franco saint de bakker
gore slut

lisa drugstore
giraffe
harsh word
3 times
stumble (2)
imitation (backing vocals by elko and someone else from fsdb)
burnout
telephone calls
crawling to target #1
subway
in limbo
turtles
crash by river
crawling to target #2 (with fsdb)
-
these days are the quiet kind
showing off bruises
-
accident

Support act Franco Saint de Bakker were already playing when we entered the AB, and they seemed far more successful than last time I saw them, at Rock the vote (07/10/00). The audience was enthusiastic, applauding after each impressive solo, just like an audience is supposed to at a jazz performance. The atmosphere was right, and although Elko Blijweert isn’t the most entertaining frontman I’ve seen, they played some solid covers and interpretations of old Jazz classics. In the last song Air Raid, Rudy started reading from his porn novel again, in the most sweaty, kinky American accent he can do. Nice.

Gore Slut themselves made a relaxed impression, and played a highly enjoyable set. Rudy starts off by saying the band has recorded five new songs, which they’d play during the gig of course. They start off with an extended, wonderful attempt at Lisa Drugstore, which seems to have undergone a modest facelift in some parts. After Giraffe, Rudy announces a new song, much to the delight of the audience. Harsh word, a beautiful ballad grabs the attention. It starts off quietly, then the tempo speeds up, creating a melody which builds up tension, lets you go, builds up more tension, and lets you go again. Lovely.
After 3 Times, the ‘classic’ Stumble 2 brings the trusted screaming guitar melodies Gore Slut is known for.
Imitation is the second new song, poppy and punky at the same time. Rudy says the title comes from ‘Imitation of Life’, and is in all a rip-off from Wire’s first album. Poppy and punky it is, and the audience loves it. Elko and the pianist of FSDB do some ooo-ooo-oo background vocals.
Burnout, guided by the DAT-player follows, in a version as beautiful as the original itself. After Telephone Calls, a wonderful version of Crawling to Target follows. ‘We’re pretty proud of this song’, says Rudy, with reason.
Subway is another new song, about love and general mid-life crisis. It has quiet, poppy chords, interfered by a punky refrain. After In Limbo (without the casio playing the single note, because Bassie didn’t have a match with them to put between the keys), a fourth new song is played. Turtles has, according to Rudy a slightly idiotic title, but will likely become an incredible dance-hit in 2012, within the year 2000-revival of then. Right!
Stupid title, but cool song. It’s the first new really familiar Gore Slut-song, with a lovely screaming guitar by Tomas.
Crash by river is the second-to last song, of which Rudy says the title comes from a license plate, which the band completed to a title. A drunk in the back starts yelling something about a Ferrari, and an amusing conversation with Rudy starts off, after which the bands plays a delightful version of the song, to end with a reprise of Crawling to Target. Rudy jokes the original idea was to record an album titled Crash by River, with every song on it called Crash by River as well. Franco Saint de Bakker joins Gore Slut for the song, and together they play a magical version, almost entirely unlike the original. This version has a much more poppy and optimistic sound to it, and especially the addition of a trumpet and sax gives the song an extra dimension. Lovely.
The amount of people attending wasn’t impressive, but their enthusiasm was. Gore Slut quickly return on stage, and start tuning their guitars. ‘In the meantime, Jacki can tell you an incredibly exciting story’, jokes Rudy. The audience cheers, but Jacki refuses to speak. Instead, they play the wonderful These days are the quiet kind, and Showing off Bruises. Gore Slut leaves the stage once more, but the audience still wants more.
Rudy is clearly delighted about the enthusiasm, and says the band only knows how to play one last song, Accident. After which, Gore Slut leaves the stage, leaving the crowd hungry for even more. At the end of the gig, the audience is happy, as is Gore Slut- just how it’s supposed to be.