July 18, 2000 12:39

THE GO BETWEENS & 'FRIENDS'

[b]The Go Betweens[/b] played in [b]London[/b] last night in support of their first album in 12 years...

THE GO BETWEENS played a secret UK gig at the LONDON KASHMIR CLUB last night (July 17) to promote their first new album in more than 12 years, 'The Friends Of Rachel Worth', out on September 25 through CIRCUS.

The Go Betweens, whose fans include REM and Belle & Sebastian, split originally in 1989, but despite numerous solo projects, brief reformations and reissues since, last night was the first time they played a gig to promote a new release since they first called it a day.

It was only last year that the band's two original songwriters - Robert Forster and Grant McLennan - took the decision to reform properly, backed - in the studio at least - by Washington State riot grrls Sleater-Kinney.

Last night it was just Forster and McLennan up onstage, performing a brief acoustic set which included the autobiographical 'German Farmhouse' and 'When She Sang About Angels', their tribute to Patti Smith.

Having glided through the classic 'Bye Bye Pride' and McLennan's 'Haven't I Been A Fool?', they finally reached a conclusion with a bizarre version of 'Danger In The Past' from Forster's first solo album. As Forster hammered away at a stray set of bongos, McLennan sat lost in revelry - like many in the audience. And the general opinion of fans in the tiny venue? "It's good to have them back!"

For those who missed the Kashmir Club show, nme.com can reveal that The Go Betweens will play London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on October 25, with tickets priced at #12.