Coil (band) - Coil Live

Coil Live

Coil's live incarnation has a distinct legacy of its own. The first live shows took place in 1983, but after only four performances, fifteen years would pass before they would play live again.

On 14 December 1999 Coil performed elph.zwölf at Volksbuehne in Berlin. Although the performance lasted just under eighteen minutes, it marked the beginning of a new era of live performances. Coil would go on to perform close to fifty additional concerts, with varied set lists as well as performers.

Coil performed twice at the Royal Festival Hall in 2000. The first concert was in April, as part of a weekend curated by Julian Cope, when they first performed as the full band line-up - and wearing the "fluffy suits" for the first time - performing 'Time Machines'. They performed again in September, that time sharing a bill with Jim Thirlwell (as Foetus). Both performances were full sets.

Coil's performances were surrealistic visually and audibly. Balance, Christopherson, Thighpaulsandra and Ossian Brown were known to dress in fluffy suits; an idea inspired by Sun Ra. The suits would later be used as album covers for the release Live One; other costumes appear on the covers of Live Two and Live Three (straitjacket and mirror-chested hooded jumpsuit respectively). Video screens projected footage and animations created by Christopherson, while fog machines created a thick eerie atmosphere. Balance would often screech and howl during performances, which would add to the effect.

John Balance's problem with alcohol would often reflect the way in which the Coil performances were carried out. His drinking problem became so well known that during the 2003 All Tomorrow's Parties performance a fan asked if there is any "blood in his alcohol", a reference to the Coil song "Heartworms". Balance replied that there is no "alcohol in my blood at the moment", later adding "I've got horse tranquillizer for later". The performance, including the dialogue, was released on ...And The Ambulance Died In His Arms.

Many Coil performances were released, including the widely available releases of Live Four, Live Three, Live Two, Live One and ...And The Ambulance Died In His Arms, as well as several very limited editions such as Selvaggina, Go Back Into The Woods and Megalithomania!. Video recordings of several concerts were released on the DVD box set Colour Sound Oblivion in 2010.

Coil's final performance was at DEAF (Dublin Electronic Arts Festival), Dublin City Hall in Ireland.