Last gig review from The Last Resort

Camden Dingwalls – 19th May 1999
Maybe a sick joke was intended with the gig being played at a Comedy club? Almost as sick as listening to one of the albums of the year knowing it is the last in a line of underground success’s. That album being ‘Sub-lingual’ and the band being Cable made for an evening to remember, beit simply for the bizarre atmosphere, all the celeb’s who turned up and more sauna like temperature’s. Usually when a memorial is held people cry all over their pristine black suits and ties but tonight there are far too many proud people for tears. It was a sad occasion but what was worse, was that Cable played themselves off so well it seems such a crime it was their last show. One person (an ex manager infact) has bought this early death to one of the UK rock elite, could his punishment be worse than imaginable – well I could imagine the masses here tonight each stamping on a him. 

Support came from the mighty ‘A’ who seemed much more at home in this venue off the Camden high street than at the Albert hall a few weeks back. New single ‘Old Folks’ was the highlight of their set. They also played past hit singles ‘Number 1’ amongst a cluster of gems from ‘How Ace are Buildings?’ and forthcoming album ‘Monkey Kong’. ‘A’ played a set just begging for more but in their case more you can expect – for tonight’s headliners it was not the case.

With the venue now well and truly claustrophobic all there was left was for the Cable tunes to be turned off the sound system and for the band themselves to stop running around with video camera’s whilst talking to friends, family and fans who had showed up for their eternal last blast. Matt could barely contain himself and had the odd stage dive between singing in his very own unique, slightly flat, slightly out of tune way. Richie thumped and rattled the whole night through situated at the rear of the stage. Darius and Pete bothed made the noise on the guitars and bass which can only be labelled; loud, noisily as Cable. Melodies made to make the moshers ignite the fire in the already oven temperatured room. A sound to make several mouths drool – it was an all out stunner of a live show, but sadly a final one.

Eventually, the last chord was played and the last lyric sung – nothing could stop this happening. Time was one of two enemies for a band tonight (the other being their ex manager). The odd tear in eye, partying went on til late into the night and the memories will live on forever (Ok so a few intoxicated people’s memories may not have lasted more than a few seconds, but that’s their loss). 

Cable’s piece of the music scene’s puzzle has been lost and as always, nothing will ever be totally together.

SET-LIST – Ultra Violet – Deadwood – Blindman – Souvenir – …Gravity – Brothers and Sisters – Colder Climate – Freeze the Atlantic – Comprendez? – Seventy – Hexagon Eye – Bluebirds are Blue – Sale of the Century – Honolulu – Oubliette.