The Chameleons / The Fleece / Bristol
The Chameleons were formed in Manchester in 1983 by singer and bassist Mark Burgess with guitarists Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding and drummer John Lever. Their debut album “Script of the Bridge” was released in 1983, And it was followed up in 1985 with the release of “What Does Anything Mean? Basically” and “Strange Times”. The band disbanded in 1987 following the death of their manager. Reforming again in 2000 the band released three more albums before separating again in 2003. Burgess has continued to perform The Chameleons songs live.
Well known for their atmospheric guitar based sound, The Chameleons were perhaps one of the most under rated bands of the 1980’s. Although they didn’t reach great commercial success, they certainly had a huge cult underground following, in no small part with the release of their classic album “What Does Anything Mean? Basically” and this tour was intended to mark the 35th anniversary of it’s release (Covid strikes again !). It’s an album that’s thought of as one of the most progressive from post punk’s formative years.
Burgess along with original guitarist Reg Smithies joined by second guitarist Neil Dwerryhouse (a long time collaborator with Mark Burgess). The band play through the album in order from start to finish. The set starts with the dramatic instrumental Silence Sea and Sky which leads into the wonderful Perfumed Garden.
The whole album (if you haven’t heard it I thoroughly recommend giving it a spin) links together so well and flows effortlessly. With a wide range of influences from the more mellow tones of Intrigue in Tangiers to the edgier Singing Rule Britannia to the sonic waves of the delightful Looking Inwardly.
For me a highlight of the set was an impressive rendition of the track Home is Where the Heart Is which swirls as it washes over you, and P.S. Goodbye the final track from the album with it’s crisp clear guitar introduction and haunting melody. A great vocal performance from Burgess that shows his skills have not diminished over the years.
Rounding off the main set we have In Shreds and Nostalgia which were bonus tracks on the CD version of the album. An early track from 1982, Shreds has a rougher, edgier feel to it which sounds as good today as ever. Nostalgia closes off the main set with a more rhythmic slowed pace. It’s a great track and works so well as a closing track. It has something about it, and deserves to have more exposure.
As the night draws to a close, we get a taste of some of the bands other work, and arguably some of their most icon tracks with View from a Hill from their debut album “Script of the Bridge” a wonderfully light and airy track, and Swamp Thing their first single, followed by Second Skin a wonderful track to end of as the crowd sang along loud and proud. The capacity crowd loved every second of it, and so did I.
Overall, with fantastic support, it’s an incredible night and a fitting tribute to an incredible and iconic album. The skills are undiminished over the years, and in fact, the maturity the years bring to the performance add to the album. It feels just as good, and just as relevant in 2022 as it did back in 1985.
Set List
Silence Sea and Sky
Perfumed Garden
Intrigue in Tangiers
Return of the Roughnecks
Singing Rule Britannia
On The Beach
Looking Inwardly
One Flesh
Home is Where the Heart Is
P.S. Goodbye
In Shreds
Nostalgia
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Swamp Thing (Strange Times 1986)
Second Skin (Script of the Bridge 1983)
View from a Hill (Script of the Bridge 1983)
Support was provided by the Membranes a punk band formed in 1977 in Blackpool, Lancashire and led by bassist John Robb, before relocating to Manchester in 1983 and went on to be come key players in the scene. The two bands last played together on the same bill in Manchester back in 1984, and it’s great that they’ve joined forces to tour together now.
As ever, fronted by the manic style of Robb, whose bass riffs underpin The Membranes dark, dramatic post-punk material, he is joined on stage by Peter Byrchmore on guitar and Mike Simkins on drums. Joining on keyboards and vocals is Amelia Chain mysteriously dressed in black with a black lace vail.
The band have an incredible stage presence. Its loud and raucous and fantastic. Robb setting the atmosphere with his erratic moves throughout the set. Playing tracks mainly from 2015’s “Dark Matter/Dark Energy” and their most recent album “What Nature Gives, Nature Takes Away”. Highlights of the set were Do the Supernova, Snow Monkey and Black is the Colour, which is an incredibly powerful and poignant track in equal measure. The highlight for me had to be the incredible Snow Monkey with it’s animal world political comparison, as the ‘posh’ monkeys get to go in the swimming pool and the rest throw snowballs at them, and the wonderful Do the Supernova which has a fantastic primitive /primal feel to it, and is a real foot stomper of a track.
The set closes with an older track Myths and Legends from 1983.
A thoroughly entertaining set, with high levels of energy backed up by a back catalogue of great songs. Robb’s interaction with the audience is spot on, as he regales the crowd with tales and explanations for the songs, and Peter adding interesting guitar playing techniques such as riffs played with a torch !
I’d not seen the Membranes live before, and I’m so glad I have. I really enjoyed the set and regret not seeing them before, I left feeling I had missed out waiting so long. The music was great and they created a wonderful atmosphere, which set the tone for what was tom come later.
A thoroughly entertaining night all round.
Set List
The Universe Explodes into a Billion Photons
Dark Energy
Do the Supernova
Grave – In the Graveyard
Snow Monkey
Black is the Colour
Deep in the Forest where the Memories Linger
Myths & Legends
