Howard Castle June 26th

[Csar]

Question:
Why do Tom & Ed not segue the intro to their new set into Block Rockin Beats? When I first heard that last week, I was waiting for them to mix that with their Opener but oddly the just stop and start fresh with BRB. I mean, they have this great, energetic opening with the EV face and the CWU chant that gets abtly looped on the word "back" which would make for a great transition. It's kind of a weird choice and sort of sucks the energy out of built-up, imo.

[Stefan]

Oh, I wondered about that too. It would be a perfect combination:
"They're coming back... back... back... back... Back with another one of those block rocking beats"!

[Bosco]

it looks like there was a chill in the air which is optimal for selling out the hoodies at the merch booth

fixed.

lol. Is this a slam for them selling out of items or disappointed with selection?

Chems concert swag game has never been strong. From my experience, the only thing I remember being commemorative was back in 2007 US tour where they were doing onsite screen printing for any blank back tour shirt you were purchasing, but that's about it.

They did do a special poster for the Olympia gig in 2008, but I don't remember if they sold that at the gig or not. I know I purchased one after the fact, and is sitting in mint condition in the back of my closet for the last 14 years.

Spoiler

I guess it's Aurora singing

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Certainly sounds like a different vocal take, great ear Explud!

Oh, I wondered about that too. It would be a perfect combination:
"They're coming back... back... back... back... Back with another one of those block rocking beats"!

There it is. Let's mend this Tom and Ed!

[ThePumisher]

I mean, they have this great, energetic opening with the EV face and the CWU chant that gets abtly looped on the word "back"

Keep in mind that they have used this face for CWU long before EV/Further - at least back to 2008

BTW this was the second encore at that show. Back then they played longer shows on non festival-gigs

[shakermaker]

lol. Is this a slam for them selling out of items or disappointed with selection?

haha. the former. as the wind picked up everyone rushed to the merch booth.

[MadPooter]

Forgive the belated review. It took a minute to get back home to California.

Here we go.

I've never been to northern England--it was amazing to see the expanse of countryside, the rolling hills from the train as we headed toward York from King's Cross landing, extending off into the distance for what seemed like forever. It felt a little magical.

I loved poking around York--my friends and I hit up a few pubs and restaurants, doing what tourists do, eating and drinking some lovely fare. And I was most excited that shakermaker managed to meet up for a drink! It's always so lovely to meet new faces from the forum here--each time feels like a worthwhile connection.

My friends and I drank our way from Saturday into Sunday, thankfully getting enough sleep. After visiting the train museum on Sunday, we made our way to the Big Green Bus and anxiously waited transport to Howard Castle, delightedly running into Sr. shakermaker again.

We happened on two locals on the coach, one of whom informed me that "coach friends are friends for life." She was, as they say, looking for attention, but who isn't? New friends are always fantastic finds.

The venue was quite massive--Howard Castle was such a sight. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon; the sun was shining, and it was partly cloudy here and there with no chance of rain in sight. The universe couldn't have given us a more perfect day.

Except for the pollen.

Holy shit did my body start to freak out a bit. My eyes watered; my nose ran; my sinuses clogged. It was a little much.

Unfortunately the only pills I had on me did nothing for my hay fever. Nonetheless, better to take something than nothing at all, perhaps if only to get my mind off of my current disposition.

My patience quickly wore thin and I ended up seeking out the medical tent, where the gentleman in the neon jacket took one look at me and said yes, he did have an antihistamine available, and that I should, of course, be advised that this will make me drowsy.

It worked. I was back to normal in a matter of an hour, and all was well.

Well, I was, indeed, a little drowsy, and all would have been lost if not for the cappuccino. I did feel like I was being pulled in a couple different directions at once.

Our coach friends soon pulled us deep into the crowd that had gathered about halfway through the opening DJ's set, and we managed a place near the front. Even though the venue was only at half capacity or so, there was still a large crowd.

