The string of numbers (100, 91, 84, 81, 72, 69, 58, 44, 37, 38, 42, 21, 28, 12, 7) in the title of this blog comes from the Tindersticks song 4.48 Psychosis, which takes its name from the Sarah Kane play 4.48 Psychosis. The truly wonderful Isabelle Huppert is currently starring in 4.48 Psychose (as it is now called) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
4.48 a.m. is apparently the time when you are most lucid and thus most prone to suicide.

I have seen the Tindersticks in concert a few times over the years. I saw two contrasting shows in 2001.

1. Subterranea, London - only a couple of hundred people at this one. This was part of Rough Trade’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The band appeared slightly nervous - one song was restarted, another abandoned. The atmosphere was great, the audience listening to each note, each word in quiet reverence. Apart from one loud-mouthed person behind me: “I liked that one… what are they called again? The timber sticks? Weird name.”

2. Royal Albert Hall, London - a few thousand at this one. The band was exquisitely supported by a 17 piece string ensemble, brass section and backing singers (would have had trouble fitting onto the stage at the Subterranea). The band had clearly rehearsed in the hall and got the right level of amplification for band members, providing one of the best sounding concerts I have attended. I can compare this to concerts at the Royal Albert Hall by Morrissey and Elton John (on separate occasions), who appeared to have turned up, plugged in and played, without thinking about how to work the unique acoustics of the hall.
The support act was the excellent David Kitt, who has since become a favourite of mine.