6th February 2007
Birmingham Academy, Birmingham, UK
A remarkable show tonight - I was impressed that the venue marquee read 'The Hoping Foundation Benefit' rather than the band name, and all the merchandise cash went to the foundation as well - nice one. The sound was excellent but a little quiet, and some members of the crowd decided that their conversations were more improtant than the band. Price you pay for seeing MA in a small hall that sells beer I guess, though I enjoyed Milan in 2003 more. Highlights included simply astonishing versions of Karma Coma, Mezzanine, and the last section of Safe From Harm which was transcendent!
Review by Royphish from Official Massive Attack Forum dated 6th Feburary 2007
The first night of one of only three shows in 2007 done especially for the HOPING Foundation, an organisation that hopes to raise money and awareness for Palestinian children living in refugee camps in the Westbank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. A similar concert had been held back in 2004 in Brixton Academy, which was headlined by Primal Scream. 3D had attended this concert as a guest and it was how he became aware of the HOPING Foundation and would eventually decide to get Massive Attack involved, just as Primal Scream had done, by putting on these special charity shows.
The setlist for this show, like the next two nights in London was fairly typical of the 2006 tour, mirroring that of the North American tour, the previous September and October after Daddy G had returned from paternity leave.
The support for this show, as well as the other HOPING Benefit shows was provided by J.Spaceman Acoustic Mainlines, Le Trio Joubran and a DJ set from Checkpoint 303.
The official site for the Birmingham Academy is located here.
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