Chameleons - Manchester Ritz, 18th Dec 2000
by Anthony Strutt
published: 13 / 1 / 2002

intro
The Chameleons are to me the greatest band ever to come out of the borders of Manchester. Much that I love the complete Smiths catalogue, and have spent nights in their company, The Chameleons always
The Chameleons are to me the greatest band ever to come out of the borders of Manchester. Much that I love the complete Smiths catalogue, and have spent nights in their company, The Chameleons always had a better edge to their music. During their original time, I was so busy going to Icicle Works gigs that I only saw them once, and that was towards the end in '87 and then shortly after that they were gone. Now they are back and I have been trying to make the most of them. The 18th December is the band's 40th gig since their reunion and this gig at Christmas in their near hometown (They come originally from Middleton) is like old friends greeting one another. The Ritz is a nice spacey ballroom which is full to the brim with fans here to watch vocalist and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarists Reg Smithie and Dave Fielding and drummer John Lever plus a rasta friend on keyboards plough their way through one of rock's best kept catalogues. Mark has grown his hair even longer than it was when I last saw them at the start of the year and looks like a Gothic Jim Morrison wearing a snakeskin hat and a leather coat as he storms around the stage. Over the course of the next two hours the band cut through seventeen songs from their first three albums and play as well 'Indian' from their new acoustic record 'Strip' plus also another new number. Stand out tracks include 'Tears', 'Singing Rule Britannia', 'Swamp Thing', 'Don't Fall', 'A Person Isn't Safe' and 'Souls in Isolation'. Only a band as great as The Chameleons could put out just three albums first time around between '81 and '87 and since then because of demand have another 16+ albums released, most of them eaten up by us who can't get enough of the group. And to think after thie first night's gig, Mark Burgess asked me " Did You Enjoy the Gig ?" We have waited thirteen years for this. What do you think ?
Picture Gallery:-

live reviews |
London Dingwalls, 13/11/2002 |
![]() |
Anthony Strutt catches the reformed 80's group Chameleons on "perfect" form in London, and enjoys one of the "best shows" that he has ever seen |
favourite album |
Script of the Bridge (2008) |
![]() |
Anthony Strutt writes about Manchester post punk group the Chameleons' 1983 debut album, 'Script of the Bridge', which has just been re-released in a 25th anniversary double CD remastered edition |
reviews |
This Never Ending Now (2002) |
Collection of 12 re-recorded Chameleons classics, largely taken from their first 3 albums, which takes away the hardness of the originals, but that loses none of their power |
most viewed articles
current edition
Pennyblackmusic - Writers and Photographers' Albums of the Year 2024Man From Delmonte - Interview
Pennyblackmusic - Book of the Year Award 2024
Clive Langer - Interview
Johnnie Johnstone - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Reflections
Laura Nyro - Profile
Vinyl Stories - Vinyl 2024
Bob Dylan - A Complete Unknown
Cher - The Memoir
previous editions
Marianne Faithfull - InterviewHeavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EP
Michael Stuart Ware - Pegasus Epitaph: The Story of the Legendary Rock Group Love
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Interview
Jimmy Nail - Interview
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Allan Clarke - Interview
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
most viewed reviews
current edition
Ringo Starr - Look UpDusty Springfield - The BBC Sessions
Pixie Lott - Encino
Emily Burns - Die Happy
Oïmiakon - Comptoir Des Vanites
Rosie Lowe - Lover, Other
Dorie Jackson - Stupid Says Run
Joan Armatrading - How Did This Happen and What Does It Mean?
Unthanks - In Winter
Beabadoobee - This is How The World Moves
related articles |
Chameleons Vox: Live Review (2014 |
Tony Gaughan watches Chameleons Vox, which features original Chameleons bassist Mark Burgess, in an excellent show play all of Burgess' former band's 1982 classic debut album, 'Script of the Bridge' at Broadcast in Glasgow |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart