Details

Date
November 13, 1996
Venue
9:30 Club Washington, DC
Billed As
Robyn Hitchcock
Gig Type
Concert
Guests
Deni Bonet

Notes

Double bill with Billy Bragg

Media

Audio on Archive.org

Reviews

Set list courtesy of Rob Gronotte:

[shirt: the ubiquitous black and white one. black jeans and boots.]
Devil's Radio
Balloon Man [applause as vocals began]
Serpent At The Gates Of Wisdom ["this is not by jimi hendrix, though it's in the same key as one by him i _do_ sometimes play"]
(Feels Like) 1974 [sounds like "the feelers was everywhere"]
DeChirico Street [enter deni, exit the traffic cone that saved her place]
Egyptian Cream
Let's Go Thundering [exit deni, but the cone didn't come back]
I'm Only You [much concentration and no mistakes i could discern, this time]
The Yip Song
[electric]
I Am Not Me
You & Oblivion
Heaven [i don't think deni joined him for this, but maybe should have]
Freeze [i like the solo electric freeze!]
[encore (electric, deni, alligator and abstract sausage shirt)]
Beautiful Queen (much reverb and slow gesticulation)
Listening To The Higsons (deni sings backup and plays)

Robyn played for about 80 minutes.

I thought it was quite good. The audience was appreciative and Robyn was in good spirits. I liked the new songs. Robyn's guitar looked and sounded a little beat up (the acoustic.) He talked about the days living in georgetown, and how tiny harpies used to swoop down on him in the cafe, and grow to the size of jumbo jets just before disappearing into his third eye. that's why he left town. A few requests for Dr Sticky and one for Dead Wife. He also explained why he goes on before billy: RH is the embodiment of cynicism and BB is the embodiment of (?)idealism(?). Also RH is from the 60's and BB is existing in the 90's. Robyn didn't seem particularly obese to me.

I left early to go and meet everyone, but was late anyway due to construction traffic. took me about 45 minutes to travel 1.5 miles. i look forward to talking to you guys in greater depth next month at the party (let me know what weekend is good). I also met someone who's on the list who took some photos of robyn and deni, hope they end up on a web page someplace. and i met a chap named steve who's been on the list for a short while. he was really nice; and (dare I say it?) clean. so if you want to email me steve, this is to confirm i'm the same bayard you met.

billy was really good too but talked several body parts off (total time 1:50). email me if you want the setlist.

cheers, all.

=b