mogwai @ friar's bar, barry island, wales

24/05/1996

Thanks Ian

setlist

(unknown. if anyone can help with this, please e-mail rob.)

supporting urusei yatsura

reviews/comments

from ian johnson:

i was first introduced to mogwai in may, 1996, when they were supporting urusei yatsura on a toilet-bathroom tour around britain. in the previous few days they had been at tj's in newport and aberystwyth university, before playing at a now-closed down club called friars on barry island (ten miles from cardiff, has a fun-fair). the support band were a few mates of mine, who called themselves erasmus and did a set full of manics covers. mogwai came on second, playing what was, in those circumstances, a very surreal set. it felt very out of place, but certainly made an impact on the hundred or so present that evening, most of whom were there to see either their mates or u.y.

anyway, following the end of u.y's set, i met martin (the drummer) at the bar, and insisted that i bought him a drink. i don't think that i did, but it still leaves me a warm glow, anyway. as i wasn't going home early, i ended up talking with both mogwai and u.y. the most surreal moment was probably the music going off at 2, and there being five people on the dance floor singing football songs, rather bizarre now that i'm looking back at it. i also bought a copy of the 'tuner/lower' 7" for £1.10, as i poured all of my change out onto the 'merchandise table'. a triumphant stuart told me that my purchase made the night in barry the best sales so far on the tour - 7 in one evening! hooray!

che records had very nicely provided 50 free seven inches to be given out at the door - featuring two urusei yatsura tracks, a mogwai track and 'another' che group (if you're genuinely interested then it's on the che web site). being slightly tipsy, my friends and i wandered around, collecting said free 7". i think that we ended up with about ten between us, although i can't vouch for what has happened to them since that night - rather depressingly, they've probably become frisbies or beer mats somewhere. i also wandered home with a poster for the gig and u.y's set list. not a bad night, really!

from will skinner (november 2018):

i've just been to see mogwai at st. davids hall in cardiff tonight and was telling people about when i saw them in barry many years ago but couldn't remember the date...came across your post online and thought i'd say hi as i was one of the others in the 'crowd' that night! i think there was about 10 of us!!! i was 18 at the time and was blown away by mogwai and was already a fan of urusei yatsura. i was so chuffed that night as i was wearing a mudhoney tshirt and both bands were super impressed! had the free 7" and bought mogwai's first single too :)

anyway...22 years later i'm still in to them, but prefer their set in barry to any other time i've seen them!