145 THE PRIMITIVES, PALE SAINTS, Bristol Studio, Sunday 19 November 1989

Got there early, as one of my gigging companions needed to get sorted with a ticket; good thing too as I was well up for the support! Pale Saints have produced my favourite single of 1989 with the wondrously shimmering "Sight Of You", and I wouldn't have missed this mightily magnificent set, crammed with caustic guitar interplay and brain-hugging tunes, for anything! Brilliant stuff from a moody new guitar band destined for greatness.

By complete contrast, The Primitives did a buzzsaw guitar pop set all packed with colour and froth, style over substance, which was fun but patchy, with only the old numbers such as "Out Of Reach" and "Really Stupid" outstanding. Bubbles blown out into the crowd, and a few welcome Wendy James insults from vocalist Tracey, were nice touches, but overall tonight the Prims were like sour candyfloss after the aural feast that was Pale Saints!

158 PALE SAINTS, The Real People, Bristol Bierkeller, Wednesday 7 March 1990

A two car posse with rendezvous in the Prince Rupert - in other words, a pretty normal Bierkeller gig jaunt! Craig was there too; we hit the venue and consumed Guinness, Newcastle Brown, pinball and pool while the rather ordinary support band were on.

Got down the front for the Pale Saints set, which commenced slowly and moodily, and suddenly exploded into a colourful cascade of drum rolls and slashing guitar. Nary a gap between songs to catch breath, as one effortlessly melded into another, tumbling together with tender ferocity. Another brilliant set, culminating in a stage invasion of which I was part, during the extraordinary encore version of their best number, the mind-blowingly absorbing "Sight Of You".

Hung back afterwards and eventually got to chat with Saints Graeme and the particularly gregarious Chris briefly, about football (Leeds fans, the pair of them; still, can't be helped...) and their other band Edsel Auctioneer, to top another great gig!

177 THE PALE SAINTS, Beatnik Filmstars, Southampton University, Saturday 10 November 1990

Two Saturdays in a row for the amazingly short trip down to the South coast, to Southampton. I drove Veronica down and met up with the lads in the bar beforehand, but caught the support set. The Beatnik Filmstars feature ex-Groove Farm personnel, but you wouldn't have known that from their highly original and rocky set, reminiscent of Husker Du and The Jam, and featuring a whole lot of wah-wah pedal. Nice.

The Pale Saints, sporting a new female vocalist, were as unusual, menacing, original and exciting as before. More so than any other band, their finely-balanced dynamic yet ethereal sound seems out of place in today's more dance-oriented climate; they're more reminiscent of the early 80's rock sound of the likes of Joy Division, etc. Another great set, despite a disappointingly messy "Sight Of You", showing the personnel changes haven't affected their vision. Great stuff!

273 PALE SAINTS, Supp. Cranes, Windsor Old Trout, Friday 16 September 1994

A strange evening, this! Drove down with Ady and got into the very well-attended Trout after having to queue (normally unheard of in this place), and just had time to get the beers in, before Pale Saints, my main reason for attending tonight, took the stage on the stroke of 9. Talk about timing!

Pale Saints, the 1994 incarnation, with Meriel Graham taking over vocal chores from departed founder member Ian Masters, and former Heart Throbs/ Parachute Men bassist and my favourite Canadian Colleen Browne taking over the bass duties, are a different beast than before; more ethereal and less rough and hard-edged, but no less timeless and totally absorbing. Recent, rockier yet still splendidly haunting number "Angel" got me rocking out, and the surprising but no less welcome "Sight Of You" (their debut, and still finest hour), with perfectly understated vocals delivered by Colleen (good work, girl!). However, I was the only one to do so - bloody indifferent Windsor Goth audience! Nevertheless, tonight Pale Saints were majestic, and I chatted to Colleen afterwards (who I'm glad to say remembered me from those old Paras/ Heart Throbs days), congratulating her not only on the superb set, but also on the fact that tonight she became the first person I'd seen play live in 3 different bands!

Retreated to the bar while The Cranes were on; their Gothy (no doubt pierced) navel-gazing introspection is not my cup of tea, I find vocalist Alison's little girl lost vocal style irritating, and tonight their set was also beset with technical problems. I had a far more interesting time standing at the bar; firstly I was chatted up by a hyperactive helium-voiced barman, who alleged I made the Chippendales look like scarecrows (his words, not mine!) and simply said, "what a waste," when I informed him both of my heterosexuality and marital status! Then I witnessed some serious hero-worship (I mean serious - fainting, screaming, the lot) by some Goth girls for a bemused chap standing next to me at the bar, whom I was later informed by some German punter was Simon Gallup of The Cure! As I said, a strange old evening!