From Stephen Swain

I've just got in from watching Sleeper at the Academy, Manchester and I thought I'd let you know that Dan Kauffman was NOT playing the bass. It was Chris (Giammalvo, I think). I only know this as I was able to go into the Academy throughout the afternoon to watch Sleeper practice and managed to speak to them and get their autographs. There was Louise, Jon and Andy (obviously) with Chris on bass, John on keyboards (I don't know who he was) and somebody that I didn't meet playing guitar. The Academy was definately fuller than it has been at other gigs I've been to there and Louise helped to cool the audience down by throwing glases of water over us. As with the Newcastle gig they only played for 1hr 15 but played loads of songs including the following (but not in this order):-

1. Firecracker
2. Statuesque
3. Nice Guy Eddie
4. Inbetweener
5. Romeo Me
6. Traffic Accident (which Louise dedicated to Princess Diana)
7. Dress Like Your Mother
8. Sale Of The Century
9. What Do I Do Now?
10. Delicious
11. Vegas
12. Please Please Please
13. She's A Good Girl
14. Miss You
15. Superclean
16. they also played Lie Detector and, I think, one other but I can't remember which one

David Eve did not mishear what Louise said at the end of the concert as at the end of this one she said, "For everything that's been written about us in the last six months - fuck you. And thanks to everyone that came here tonight, you've been fucking brilliant." One of the best concerts I've ever been to (made better by the fact that I met then both before and after the concert).

Manchester

     Having seen Libido in Liverpool we didn't roll in to the venue until 8.35 and missed them without too much regret. I had arranged to get the Liverpool photos and some CD covers signed via Big Brother Management as compensation for the October gig cock ups and whilst this was on the go settled in to watch Rialto again.
     At 9.30 I was surprised by an intro tape (I think the track is The Big Country an old western theme) which the band did not use at Liverpool. Although the set was identical the band appeared to be far happier, Louise looked fantastic and you could see the banter between the band, even when Andy's bass drum peddle went AWOL it was treated with a huge grin. The reaction of the crowd to Traffic Accident being dedicated to Princess Diana "..That'll teach her.." (LW) was hard to gauge but the line wasn't used at Liverpool or Sheffield so it just may have been the mischievous mood Louise looked to be in. This gig was one of the best I have seen, the crowd sang their hearts out.

continue... (again!)