MUSIC LIVE REVIEWS
_ free drink. would be legless by the titne the night really started. Funny how badly you can fool yourself.
Friday night‘s entertainment was to ’ be a trip to the ()tto Zutz nightclub where we could dance the night away in the company of celebrity stars while ' knocking back the obligatory Holsten. be The celebrities had other ideas however vvy and spent the night in an inner sancttrrn that could only be pierced by intrepid
There was a competition journalists who were much less dedicated to the Holsten than I was. ()f
inVOlVing HOlSten P115, necessity. my night ended relatively Pulp, and early. Needless to say. the competition
winners. despite the misplaced concern of the Press. were still dancing at dawn
Barcelona. Beyond that,
it’s a blur, Jonathan while most of the hacks were asleep
Trew comes clean over a _
lost weekend. The peculiarly English fascination with polyester chic
It all seemed like a good idea at the seems even more incongruous
time. The List would run a competition. in Barcelona, but sticking out Two readers would win and a List a sore thumb was a|ways
representative would accompany the , , , , lucky winners on a weekend trip to Janus s spec'al'ty- Barcelona to celebrate the fact that Holsten Pils now tastes less bitter than having nightmares about livers like
it used to and has its labels stuck on handbags. squint. Saturday dawned bright and breezy at l
Doubts about the sagacity of this trip about three in the afternoon. leaving first appeared at Luton airport at eight just enough time for heads to be pulled otrt like a sore thumb was always what this was like. The post-Pulp o’clock on the morning of departure. together before the main event of the Jarvis‘s speciality. They got off to a crowd had slunk off in search of further 1 The ever benevolent organisers of the weekend. After the debauch of the relatively slow start but playing to a liquid refreshment leaving the dance r trip had thoughtfully arranged for three night before. weary eyes were being crowd of 600. where you cart see the fans in control of the amphitheatre. huge fridges of Holsten to be made raised at the prospect of another night whites of the crowd‘s eyes. rntrst have Add to this the fact that Leftfreld's available to the gentlemen of the press. ofexcess bttt even the most ill-spirited been a bit unsettling for the stadium- sound system produces a noise that is Despite hacks‘ shameful habit of brightened up when we arrived at the fillers. Communal sing-alongs around four decibels quieter than ajet hoovering anything that is A) alcoholic venue. abotrnded. although one particularly taking-off and you cart begin to and B) free. the cans remained Situated on a hill on the outskirts of vocal Rangers fan seemed to have imagine the mayhem which followed. unrnolested and the assorted scribblers Barcelona. the Greek Theatre is a grasped the wrong end of the stick and Crowds worked themselves into a congratulated themselves on their modern amphitheatre. set among started chanting dubious sectarian sweaty trance. strangers danced with sensible natures while inwardly fearing beautifully manicured gardens that look slogans to ‘Mislits‘. a telling example one another and grinned inanely. the that the plane wouldn't be allowed to out over the city with the setting strn as of how the independent has become the spiralling beats united one and all in a touch down in Barcelona until every a backdrop. Black tie waiters served up mainstream. Still. can‘t blame the band happy rniasrna of unified passenger had drtrnk a crate of the the Holsten while we grazed among the for the fans and by the time Ptrlp mop consciousness. Or maybe it was just the sttrff. kebabs, tortilla and the world's largest up with ‘l)isco 2000‘ and ‘C‘ommon Holsten.
Having arrived in Barcelona and got paella. All a touch more civilised than People‘. the majority of the audience Point is. it was a top weekend. Drink to our trtore than slightly swanky hotel. the usual pre-gig ritual of a pack of would gladly have (‘ocker's babies. Holsten. it's good for you. the Press decided to have a moderate porky-scratchings and a few pints Not many people would want couple of welcoming drinks and down the Dog and Snot. Leftfreld‘s rtrg rats bttt they wouldn‘t laughed heartin at the thought of all Pulp were fab. obviously. The mind having them play their the competition winners who. peculiarly English fascination with house-warming which
unaccustomed to polyester chic seems even more is a bit ,
incongruous in Barcelona. but sticking
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L Be as The List 20 Sept-3 Oct I996 “m” "9"“8 t