A lot can happen in 22 hours, I’m decidedly more knackered than I was last night which isn’t ideal, but I’m not concerned. Returning for night two (read part one if you’ve not already) of The Magnetic Fields live performance of 69 Love Songs feels like coming home. Everything is the same, the chairs and many of the faces. Why would you come for part one and not part two after all. That said I’m not as lucky bagging a seat, it’s busy downstairs, so my vantage point is switched to the stepped seating upstairs. Are there always cushions to sit on? I’m not sure, whenever I’m up here I end up standing. I’m grateful for them though, my arse went numb on the chairs downstairs last night, so I’d be fearful for my comfort without a little padding. After last night, you’d be forgiven for thinking it can’t possibly be topped, but there’s 34 more songs to get lost in and there’s some absolute corkers. There’s little fanfare before we pick right up with ‘World Love’. It catches me off guard a little, but I’m quickly drawn in with its “love, music, wine and revolution” line and next up is another favourite, the punchy ‘Washington, D.C.’ with its cheerleader chant delivered slowly by the whole band, making way for Shirley nailing the soft lament at its core. It’s a great start and I’ve a much better view upstairs to be fair and can appreciate Chris and Anthony at the back a bit more. Sam’s cello and Shirley’s ukulele draw a lot of the attention though, especially on songs like “Kiss Me Like You Mean It”. Her voice though is brilliant. Much is made of Stephin’s baritone and rightly so, but Shirley’s delivery has a wonderful childlike warmth to it, she’d be perfect singing on something like the Muppet Show, which I know might not seem like a big positive association, but trust me it is. It’s not a showy show, but there are touches. The mirrorball switching on as its name checked in ‘Papa Was a Rodeo’. The songs are front and centre though, as they should be. 69 songs, you’d think there’d be a few duff ones wouldn’t you. There aren’t, not one. Each and every one will catch you and take you somewhere, that’s even truer being in the room with them. It’s pure magic. Let’s have a moment to appreciate Chris’ voice too. It too is front and centre on ‘The Way You Say Good-Night’, just some minimal piano from Anthony and Sam’s reassuring cello, the bow taking over as it draws to a close. On ‘Abigail, Belle of Kilronan’ I notice that Anthony’s keyboard is also driving some of the percussion. Not all of it, but it explains how they’re making some of this work live with such a striped back look. Speaking of striped back, ‘I Shatter’ is a masterpiece. It closes CD2 and does so with remarkable clout. Largely Stephin’s slightly processed voice and the cello, it brings me to a total stop, everything slips away as Anthony comes in with the distorted drone. I need a moment, but the haunting ‘Underwear’ is hot on its tail. On first hearing this record., It’s this and ‘Chicken…’ that caught my attention and it’s not lost any of that power. The stage bathed in red lights, the French lyrics, its arresting stuff. Stephin then jokes about releasing a merch line of underwear before we get poppy and bouncy with ‘Its a Crime’, it’s the dub drama you didn’t realise you needed but trust me you do. After some gentle foot stomping for ‘I’m Sorry I Love You’, ‘The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure’ takes us into the break with some word and pitch perfect audience singing, just in time because despite the cushion my arse has long given up on the concept of sensation. The industrial fans that have been blasting in the break are muted as ‘Love in the Shadows’ gets us going again. They chose a good place to pick back up. It’s a weird ambient sort of song, almost not quite there. A good way to settle is back in, before Stephin once more wields his triangle on ‘Bitter Tears’. The kitchen sink back and forth of ‘Yeah, Oh Yeah!’ is highly entertaining and a perfect example of a song that really comes to life live. The opposite might be harshly said of ‘Experimental Music Love’ with Anthony taking the limelight. It just works a bit better recorded. I had to say something for balance at some point. I know these are love songs but all this gushing must be wearing thin. We’re starting to get near the end, I know this as the darkly theatrical ‘Blue Love’ swarms the room. It’s rich and cinematic, it’s odd it’s not turned up soundtracking something. Maybe it has, I wonder have any of TMF songs been used on the silver screen? I’m picturing wet cobbled streets and battered work boots. Anyway my thoughts are broken by ‘I Can’t Touch You Anymore’ which always makes me think of Pet Shop Boys, which might not be an obvious comparison. There’s a surprising number of medieval sounding baroque sort of songs on 69LS. That would probably put the casual listener off, but you’ve got this far into a lengthy waffle so I’m guessing you’re invested. In case this is all new though, try and live with this record. It will pay you back in the time invested I promise. There’s a theme of earthy honesty though however they play. ‘Strange Eyes’ on the surface is a shift from ‘For We Are the King of the Boudoir’ but the whole record feels balanced. ‘Xylophone Track’ is the penultimate mournful sultry tease, before ‘Zebra’ closes what’s been an incredible celebration 25 years on from its release. I nearly yell “start again from the beginning”, but Stephin tells us we’ll have to wait another 25 years. I hope not, but I feel very lucky to have witnessed what’s surely to be two of the best gigs this year… or any year.
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