Joan

Joan As Policewoman, Manchester Club Academy, 11/4/07.


Managed to scarper from work and catch the 5:54 train. I felt I had a tight schedule here as the Academy generally runs on time. As doors were 7:30 I had no time for food or any sustenance before the gig. I managed to leap a bus by Oxford Rd station which took me down to the Academy and my hotel. To my astonishment there was a mile long queue (ok think PDX1 5 pm)stretching from the venue. I noticed that 99% of the people were obviously not Joan fans but were hard core goths. They were there to see a band called I don't know Twilight of the dead or something stupid like that, no dis, just my opinion. I literally just chucked my stuff in my hotel room and joined the queue.
True to form the line started moving on time but it took a good 20 mins to get in. Club Academy is the small poor relation of the complex, though I quite like it. It is in the basement of the building and a nice small cozy venue. I got in and there were only 20 ish people in there, most at the bar. I bought a drink and noticed there was only one person at the front of the stage. I walked over to take up my position next to the lady sat on the stage. We started talking about Joan and introduced ourselves, as her husband turned up with drinks. I now know them to be Mike and Anne from Joan's board. We had a good natter about music and gigs, they had travelled down

from Yorkshire for the show and were great Joan fans (obviously). They were telling me they travelled down to London for Joan's appearance on the Culture show, cool. Memoirs of the long distance gig goers, I'm sure I have the material for a book. Nathan, you'll have to ghost write it for me.


The support act was a singer-songwriter who was ok. Mike said that they had seen him before and had liked him. If I'm honest when it comes to this form of live music I much prefer the female voice, but fair play to the lad he carried it well.

Joan came on by herself and played To be lonely solo on the piano, or her keyboard whatever. She was the joined by Ben and Rainy. The first four songs she played on keys, then shifted to center stage and played guitar. She announced that she had been on Marc Riley show this morning and made a fool of herself by proclaiming the Human League were from Manchester. I bet Marc had fun with that!
She also gave a shout to Marc thanking him for his support and to the UK in general where she seems to be more popular than at home.
She played a couple of new songs "Furious" and "No Question"(solo) both of which were great.
In all I think Joan was at ease here she seemed relaxed was happy with an attentive but enthusiastic audience. She got the reaction she wanted from the songs she played. It was good. I grabbed Joan's set list at the end, yeah well it's what I do.
At the end I said my goodbye to Mike and Anne and headed of to the merch desk, my wallet twitching. I was good I only bought the 7" vinyl single. I got Joan to sign the set list to "Johnaspoliceman" (my sign in name on her board) this made her giggle.
I headed off to the pub I know down the road and just sat down and relaxed. A few guys came in one wearing a Joan T shirt so I said "been to the gig". They had and I chatting to them, turns out they had travelled over from Derby, again nice to meet some lovely people who made the whole night a good one.