Psychic TV

Thee Fabulous Feast Ov Flowering Light documents the headline set by Psychic TV at a day-long event of that name at the Hammersmith Palais, London, on 19 May 1985. It is a rare live Psychic TV recording with Rose McDowall of Strawberry Switchblade in the line-up. Before Cold Spring issued this CD in 2013, the show existed only on a semi-official cassette.

Around Genesis P-Orridge and guitarist Alex Fergusson, the band that day was a seven-piece. It included Dave Ball of Soft Cell and Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, from the Icelandic branch of the Temple ov Psychick Youth, alongside Max Prior, Mouse and McDowall. The setlist mixed the chart single Godstar and Roman P with melodic songs from Pagan Day and the later Allegory And Self, plus regular live pieces. The cover is a modified image by Val Denham, who also played at the event with The Death and Beauty Foundation.

After a dramatic intro, Fergusson's guitar jangles with psychedelic flourishes on I Like You and We Kiss. Unclean comes out lighter than usual, wrapped in keyboards, and McDowall sings with P-Orridge on Godstar. P-Orridge introduces Just Like Arcadia as a song about the Coronation Street character Hilda Ogden taking LSD. Baby's Gone Away is plain pop. Southern Comfort and Thee Starlit Mire turn darker, with tapes, feedback and screams. A 12-minute Ov Power closes the set, with the audience joining the chant.

The bill that day also included the Virgin Prunes, KUKL (the group that became The Sugarcubes) and the writer Kathy Acker. Reviewing the CD in Compulsion, the critic called the set “perhaps one of the most accessible PTV shows ever”. He singled out “the bewitching tones of Rose McDowall” and regretted that the band did not do more with this line-up. The review ranks it alongside Live At Thee Mardi Gras among the band's most approachable concert recordings.

Released by Cold Spring (CSR188CD) in December 2013 in an edition of 1000 copies. CD in a clear-tray jewel case with an 8-page booklet of live photographs by Simon Woodgate, with layout by Abby Helasdottir. The eleven tracks run about 70 minutes. Mastered by Martin Bowes at The Cage, Coventry.