buzzcocksfan: Doctors Of Madness + Pauline Murray. Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 25.05.17.

Promoted by Dave Griffiths of Fast Forward Promotions.

Pauline Murray and Robert Blamire walk into the Georgian Theatre just as Doctors Of Madness complete their sound check and the beaming smile on the face of Richard Strange says it all. It’s many years since they’ve seen each other yet the fondness and respect they obviously have for each other shines through.

Tonight Pauline Murray plays support to Doctors Of Madness although I’m sure there’s a few here who have only bought a ticket because of the former.

As I watch her run through a sound check my thoughts that this is going to be a good night only get stronger. Efficient and confident with a wonderful voice is how I would describe Pauline Murray at this moment in time. It’s over in 15 minutes with just the occasional comment to tweak an almost perfect sound.

Walking on stage just over an hour later to a very enthusiastic welcome it’s clear she is nervous. Perhaps it’s because there’s no band with her, perhaps because she’s seated so cannot release pent up energy and nerves by moving around the stage, perhaps it’s because it’s quiet and all attention is on her.

It’s a short, but truly wonderful, 30 minute set that focuses on new and recent material. New songs are introduced with a few words about their content. 'Shadow', ‘Young’ – how people often share the same opinion about things yet express themselves in different ways. 'After All', ‘Dark Clouds’ – Murray open and honest about depression and it’s effects. A song that clearly resonates with many in the crowd who voice their support about how it feels yet promise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Without the guitars, drums and bass of a Penetration gig we can focus on Murray’s voice. Powerful, melodic and captivating. At times beautiful and haunting it grabs your attention, draws you in and really makes you want to listen. ‘Guilty’, ‘Drifting’ and ‘Beat Goes On’ from Penetration’s 2015 album ‘Resolution’ – the same yet so different when delivered with just an acoustic guitar and vocals. And of course ‘Don’t Dictate’, as powerful now as it’s always been.

Throughout it all, at the end of every song, she glances to the side as if to seek reassurance from Blamire that things are OK. They are. Unquestionably so. Pauline Murray could have played for twice as long and still had 100% focus from the audience. It’s a shame that acoustic solo sets, from any artist, rarely get an official release. These songs, in this form, deserve to be out there.

Pauline Murray

Pauline Murray - set list.

Doctors Of Madness haven’t toured for 40 years. Now they’re back on a 9 date tour promoting recent release Perfect Past, a triple cd box set containing all three of their albums plus various live recordings of songs not taken to the studio. Original members Richard Strange and Urban Blitz are joined by Susumu (bass) and MACKii (drums) from Japanese glam punk band Sister Paul.

Introduced to the stage by a video feature with Twiggy they launch into ‘Doctors Of Madness’ followed quickly by a blistering ‘Back From The Dead’, a song co-written with TV Smith of The Adverts and released by both bands in 1978. Things slow down after this with ‘Marie & Joe’, carried along with enthusiastic singing from the crowd before once launching into ‘B Movie Bedtime’ a raucous sound that crosses the Velvets with Bowie and the Stones.

It’s a main set that’s split fairly equally between all three albums and a brilliant mix of noise, energy and gentleness. Late Night Movies, All Night Brainstorms gives us ‘B Movie Bedtime’, a shortened but no less intense version of ‘Mainlines’, ‘Mitzi’s Cure’, the poignant, stirring ‘I Think We’re Alone’, ‘Billy Watch Out’ and ‘Waiting’. ‘Doctors Of Madness’ ‘Marie & Joe’, ’Suicide City’, ‘Perfect Past’ from Figments Of Emancipation and ‘Back From The Dead’, ‘Triple Vision’, ‘Sons Of Survival’ off Sons Of Survival.

Strange, in his sparkly red suit, a real showman with quite mesmerising features puts everything he has into this show. MACKii belts hell out of the drums while Susumu keeps up a constant rhythm on bass. Backing this up is the wonderful sound of Blitz’s violin. Great visuals as well with a constantly changing video screen. High energy stuff, the band was clearly loving every minute of it. As was the audience who joined in with real enthusiasm whenever the opportunity arose.

A storming version of ‘Waiting’ closed the main set by which time the whole place was immersed in the infectious noise and vitality of the night.

They return to finish with the wonderful ‘Kiss Goodbye Tomorrow’ and the completely manic ‘Into The Strange’.

“The missing link between Bowie and The Pistols”, “Velvet Underground colliding with Bowie”, “Punk before punk”. All things that have been said about Doctors Of Madness recently. Add in a bit of Stooges, a tiny bit of early Stones and a huge heap of unique individuality and you have a remarkable live act that hopefully won’t leave it too long before they tour again.

An excellent evening. Die-hard fans who hadn’t seen Doctors Of Madness live for nearly 40 years went home happy. Fans who were too young to witness the band live back then went home happy.