New Model Army : Amsterdam : Live Review

NEW MODEL ARMY
MELKWEG,

AMSTERDAM
16.12.12
Live REVIEW

It doesn’t get more exciting than this. A New Model Army “Family” gathering in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, just ahead of Christmas.

Seeing NMA at this time of year is now a tradition, which is why there were people from all across the UK, Germany, Sweden, Holland and even America here tonight.

Melkweg is an impressive venue too. Compact, but well laid out. The sound was crisp and clear – definitely a venue to visit if you get the chance.

What more can be said about New Model Army? I’ve seen them over 150 times since 1986 and tonight, they deliver as good a performance as I can ever remember. It’s tight and note perfect – a set mixed with crowd pleasing classics and some old friends not heard for some time.

Straight from the off, “Frightened” and “The Charge” set the scene – then came “Brave New World”, which I’d never heard live before. There was definitely nothing wrong here!

It was a journey of a lifetime tonight. “51st State” is a classic NMA sing-along, magically contrasted by the electric “Red Earth” with its 2 drumkit delivery. Then “Spirit of the Falklands” – another one I’d never heard live – closely followed by “Green and Grey” and tonight’s 2nd reference to the Miner’s Strike “1984”.

The set finished with “The Hunt”, “No Rest”, “High” and “225” – these are amongst my personal NMA favourites and by this time, I felt like I was in my own world of dreams, bouncing off other friends and Family down the front of an ecstatic, delirious crowd.

Encores of “Marrakesh”, “Stupid Questions”, “Wonderful Way To Go” and “Vengeance” topped off a perfect night. Amsterdam is famous for many things, but I will always think of this night!

Onwards to Nottingham…

Lawrence Chapple-Gill – Manchester

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