Paradise Lost / My Dying Bride / Anathema
19 September 2008
The Forum, London


Tonight was Paradise Lost’s 20th Anniversary show. Having grown up in the band’s native West Yorkshire I actual did first see the band 20 years ago in October 1988 at a chaotic all day bill of Carcass, Deathwish, Electro Hippies, Concrete Sox, Intense Degree, Paradise Lost, Pendemia, Metal Duck and Lawnmower Deth. The chaos actually saw Carcass close the show when a member of Napalm Death didn’t show up. Since then, Paradise Lost is probably the band I have seen most often over the following 20 years. By 1995 they had grown to the stature of headlining the same venue they were celebrating in tonight. At that show Cathedral was the main support, but the opening act was the same as tonight, Anathema.

In typical Forum fashion, the security weren’t in any rush to get the paying punters in and Daniel Cavanagh fittingly dedicated opener Deep to “all the people still outside”. The lucky who had made it in clapped along as Empty followed, but it was Closer where Anathema finally hit their stride with the soundman finally getting the levels sorted. Always a highlight in the band’s set, Closer is a country mile away from the band’s early more aggressive sound which was revisited with renditions of A Dying Wish and Sleepless. There had been rumours of former singer Darren White making an appearance for the latter song and whilst this didn’t happen, the song provided fitting nostalgia.

Despite one of the guitars vanishing from the mix, Fragile Dreams closed the set in towering fashion. Anathema have been gathering momentum recently and tonight’s set whetted the appetite for their forthcoming headline UK tour.

Anathema set list:
Deep / Empty / Closer / Angelica / A Natural Disaster / Flying / A Dying Wish / Sleepless / Fragile Dreams


The other member of the Peaceville Three was of course My Dying Bride who took centre slot on tonight’s bill. Despite the experimentations of 34.788% Complete, of the three bands, My Dying Bride have stayed closest to their original sound. They’ve also of late brought back the violin which was a trademark in their early days and its aching sound carried the familiar melody of Here In The Throat. This was really a set for the old school My Dying Bride fans who lap up rarely played mid-90s hymns The Songless Bird and From Darkest Skies.

Its business as usual on stage with the band solemnly providing the backing for Aaron Stainthorpe’s method-acting like stage moves. Lost in his own world of lyrics he writhes around delivering his pained vocal. The Cry Of Mankind sits centre set as the set highpoint, though it’s the presence of Vast Choirs “the first song we ever wrote” that makes this set particularly special. In truth I missed some of the newer material, mainly Catherine Blake, but given this was a special occasion, My Dying Bride could not be accused of not delivery a special set.

My Dying Bride set list:
Here In The Throat / The Songless Bird / From Darkest Skies / The Cry Of Mankind / The Snow In My Hand / Vast Choirs / The Dreadful Hours


Anyone expecting a party atmosphere or some spectacular gesture from Paradise Lost to mark tonight’s occasion would have left disappointed. Paradise Lost have always had a no fuss consistent quality to their live shows and therefore the fact this show is no different is probably the most fitting way to celebrate those 20 years. Unfortunately, Hallowed Land opens the set as a damp squib thanks to dreadful sound although things do improve quickly.

There’s not many surprises across a set which traverses the band’s history since 1991’s Gothic. Nothing is dredged from the band’s debut album, but Remberance from Icon and Draconian Times’s Elusive Cure certainly were welcome diversions. In fact it’s Draconian Times which is drawn most heavily from, with five songs.

Nick Holmes was light on his usual dry wit tonight and I wasn’t sure whether he was taking piss when he cried “That’s the spirit” as the crowd clapped along during The Enemy. All in all this was a satisfying if low key performance given the event, though smiles are finally cracked when the other two bands joined Paradise Lost at the conclusion.

Paradise Lost set list:
Hallowed Land / Remembrance / Never for the Damned / Erased / No Celebration / Ashes & Debris / As I Die / Elusive Cure / The Enemy / Gothic / Shadowkings / Enchantment / Requiem / Say Just Words / One Second / The Last Time



LINKS:
Paradise Lost
My Dying Bride
Anathema