather modern-looking, but as soon as we stepped into Studio 3, we were 
straight into the 1950s. I swear they haven't redecorated it since the Cold War (think 
warehouse with green and orange panels!). The whole concert was filmed by two BBC video 
cameras, but it remains to be seen why the footage was taken.... The band were on a 
makeshift stage only raised about two feet off the ground, so the crowd was right there, 
only a few inches from them while they were playing. The stage was small enough that, for 
once, we could finally see Eds behind his drums, and the whole atmosphere was completely 
intimate (right down to the free BBC beer! woohoo!).

Since it was being broadcast on Radio One later that night (I haven't listened to the 
tape yet!), Mark didn't do much talking, other than to apologise for his gravelly voice 
(making a crack about "next time, I won't freebase cocaine until 4 the night before"!!). 
His voice completely didn't need apologising for, though, because his singing was 
incredible -- adding all sorts of turns into otherwise simple parts of songs, and 
improvising bits on the spot. He sure didn't sound like he'd just finished an entire 
tour! The whole band were clearly thrown off by the fact that 80% of the crowd was singing
 along to even the new songs, and that everyone in the audience had cameras (I felt like
 a teenybopper, but I can't wait to get my film developed!). At two points, Mark even 
took cameras from the crowd and took a photo of each of the other band members, and 
even of the camera's owners in the crowd. =)

The recorded setlist was a bit different from the Shepherd's Bush gig, but I certainly 
hope they aired all the new songs so I can stay sane until the album release in May. I 
*finally* got a setlist this time, after much disappointment fighting over them at every 
other gig:

Zorrro [new]
Bluetonic
Down at the Reservoir
The Last of the Great Navigators [new]
4 Day Weekend
Sleazy Bed Track
Autophilia [the next single, out in April]
Slight Return ["the song that made us millionaires"]
Solomon Bites the Worm [listen for me + 2 others shouting "Arse!" at the two quiet bits!]
Keep the Home Fires Burning  [newish]
If...

They left the stage after this set, and came back on about five minutes later (there was
 a very large 50s-y clock behind the stage for some reason), and were clearly even more 

laid back now that they didn't have to worry about it going out on air. Mark was joking 
with the crowd and exchanging presents and witticisms, even taking up the guitar for the 
first two songs. This next "encore" was a lot shorter:

Blood Bubble [new]
One Speed Gearbox [new]
Are You Blue or Are You Blind

Afterwards, everyone sat around the studio, and were surpringly not kicked out for about 
a half hour (the security was thankfully a lot more lax than I was expecting). We clustered
 around the exit outside and the remaining 20 or so of us tackled the guys on their way to 
their cars (Scott carrying two huge wine bottles despite his collarbone!), so I got my 
setlist signed, too. ;) Didn't find out anything earth-shattering about their upcoming 
plans, but the smalltalk was nice, and it reaffirmed everyone's opinion that Mark is a 
complete ladies' man (and that Adam is a bit lost all the time "dammit. did they leave 
without me? I've no way to get home now..."). Eds also commented on how surreal the whole 
set was for them, because it felt like they were playing in a school hall, on top of seeing
 so many people singing along to songs they haven't released yet.

Hmm, and that's about it. Really, really, REALLY top gig, and I've just had the offer of 
a ride and a bed for the Norwich show in May, so it looks like I'll be seeing them then, 
in addition to Amsterdam! =)

melissa, rounding out her concert-week countdown:
1. Bluetones Lamacq Live
2. Death in Vegas
3. Gorky's
4. Bluetones Shepherd's Bush
5. Fatboy Slim