In 1984 Cocteau Twins put out a 12-inch called “The Spangle Maker” that contained within the title track as well as “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops” and “Pepper-Tree.” The release is significant for being the first Cocteau Twins product featuring contributions by Simon Raymonde, who would become an essential part of the band for years to come.

That year also saw the release of the “Aikea-Guinea” 12-inch as well as what is arguably their best album, Treasure, which features such standout numbers as “Ivo,” “Lorelei,” and “Otterley.” (Robin Guthrie didn’t feel so warmly towards the album, however, commenting quite hilariously that “I’ve always detested Treasure. Not because of the record, but because of the vibe at the time, when we were pushed into all that kind of arty-farty pre-Raphaelite bullshit.”)
 

“The Spangle Maker” 12-inch
 
“Arty-farty pre-Raphaelite bullshit” or not, it’s not a stretch to speculate that the Twins were at or near the height of their powers in 1984, so how splendid to come across this sweet footage from a gig taped in Örebro, Sweden, on October 25, 1984.

On that mini-tour of Scandinavia, Cocteau Twins would play Stockholm, Helsinki, and Oslo later the same week. Those places would all get full concerts, but for some reason their fans in Örebro were treated to a tidy 20-minute set of only five songs. In addition to all three songs from The Spangle Maker, the band also plays “Rococo,” the last track off of “Aikea-Guinea,” and “Millimillenary,” which appeared on a compilation 4AD put out in 1986 called The Pink Opaque, which, as it happened, featured all three Spangle Maker tracks as well.
 

Setlist:
The Spangle Maker
Pepper-Tree
Millimillenary
Rococo
Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops

 
via Post-Punk.com

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Cocteau Twins fever hits Ohio town, 1985