The Joy Formidable
(supporting Bloc Party)

Melkweg (The Max)
Amsterdam
The Netherlands

15th February 2013 (2013-02-15)


RECORDING:

Type: Audience master, recorded 4 metres back from the left PA stack.

Source: Factory-matched pair of Schoeps CCM 41V microphones (DINa mounted) ->
Marantz PMD661 recorder with Oade Concert Mod
(-18 dB gain/44.1 kHz/24 bit WAV)

Lineage: Audacity 2.0.2
* normalised to 0 dB
* applied minimal variable amplification for consistency across
recording
* added fades
* split tracks
* converted to 16 bit
-> FLAC (compression level 8) [libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917]

Taper: Ian Macdonald (ianmacd)


SET LIST:

01. [04:39] Cholla
02. [04:02] Austere
03. [04:54] This Ladder Is Ours
04. [06:34] The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade
05. [04:22] Cradle
06. [00:21] [banter]
07. [04:57] I Don't Want To See You Like This
08. [08:21] Whirring

Total running time: 38:09

NOTES:

It's my sixth time seeing The Joy Formidable, half of which have been this
week.

After headlining shows up the road and up the stairs at the Paradiso, as well
as down the other end of the A4/A13 in Rotterdam, the band now join Bloc Party
for two nights of support honours in the Melkweg's The Max.

I nearly screw up the recording as the band come on stage. I think I need only
tactile feedback to start my recorder on its mission tonight, but the band
have come on late and my recorder has decided that the long wait must signify
that its owner has forgotten about it. It has therefore thrown in the towel
and gone to bed. It's only when I glance down for a final visual check that
the clock is actually ticking and see a black screen staring back at me that I
realise I now have to scramble to fire up the machine and get it recording.

Luckily, I still manage to get things rolling before Matt Thomas starts
pounding the intro to 'Cholla' out of his drums.

A 38 minute set follows, which is about 25% more than I'd dared hope for
tonight. The band are 90% of the reason I'm here and the sound is great, so
I'm not even going to complain about the EUR 35 it has cost me to get in here.

What's striking about tonight's set is that, with limited time available, it's
principally the newer material that gets jettisoned. Tonight's set strongly
resembles the pre-'Wolf's Law' short sets that the band were playing, such as
at London Calling in November. In fact, it's more or less a showcase of the
band's singles that we hear tonight.

They might BE the support band, but they don't PLAY like a support band. They
might have only the very front of the stage on which to manoeuvre, but they
own every centimetre of it.

The interplay is as physical as ever, if not more so. Ritzy bounces off
Rhydian, landing him the occasional 'affectionate' kick. And poor old Matt
Thomas can't get out of the way, a fact both Ritzy and Rhydian take regular
advantage of, calling at his door to give his drum-kit some well-intentioned
grief.

'I Don't Want To See You Like This' is the highlight of this short, but sweet
set. It sounds monumental tonight.

By the time 'Whirring' grinds to a halt in front of this audience, they are a
little less indifferent than they started out: another few souls who will
recall this evening the next time they see TJF's name mentioned somewhere.

It's the kind of whirlwind performance that some headlining bands might be
hard-pressed to follow. What do you mean, 'What am I insinuating?'?

Up next, Bloc Party. I can relax now. The real enjoyment has been had; the
important work done. This one is in the bag.

The Joy Formidable will support Bloc Party here again tomorrow, but as I
mentioned in my review of TJF's Rotterdam gig, EUR 35 for the privilege of
seeing the band a fourth time this week, playing a half hour set, is more than
even I crave. I'm having a night off.

So, that's it from me on the TJF front until the band find themselves back
this way for another headliner, or at least a festival of some description
that I can bring myself to attend.

The recording is excellent. As always, samples are provided to help you decide
whether this is worth the share ratio depletion for you.