I was a little put off by some of the locals around us--there were a bunch of cool kids trying to be cool kids, but that's just how it goes sometimes. I mean no offense to English people in general, but this past visit felt a little more stuffy than usual.

My ears listened for Tomorrow Never Knows, but quickly picked up on the Chems opening their set with something different. I was delighted with the bass-driven opener with the Come With Us lyrics on top. It had me grooving immediately--I wanted it to go on, and was sad when it was cut short, but I'm always grateful to see my heroes take the stage.

It was really surprising to hear the set open with Block Rockin' Beats--that track has been at the end of their sets for so long in recent memory that for a moment I felt like it was ending just as it was beginning. It does really get the crowd going.

The set list was largely similar to the one at Sonar from my recollection, although my recollection has a drowsy undertone. My feeling from it was that there were a few rough patches--there was a LOT of new material in the set and it seemed like the Chems were trying to balance the material currently on tour.

My entire experience from the set can be encapsulated with just one moment. I was letting myself sway and jump to Chemical Beats, my legs sometimes moving on their own accord. Disassociation is certainly a word that came to mind.

This female voice fills the air, screaming into the netherworld, "AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DREAMIN! AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DREAMIN!"

I open my eyes to see our coach friend lip synching the repeated lyric, and this extraordinary synth spread its wings across the sky, bringing up everyone in unison to a brilliant peak. I look back and there isn't a still body anywhere to be seen--all I can think is... how do they do this?

How to these gentlemen keep managing to make this experience new each time I go see their shows?

I was talking about it with one of my friends that was with me at the show the next day, how artists can often disappoint fans with new music, and you're left clinging to the love of their music from the past.

The Chemical Brothers are certainly in a class of their own. Hearing their new music, even in that moment, all I could think about was how excited I was to listen to it again.

The Howard Castle set was an absolutely unique experience. The people were lovely for the most part--Yorkshire seems to have some characters. One of the more hilarious moments was when I was meandering back to the bar area to grab a ginger beer for my partner, and I passed by a woman who was, to say the least, digging the vibe.

As I passed her by, she gently took me by the shoulders and started... caressing my face. It was much more sweet than creepy, so I smiled at her, let her know that I understood it as a compliment, and continued to make my way back to the bar.

It all felt cosmic, I suppose. Like there was that familiar energy that was reaching through us all there, tying us together in that moment. My mind tried to make sense of it all as I heard Escape Velocity starting to rise behind me.

And I'm not going to lie--I was pretty disappointed that I wasn't in the crowd for that first rise in Escape Velocity. That song continues to be one of my favorites; to feel yourself take off with the crowd around you never fails to deliver.

Yet, here I was, going to the bar alone. And I thought to myself that I wished that I could be with my friends in the crowd to hear this song when it hit that first peak.

And then the sound for the entire show cut off all at once.

Nothing but the muffled sound of the small speakers up front against the glowing visuals of Escape Velocity, and I could hear murmurs from the crowd as I came back with drink in hand.

A couple people passing by a pair of law enforcement offered apologies. "Sorry officer," one said. And then another. God damn you English are quite clever aren't you?

The best I could come up with was "Lo siento es mi dia primero!"

And so it went--my off-hand wish was granted, and I managed to get back to my friends for that first airlift of Escape Velocity. And aside from getting beer spilled directly in my eye later in the set, I had nothing but an extraordinary time.

It all did feel a little short--I had hoped for a longer set. But I think I always do.

And I think even if I ended up seeing that exact same set again with different people in a different place, my feet would still have left the ground.

Thank you to Tom & Ed and their crew, and everyone who went, who made this a completely unforgettable experience.

[Bosco]

Thanks for taking the time and making a write up of the evening, Madpooter.

Glad you ultimately had a delightful time despite nearly swelling your eyes shut.

