BOL.COM - All About Eve, Borderline, London
8th June 2000

"Smile, you're not a goth any more," says some speccy male in a Leveller's T-shirt to a random raven-haired maiden at the bar. Yes, one ex-crusty amongst a mere four hundred ex-goths. The irony, though, is that All About Eve fans were the chirpier form of goths, the ones that allowed their pasty faces to crease into a smile, or heaven forbid, tan (slightly). Indeed they were the breed who chose frolicking through cornfields on summer afternoons, over locking themselves in their candle-lit chiffon-webbed caves and dowsing their near-corpses in eau de patchoulia.

All About Eve gave musical fulfilment to the hippy strain of the goth scene, the ones who liked their melancholic chords soaked in folky optimism. And yes, the Eves were pretty damned popular back in the late 80's/early 90's (nine Top 40 singles including one Top 10) but tragically their charm and success started to dwindle when guitarist/second songwriter Tim Bricheno abandoned the band and his relationship with singer Julianne Regan... (only to join the Sisters Of Mercy!!) when the band were at their heady peak just after the release of Scarlet And Other Stories. He was swiftly replaced by Marty Wilson Piper of The Church to form All About Eve Mk II. But when the fourth album Ultra Violet flopped - in comparision to the previous three - it seemed like the right time to part company and pursue individual projects. Nevertheless, fans were of a die-hard nature, and over the last year, the millennium-crossover period, for some weird and wonderful reason, seemed attract to a live goth band revival. This, as well as A.A.E., included The Mission, Sisters, The Nephilim and The Cult (and even The Chameleons).

Tonight's show, though, is acoustic so it's more melancholy medieval folkiness than full-on goth-rock - and as we gaze on in awe at the somewhat aged onstage contingent, there's an element of disappointment from both parties. Although Scarlet and In The Clouds are perhaps two of their (many) finest songs, Julianne, Marty and Andy haven't quite taken a firm grasp of their audience. Julianne's sans-eyeliner and pretty much bare-faced, and doesn't skip spring-lamb-like across the stage as she used to, nor smile coyly with genuine appreciation at her admirers - as she used to. There seems to be a lack of confidence, almost a depressive cloud surrounding their performance.

But then something happens, they recite the uplifting More Than The Blues and What Kind Of Fool - and by now, Julianne's vocals are full-bodied and rich with a hint of huskiness. And what's more, an amphitheatre-style frenzy of heckling begins. "Where's the drums?"
"We couldn't be arsed to bring them," replies Julianne wittily. Subsequently, the All About Eve Acoustic Show becomes an All About Eve Comedy-Musical of the very highest calibre. We get Julianne jesting about crocheting Andy a willy-warmer. Marty covers the Monkees I'm A Believer, while Andy sits and openly twiddles his thumbs. "You'll have to get a gameboy for moments like that," jests Julianne. To which Andy replies, "Why did you look at my penis when you said that?"
"Have we ever said that word on stage before?" reflects Julianne. By crikey, this is All About Eve as you've never seen them before. Marty hugs random male crowd members, commences debates on Keith Chegwin's nudity and Euro 2000 - the latter leads to Fawlty Towers-esque references to the Second World War, which Andy concludes with "F**k Poland, let's rock!!"
But by far the best heckle has to be the one that originates from crowd member surreally shouting "Wish You Were Here." To which Julianne retorts "No I don't go on holiday. I sit at home and watch black and white French films." Pause. Momentary silence. "Me and Marty f**k sheep," retorts Andy. And the result? Ubiquitous laughter combined with an unforeseen state of audience shock.

In between the three-man comedy show, Wild Hearted Woman and Martha's Harbour are cunningly inserted - providing simultaneous heart-warming relief and spine-chilling fervour. By Never Promise Anyone Forever, we're well and truly spell-bound. Even Julianne's side project, Mice Miss World , everything off third album Touched By Jesus, and Marty's current side project (a duet with Julianne) all melt the very essence of your soul. Julianne is now the original temptress conquering her crowd, Andy is a vision of unchartered cool - and Marty is the now cheeky, somewhat 'bigger-boned' charmer all hippy-goth girls still want to shag (or is that vice versa?).

A ll About Eve Unplugged is both hilarious, and supremely beautiful as an individual artform - the most satisfying form of entertainment you're ever likely to derive from a gig, And on the rare occasion a joke falls short on the crowd, she announces "I'll get my coat - or rather I'll get my cloak!" This is not the All About Eve we all knew and love - with inter-song references to football, penises, and bestiality. This is All About Eve Mark III, a maturer, wittier, ruder version - and three encores is simply not enough.

Julie Glassman
visit bol.com for the review and pictures of the gig