The Gutter Twins

DiSclaimer: The following is not a formal review. Rather, it is an account of the dialogue that took place between our two writers at the show. Were you there? Add your thoughts below.

Kate: I've just realised that when we were outside and I thought I saw Greg Dulli wandering around, but dismissed it because he couldn't possibly have got that portly, I was right. He is that portly.

Rob: That is indeed quite a waistline. He looks like Josh Homme's Mafioso uncle... or a pub landlord. Still, utter legend. First thoughts? Those drums are too loud. That guy's absolutely pounding the shit out of them. 'Idle Hands'? Nah.

Kate: I don't think it's quite as atmospheric as the last time we saw them. Maybe that explains the Leadmill's bizarre decision to keeping spitting out little puffs of dry ice. I can't think of any other explanation for it. Lanegan's vocal isn't loud enough either; I just want to hear him growling over the top of some nasty blues.

['Seven Stories Underground']

Kate: Actually, now you can hear him in comparison to Dulli it sounds amazing again. I think that's the best way to enjoy Mark Lanegan: having him sing against someone with a normal, human vocal. It just makes his sound unimaginably feral. That's why the Isobel Campbell stuff works so well.

Rob: First album, agreed. Their second is pretty forgettable though. I think with Lanegan he maybe needs constant change, because that Soulsavers stuff was great, The Gutter Twins' Saturnalia was cool, too, but tonight a lot of it sounds like classic rock. And that's not what anybody wants from Lanegan. As for the lead guitarist at the back there, he thinks he's Eric bloody Clapton - check out that gurn. Wait-a-sec, did I just see Dulli dancing like he's at a wedding?

Kate: Erm... yeah. It was pretty bad wasn't it? I hope he keeps that to a minimum for the rest of the evening. It kind of ruins the sense of cool a bit, doesn't it? Yeah, and I kind of agree about the new stuff. It's not doing as much for me as anything off Saturnalia. I like them best when they're just doing wall-of-sound filthy blues. Speaking of which, actually, I really hope they do 'St James' Infirmary Blues'. Far and away the best version I've ever heard of that song.

[On cue, _'St James' Infirmary Blues' _starts up]

Kate: Hooray! This pisses all over the White Stripes' version. Mark Lanegan's just so perfectly suited to this kind of thing.

Rob: Yeah, agreed, it's an awesome version. When they're doing stuff like this, these two have the whole gravitas thing pretty much down to a tee. In terms of setting a mood, there's few better but I just wish they'd reign in the more indulgent, bloated moments. The backing band could maybe be trimmed down too - three guitarists a lot of the time, and for what? What they need to do is make sure Dulli plays an instrument of every song...

Kate: ...Yeah, because when his hands are free...

['Front Street']

Kate: This is probably my favourite song on Saturnalia. The lyrics are just absolutely stunning.

Rob: ...but there he goes again with the wedding disco dancing.

Kate: Yeah, it's a shame. It is kind of hampering my enjoyment of the song. It's very nearly laughable, unfortunately.

Rob: And that's the botton line, I guess, and the real difference between this and the last time we saw them: it's somehow a bit less serious, a bit less affecting, because of these momentary lapses. When they're good, they're still very, very good, but at times - important times in the set tonight - these twin stars are inadvertently dragging their hallowed reputations down towards, well, the gutter. It's still a long way down, mind...