[whirlygirl]

Thank you shakermaker and Pooter for reporting back to us! Given the previous cancellations with Cork and Glastonbury, it is magical the show went on, on Sunday! Glad a hiccup like a sudden unplugged/acoustic set from Tom and Ed didn't stop the rock too much, hehe. It's interesting to start with Block Rocking Beats and I like the Come With Us intro too! A great nod to Dig Your Own Hole's anniversary *and* bringing back a fabulous opener that probably slipped behind Tom's sofa since the early 2000's. I've no doubt the show will be finessed and refined as the shows go on.

[Champiness]

Spoiler

I guess it's Aurora singing

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Could they not just be backing vocals from the original recording of the song, brought up to the front? I definitely feel like there was more than just Tom in the mix.

[Wolkenkrabber]

I was a little put off by some of the locals around us--there were a bunch of cool kids trying to be cool kids, but that's just how it goes sometimes. I mean no offense to English people in general, but this past visit felt a little more stuffy than usual.

On the one hand, Yorkshire people see themselves as more down to earth than people in "that London" but on the other hand, Yorkshire mostly voted for Brexit whilst London mostly voted to Remain. Do you think it was a reaction to your accents or just a general thing?

The set list was largely similar to the one at Sonar from my recollection, although my recollection has a drowsy undertone. My feeling from it was that there were a few rough patches--there was a LOT of new material in the set and it seemed like the Chems were trying to balance the material currently on tour.

There appear to be reasonably complete setlists for the recent Spanish festival gigs on Setlist FM. Presumably it was the same or very similar for Castle Howard?

This female voice fills the air, screaming into the netherworld, "AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DREAMIN! AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DREAMIN!"

I open my eyes to see our coach friend lip synching the repeated lyric, and this extraordinary synth spread its wings across the sky, bringing up everyone in unison to a brilliant peak. I look back and there isn't a still body anywhere to be seen--all I can think is... how do they do this?

So this one gets the crowd going by the sounds (and looks) of things. But I wonder if it feels like a complete piece of music, or is it one of those tracks that works when you're on your feet but might not work so well for home listening?

Any thoughts on the other obvious new track, No Reason aka The Woo Track? Did it work for you? Could you hear the "woos" as clearly as we could in the Printworks footage from last December?

... I wished that I could be with my friends in the crowd to hear this song when it hit that first peak.

And then the sound for the entire show cut off all at once...

...And so it went--my off-hand wish was granted, and I managed to get back to my friends for that first airlift of Escape Velocity. And aside from getting beer spilled directly in my eye later in the set, I had nothing but an extraordinary time. 

So it was your fault that the sound cut out! Like when Pedro Pascal keeps wishing for things in Wonder Woman 2...
As for the beer, was it even a gig if there wasn't some beer flying around? I always take it as a sign that things are going well!

It all did feel a little short--I had hoped for a longer set. But I think I always do. 

They must have only been booked to do a festival set - so that's 90 minutes. You came a long way for 90 minutes. At the moment it looks like the Denver gig might be the only gig they do this year that hits two hours. (Maybe someone should ask the Chems about that on Social Media. Or ask Errol K?)

[MadPooter]

On the one hand, Yorkshire people see themselves as more down to earth than people in "that London" but on the other hand, Yorkshire mostly voted for Brexit whilst London mostly voted to Remain. Do you think it was a reaction to your accents or just a general thing?


There appear to be reasonably complete setlists for the recent Spanish festival gigs on Setlist FM. Presumably it was the same or very similar for Castle Howard?

So this one gets the crowd going by the sounds (and looks) of things. But I wonder if it feels like a complete piece of music, or is it one of those tracks that works when you're on your feet but might not work so well for home listening?

Any thoughts on the other obvious new track, No Reason aka The Woo Track? Did it work for you? Could you hear the "woos" as clearly as we could in the Printworks footage from last December?

So it was your fault that the sound cut out! Like when Pedro Pascal keeps wishing for things in Wonder Woman 2...
As for the beer, was it even a gig if there wasn't some beer flying around? I always take it as a sign that things are going well!

