The Fall: Futures & Pasts: A Weekend Celebration Of 50 Years Of The Fall

Manchester went into full-scale meltdown as Band on the Wall hosted a three-day celebration of 50 years of The Fall, with Mark E. Smith’s spirit stomping around like the city’s patron saint of glorious chaos. Fans flew in from Australia, America, Europe and every corner of Britain to worship the most unpredictable band this country ever produced.

Simon Wolstencroft’s Tour That Stole The Show

Before anything else, the weekend’s runaway highlight was Simon Wolstencroft’s walking tour. Part comedy, part confession, part psychic dive into Manchester’s musical underbelly, it turned ordinary streets into Fall holy ground. Every corner: another bust‑up, another miracle, another slice of pure Fall madness.

The Two Drummer Supergroup That Shook The Room

Then came the moment that sent shockwaves through the venue: A two-drummer supergroup, Paul Hanley and the celebrated Simon Wolstencroft, teaming up with American maverick BC Camplight for a blistering blast through The Other Half‘s Mr. Pharmacist and other covers personally chosen by Mark E. Smith for reinvention. And powering the whole thing with that earth‑shaking, instantly recognisable bass pulse? The legendary Steve Hanley. The man whose basslines defined entire eras. The crowd didn’t just cheer, it erupted.

The Reunion Shocker

Inside, ex‑members from every era mingled like a surreal family reunion. Among them, causing a proper stir, was BBC Radio DJ and former Fall guitarist Marc Riley, who, along with the enigmatic Craig Scanlon, later delivered an exhilarating repertoire within the confines of a DJ set that had the faithful buzzing. Scanlon’s appearance didn’t end there, he met fans, took part in discussions, and stood proudly in the historic group photograph, restoring a long-missing piece of Fall history.

Poppycock Set The Place on Fire

Poppycock unleashed a storm of jazz, post-punk and experimental funk. Una Baines anchored the chaos with her trademark cool. As one of the founding forces behind The Fall, Baines’ presence carried a quiet but unmistakable gravity. From The Fall’s interception, she was a driving engine, shaping its early sound, pushing its creative boundaries, and helping propel the band into the next era with fearless conviction. Her influence ran deeper than most ever realised: an early architect whose instincts and artistry triggered the group’s prolific output. A debt of gratitude has always been owed to her, and in this room, you could feel that history humming beneath every note, an influence that was especially prominent in the Poppycock set, with the absolutely brilliant track Iggy Pop & The Cool Cut Lizard Man, penned about Mark E. Smith, both landing with a resonance that clearly connected with the fans.

Guest poet Tamra Smith froze the room with a stare and delivered one of the weekend’s most electrifying performances, all against a Poppycock backdrop of New York-style funk, complimented by a sad and melancholy brass part that added to the eclectic poetry of Smith.

Hey! Luciani Returns From The Dead

The revival of Hey! Luciani proved Smith wasn’t just a frontman, he was a full-blown playwright with a taste for conspiracy, satire and glorious weirdness.

Arguments, Films & Fallen Women

Debates raged over the newly announced Post Script album, naturally, no one agreed on anything. The finale? Fallen Women karaoke, where brave maniacs tackled some of the most impossible songs ever written.

Nearly ten years after his death, one truth still stands: Some artists leave songs. Mark E. Smith left a universe.