Festival Hall gig

First post - so hello!

I was at the RFH Meltdown gig last night - it was wonderful! They had a huge choir, kids in the boxes playing brass, Guy's family in the Royal Box, and the whole audience on their feet at the end for "One Day Like This".

Fleet Foxes were superb support, the drummer was very witty!

Thanks for joining! And thanks for the report, here's hoping there'll be a few more to come, and some pictures maybe, if cameras were allowed.

Hello folks. Photos weren't allowed (I got told off) but...









I actually only witnessed the last three tracks. I got given free tickets to Coldplay at Brixton Academy, which I thought would be more special. Based on what I saw of the two shows, I thought wrong. Viva Elbow!

Superb! Thanks for being such a rebel!

They opened with Station Approach which went down a storm. It was about the 5th or 6th time I've seen them, tney just get better and better!

Hi, I was one of the 'Geoffs', singing in the choir. Thanks for the photos - would love to see some more! What an amazing night.

First post too, this is a review I posted on another forum

If I never go to another gig again I could die happy after last night!

From start to finish an amazing night, Fleet Foxes supported and were brilliant, very funny and very talented guys.

Then Elbow, Guy walked on wearing all black and a trilby (this is relevant for later), started with Station Approach and that set the tone for the rest of the show, the fact that the venue was seated mad no difference to the incredilble atmosphere. Guy waved to his family who were in the Roayl Box, then we had Bones of You, Leaders of The Free World (dedicated to George W), Grounds for Divorce, Mirrorball (with 3 mirrorballs sitting on the stage, creating a great effect), The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver and Great Expectations.

As Great Expectations finished, what sounded like a tape of Any Day Now started in the background, it was a choir of 35 blokes, dressed all in black wearing trilby's. They had all been recruited specifically for this show and had 2 days practice. Guy called them Geoff not sure which. Geoff stayed for the rest of the show.

Next was Starlings, with trumpeteers in 4 of the boxes at the side of the stage as well as the guys on the stage, and the mixing desk man. Followed by a song they had only played once live before, because "we are shit at it, and if Geoff wasn't here we wouldn't try it" Presuming Ed (Rest Easy). Some Riot was next and a storming version of Newborn which got a standing ovation. Geoff was still joining in with every song.

Then Grace Under Pressure, which Guy cocked up after Geof had started it off, the song finished with Geoff and Guy giving each other the finger Stops was the penultimate song, before the whole crowd stood up for One Day Like This, which blew the roof off the Festival Hall.

There was no encore, I guess because they were running behind, but it didn't matter, I didn't think I had the words to describe this gig, but I have waffled on now

Terrific review, thanks for posting!

I hope someone filmed this...

I just read it back and found loads of typos! But I just needed to get it all out!


There were cameras there filming.

MagicalTrevor wrote:

Terrific review, thanks for posting!

I hope someone filmed this...

It was being filmed.... we wern't allowed to in the audience though.

I feel so priviledged to have seen them play "Presuming Ed"....well all of that evening, but especially that song as it was a one off.

Craig walked off the stage part way through Newborn, and even though Guy had said to us all you don't need to scuttle off to the toilet discreetly(as it was a seated gig, and more obvious when people went in or out) just go for it, I thought surely Craig wasn't that desperate to go in the middle of Newborn? but he soon emerged high up in the wall above Guy to be seated with his back to us on a massive organ to finish the last part of the song...amazing!

One day like this ended with all the Geoffs coming to the middle of the stage and then they were tossing their trilby hats at the audience, and some general hat throwing went on through the rest of the song.
I have one of Geoffs hats with me now, and Tom Piper's set list.
Oh, and thanks Geoff for bringing something extra to Elbow's music last night.

An Incredible night!

lucky with disease wrote:

I have one of Geoffs hats with me now, and Tom Piper's set list.
Oh, and thanks Geoff for bringing something extra to Elbow's music last night.

Thank you guys for being such a great crowd, the end of the gig was awesome! And take care of the hat... I feel sort of naked without it!

What an amaziing sounding night! I so wish I could have been there.

Thanks so much for the scoop.

stunning,amazing night,thanks guys you blew me away.Thats the first time i have seen them as a headliners.I took my friend along,him only knowing one song,he was in tears,he couldnt speak.the loneliness of a tower crane driver,the tears were running down my face .
geoff you were fantastic,such a special night,a special band.everyone rocking at the end

Great night. Lots of Mantra Luna-ing going on!

Can we have a whip round to get a coach to ferry Geoff (Jeff?) to Glastonbury?

Hi all, first time on the forum!

I went with my wife, the balcony was rocking!! She must have cried at least three times during the course of the gig. I'm a little surprised they didn't play Forget Myself, Fugitive Motel or Ribcage, but then again it was a once in a lifetime experience!!

The only time in my life i've being to a gig that has made me feel so emotional, i thought i was going to burst into tears.

Have fun all you guys going to Latitude and Glastonbury. And thank you for Elbow for a night a lot of people will never forget.

Oh my goodness...what a show it must've been! So glad to get the first-hand accounts and the pics, so thanks all for those. Wish I could've been there!!

.......you lucky people, sounds a blast

Words can not describe how gutted i am to have missed this... Gutted.
Thank you guys for the low down, it was great to read... even if i may have to go have a bit of a sob now!!!!

Mr Garvey pitched up again tonight to perform in the Blade Runner soundtrack night of Meltdown. If I was a betting man, I expect he'd show his face at Massive Attack's set on the final night to perform the song they recorded together for Massive Attack's new album.

Great pics, reviews and commentaries on what must have been an unbelieveable gig.
Seems I've missed something very special

I hate to say it to all those who couldnt make it but I have seen elbow loads of times and this was the greatest show of them all. Lots of people were in tears, Ive never seen anything like it. Some Riot was the highlight for me, it's the first time I had seen it performed live and it was incredible.

It was an amazing night, doubly so with Fleet Foxes supporting-they were also superb. If this becomes available for commercial release i'd be a very happy bunny. My third show of the year and each show has been completely different, heres to the bigger shows at the end of the year which are bound to happen.
Managed to get a couple of photos(no-one told me it was forbidden!!!

The setlist taken from behind the sound-desk, I did get dirty looks, notice how it's wrong....



Geoff/Jeff(?)




The finale





Yeah a bloody good night that will stay in the memory for some time. If anyones interested I uploaded a video of Fleet Foxes which can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TchjmLV5N7Y

Thanks v much for this!

....must....find....bootleg....

God, I hope this show becomes available in some form or fashion, and preferably on an official release so it's decent quality. But this seemed a once-in-a-lifetime event and unless you were there...you weren't there. Woe is me... *strikes melodramatic pose and weeps uncontrollably*

I too wish I was there. A mate of mine, who I didn't even know liked Elbow, was there and said it was amazing. If this was Pro-shot I'd buy it in an instant.