They must have only been booked to do a festival set - so that's 90 minutes. You came a long way for 90 minutes. At the moment it looks like the Denver gig might be the only gig they do this year that hits two hours. (Maybe someone should ask the Chems about that on Social Media. Or ask Errol K?)

The locals in Yorkshire had some local pride, for sure. Might have been a reaction to "outsiders," possibly.

The past two sets on Setlist.fm look pretty much like what I recall, yes.

No Reason didn't quite hit as hard for me simply because there were other tracks in the set that had much more explosive energy, but still a fine thing to groove to. I don't think I heard woos. Not sure though.

Having not seen the Chems in 3 years, I was happy to get 90 minutes.

[MadPooter]

Question:

You can see me and shakermaker for a moment in this video! lol. I was right nearby. You can also see our coach friends (one of them being the blonde with heavy eyeshadow).

[shakermaker]

excellent write-up, MadPooter.

You can see me and shakermaker for a moment in this video! lol. I was right nearby. You can also see our coach friends (one of them being the blonde with heavy eyeshadow).

we're immortalized!

[shakermaker]

At the moment it looks like the Denver gig might be the only gig they do this year that hits two hours.

would they really prepare and rehearse a 2 hour version of the set for a single show?

similar to MadPooter, I will happily take 90 minutes over nothing.

[Bosco]

would they really prepare and rehearse a 2 hour version of the set for a single show?

If they keep TPPR as an encore, it's pre loaded in their gear and mainly a segment that hasn't changed for quite some time. Not a lot of rehearsals to be done. Anything that precedes TPPR is mostly paired to recycled or simplified visuals.

The part where I cast doubt is, why Denver? It is shocking to even see them returning to Denver, let alone it being the highest potential for an encore on this tour. So yeah, other than the conditions of the gig, I'm not fully buying into the idea that Denver is targeted for an extended show.

Anywho, back to Castle Howard...

[cowboy]

You can see me and shakermaker for a moment in this video! lol. I was right nearby. You can also see our coach friends (one of them being the blonde with heavy eyeshadow).

Going through some week old CH nostalgia and spotted myself towards the end!

Well, rather my arms. They did quite like to be up at all times.  Bunched up grey sleeves with both arms up, that's me. I thoroughly remember screaming to my mam (who was to my left, yellow jacket; I remember someone behind us was quite infatuated with it) that I'm finally going to see these glorious men up close as it was my first Chem Bros show. She didn't look too amused but she did tell me she enjoyed the show after we left.

[Foxboy]

ok show the show was a blast, despite the sound cutting out in the middle of escape velocity. the venue was such a cool setting. it was at what seemed like less than half capacity but they gave it 100%.

the new set is good, I'd say probably not quite as good as the no geography tour, but no complaints. a little surprised there isn't more Dig Your Own Hole covered - no Private Psychedelic Reel :-( - but on the other hand the new material is a treat. I love the Setting Sun interlude (though I still long for a more complete performance).

I actually found the sound cutting out fascinating because they had to ad hoc their response. it seemed like it took Tom and Ed a while to learn about it, bur once they did they took the sound down to a basic loop and headed off stage until the sound issue was fixed. they then built it up again piece by piece. what I found interesting about that was that it wasn't rehearsed, so it gave a better sense for what they are actually in control of up there, and also the way they managed to recover without the music stopping entirely and without starting the song over was pretty impressive.

the event seemed fairly well run overall. I was slightly bummed at the limited merch, and nothing show specific, but I guess risk of cancelation is so high in times of covid that it's not practical to make show merch at this point.

I was at the front screaming at them about that lol..

T'was a great weekend, I was also in the campsite too. I couldn't make my mind up on the show, so I went and seen them again there last weekend at Connect Festival.. feel the same way about the show at Castle Howard as I did last week, which is how you feel about it.