January 23, 1999 10:11

IN HEAVENLY EVERYTHING IS FINE

[a]Brothers[/a] debut new material at last night of clubland legend...

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS laid the legendary Heavenly Social to rest on Saturday (February 20).

As the house lights went up, Ed and Tom spun Flowered Up's dancefloor anthem 'Weekender' as a last post to the four and a half year-old club.

Notable in its time for all sorts of pop star excess to a soundtrack from resident DJs The Chemical Brothers, Jon Carter and Richard Fearless with guests ranging from Tricky, Adrian Sherwood and Andrew Weatherall to Daft Punk.

Following sets on saturday by Monkey Mafia's Jon Carter, Death In Vegas' Richard Fearless and Heavenly bods Nick and Robin, The Chemicals played for three hours, debuting five new songs from their forthcoming album.

Although The Chemical Brothers still haven't worked it out (when it comes to down to naming their own songs) one new tune featuring New Order's Bernard Sumner featured in the set.

A new collaboration with Noel Gallagher - tipped to be 'poppier' than 1997's 'Setting Sun' - didn't make the turntables.

Notable for the absence of of its associated indie-pop celebrities, Tim Burgess, Beth Orton, Fatboy Slim, the Social didn't end with a bang, but it wasn't a whimper either.

The people who brought us the Social return with a new club called The Metal Box, based at the Annexe in London's Soho on March 6. The Chemicals return with their third album in the summer.

See NME dated March 6 for a full rundown of the highs and (more) highs of the Heavenly Social. It's on sale in London next Tuesday and across the UK on Wednesday.

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