Show of Hands ‘Protest songs’ Manchester Club Academy, 29th November 2008

A City Centre Manchester Gig Show of Hands have finally made it! Or so Steve Knightly put it mid song… and made it they did. SOH did not disappoint and neither did the Manchester Crowd… almost word for word every song was sung along with the band… this recording reflects that atmosphere… nice sound but expect singing from the floor (me included) I positioned myself dead centre about four persons from the stage (it was a standing gig)

The gig started with a notable static sense of excitement as the lights went down, first Steve Knightly then Phil Beer, accompanied throughout by Miranda Sykes, more than any other SOH gig I have been to this one had a rough edge… protest was in the air the crowd were in good voice and the band knew it…

Manchester Club Academy is one of three venues in the same building… ours was in the basement… a low ceiling really gave it a ‘Club’ atmosphere… SOH played some of their standards mixed in with a few newbies like ‘You Made Me Feel Like the One’ by Stereophonics
… but… this time some of the ‘Oldies’ had some new twists… extended endings with added lyrics… so this is not just another SOH gig


1. You’re Mine
2. Are We Alright
3. Chat
4. Crazy boy
5. Chat
6. Country Life
7. Secret World (Gabriel)
8. Chat
9. Undertow
10. Chat
11. Faith in you
12. Cousin Jack
13. Chat
14. Sweet Pea (Solo by Myranda Sykes)
15. King of El Paso (Boz Scaggs)
16. Chat
17. You Made Me Feel Like the One (Stereophonics)
18. Unknown?
19. Chat
20. The Keys of Canterbury
21. The train
22. Blackwaterside (Jansch?)
23. Crowd and Chat
24. The Dive
25. Roots

Rig: Core sound Binaural microphones onto Sony MZ-N707, CDwave, Traders Little helper

Sound Quality is good check out the samples.