article 2:

I Am Kloot, Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 8/10/03

Having never been to the Empire before I didn't quite know what to expect, other than it was the biggest headlining gig to date and should be something quite special.

Supports were quite good, Kings Have Long Arms were a riot, and really good fun, even if half the audience didn't quite seem to get it. Aidan Smith seemed good, but I think nerves got the better of him and he stayed crouched over his keyboard without too much banter between songs.

It was refreshing to see that Pete and Andy come on stage just before the performance to check their setups, rather than leaving it all to someone else to sort out, to me it showed just how determined they were to make this a good one (Not that John wasn't, but as the public face of IAK there may've been a small riot).

A small riot then followed as all three returned to begin the main set of:

Twist
A Strange Arrangement Of Colour
From Your Favourite Sky
Morning Rain
3 Feet Tall
86 TV's
Not A Reasonable Man
No Fear Of Falling
Because
The Same Deep Water As Me
Here For The World
Bigger Wheels
Storm Warning
To You
Stop
Proof
Life In A Day

Twist was delivered with all the loving bile it usually gets, to a fantastic reaction from the (sold-out) crowd, every single person singing the "blood on your legs" refrain. Which isn't bad going for the opening song.

After that a couple of 'new songs' which were also gratefully received by the crowd, Favourite Sky being my pick of the two, filled with passion.Morning Rain and 3 Feet Tall got everyone moving, which John seemed fairly impressed by, calling some of the dancing 'very interesting' (in a good way, I think).

A thundering 86Tv's closed that section of the set before we were treated to a couple of solo efforts, Not A Reasonable Man almost segueing into No Fear Of Falling with only the crazed applause inbetween as people realised the Gem in Natural History's crown was being given an outing. Both simply beautiful.

Andy and Pete returned for Because which again had everyone singing along to its haunting beauty, and if that had maybe turned the mood slightly melancholic this was continued with Same Deep Water (Apparently a very old tune) which works well even without the brass section of the album version.

Having seen the keyboards set out earlier I couldn't quite work out what song they were to be used for, guessing at Because, but when that came and went I was still slightly confused. All was made clear when Pete left his usual seat and took up position behind the keyboard and John strummed the first few chords of Here For The World. Having only been played live a handful of times before, I was quite excited, and it didn't disappoint, John's added echoing vocals giving the song a slightly sinister sound.

After the quieter section, a quick guitar change and a definite crowd
pleaser to get everyone going again - Bigger Wheels, one of the best
received songs of the night without a doubt, everyone singing along or dancing in a kind of mad frenzy.

A few old favourites followed with everyone singing every word (but nobody quite matched John's manic scream during Stop) until Proof was finally wheeled out, again to a great reaction.

A storming Life In A Day (Credit due to Andy and Pete, nothing better to get everyone jumping about madly again) ended it all, about an hour after it all began, leaving everyone wanting more. Sadly no encore, but there were 1150 people applauding wildly for a few minutes afterwards, hungry for more.