Recent gigs

[Paul]

ELO at Wembley Stadium. Although, for copyright reasons can I ammend that to Jeff Lynne's ELO.

It is actually just Jeff Lynne now, plus session musicians, Richard Tandy was unfortunately not well enough to play. They can certainly play their stuff. The concert was amazing. Managed most of the hits, (no Horrace Wimp sadly), and sounded amazing. The soprano singing on Rock Area had an outstanding voice. All the string players were good. Is there only one bass player who plays for every single Prog Rock group?  

I was particularly pleased they played 10538 Overture, as this was a Roy Wood era song, that I was always fond of.

Finished with a cracking Mr Blue Sky, and then encored with the most rocking version of Roll Over Beethoven I have heard. They also expanded the symphonic version, to give the strings more to do.

Paul

[bassline (Mike)]

ELO at Wembley Stadium. Although, for copyright reasons can I ammend that to Jeff Lynne's ELO.

It is actually just Jeff Lynne now, plus session musicians, Richard Tandy was unfortunately not well enough to play. They can certainly play their stuff. The concert was amazing. Managed most of the hits, (no Horrace Wimp sadly), and sounded amazing. The soprano singing on Rock Area had an outstanding voice. All the string players were good. Is there only one bass player who plays for every single Prog Rock group?  

I was particularly pleased they played 10538 Overture, as this was a Roy Wood era song, that I was always fond of.

Finished with a cracking Mr Blue Sky, and then encored with the most rocking version of Roll Over Beethoven I have heard. They also expanded the symphonic version, to give the strings more to do.

Paul

It does seem it's either Lee Pomeroy or Nick Beggs on bass. I don't know why, I mean...I'm available.

[PaulT]

Matt Pegg was on the telly with Procul Harum over the weekend, so Messrs Pomeroy and Beggs haven't quite got the monopoly!

We've been to two very different but both great gigs in the last 72 hours, Friday was Kraftwerk 3D at the Albert Hall, and last night was Tom Jones at Gloucester Rugby.  

[JohnP69]

Matt Pegg was on the telly with Procul Harum over the weekend, so Messrs Pomeroy and Beggs haven't quite got the monopoly!

We've been to two very different but both great gigs in the last 72 hours, Friday was Kraftwerk 3D at the Albert Hall, and last night was Tom Jones at Gloucester Rugby.  

How did you enjoy Kraftwerk Paul?

I thought it was fantastic especially the satellite during "Spacelab"

[davidmjs]

Old Crow Medicine Show doing Blonde on Blonde on Sat night at the Ritz.  The music was brilliant.  As with most gigs these days I find other people and their sh1tty ways spoil my enjoyment.  Can't quite manage to throw in the towel, thank God, but I'm tempted at times.  

[John From Austin]

... As with most gigs these days I find other people and their sh1tty ways spoil my enjoyment.  Can't quite manage to throw in the towel, thank God, but I'm tempted at times.  

Amen

[Glen S]

... As with most gigs these days I find other people and their sh1tty ways spoil my enjoyment.  Can't quite manage to throw in the towel, thank God, but I'm tempted at times.  

Amen

Honestly !...I must have stood up & sat down like a flippin' Yoyo at least a dozen times at the Shepherds Bush Empire recently, to let people squeeze past so they could visit the bar/bog/ etc etc... ...Not great for those sitting in the row behind either !...



 

[hendo (Dave)]

DARLINGSIDE at the Musician, Leicester, mon evening.
We went on the recommendation of friends who saw them Sun Eve, after their Glastonbury gig and raved a bout them.
I knew nothing about them.
Country, indie, folk influences.4 voices round one mic . Stunning harmonies and I do not use the word lightly.
4 piece using electric 12 string, guitars , electric and acoustic, elec bass, kick drum, percussion, fiddle, mandolin , cello. Trust me it really worked.
Lovely banter and improvised state choreography.
I bought the album.
If you get chance go and see them.
Union chapel almost sold out apparently!

[PaulT]

Matt Pegg was on the telly with Procul Harum over the weekend, so Messrs Pomeroy and Beggs haven't quite got the monopoly!

We've been to two very different but both great gigs in the last 72 hours, Friday was Kraftwerk 3D at the Albert Hall, and last night was Tom Jones at Gloucester Rugby.  

How did you enjoy Kraftwerk Paul?

I thought it was fantastic especially the satellite during "Spacelab"

Superb, JohnP69! I'd seen the 3D show before (in Hamburg 18 months ago), but the setlist, running order and some of the arrangements and graphics were different at RAH, so it was almost a new experience.  The satellite probe seemed to pass right between my wife and I - she is not that much of a Kraftwerk fan, but really enjoyed the gig.  

Davidmjs, John from Austin, Glen - ditto the RAH audience - one couple a few rows in front of us must have gone in and out 3 or 4 times!  And the chap sat to my right pulled out his phone at least 2 or 3 times during each song to take photos/film clips.  Eventually, I and the lady behind me asked him to desist - which he did - at least for a while.  This despite the ticket T&Cs saying strictly no photography... which a good proportion of the audience ignored at some point in the evening - some more than others.  Oh for artists to do a Fripp and politely request audients to refrain from recording and "be present".  

It seems to me that many people these days can't just experience something, they have to record it - last year in Las Vegas, we stopped to watch the "dancing musical fountains" (which weren't all that impressive actually!) and we must have been in the 10% who watched the actual display as it happened - the rest were watching it on the screens of their devices as they filmed it!

Tom Jones's gig was also excellent - the voice is maybe not as powerful as it was, but boy can he sing RnB! The band was very fine - funky bluesy rock. I hear there's a "live in the studio" album in preparation - could be worth a listen?

[Jules Gray]

Superb, JohnP69!

Bit of a mouthful that.  I hear that some people call him 'John' for short.  

Jules

[PaulT]

Fnaar fnaar!

[GubGub (Al)]

Just back from the Flaming Lips show at Brighton Dome which confirmed once again that they are the greatest live band I have ever seen, or at least they put on the most compelling and emotional show. They are such an unstoppable freight train of positivity that they should be available on prescription, mixed with the right kind and right amount of surrealist madness. I just love em to bits and had tears in my eyes throughout the show, just from the sheer overwhelming joy of it all and that is without even mentioning the stark beauty of their music.

[RobertD]

Orkesta Mendoza opening, and the amazing Lila Downs as headliner last night at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park. It was a fabulous night here last evening, not too hot with just a slight breeze. In other words perfect for a concert. Orkesta Mendoza brought a slight psychadelic tinge to their spin on Latin music, while Lila Downs who I have been a fan of for years but yet to see perform was incredible. Her voice dust pours out
'Mexico' in all its shades and styles. I wrote about her on my blog awhile back and the phrase I used was color and passion. She is also an activist and that influences her music as well. A deeply satisfying evening after a very long and aggravating week.

[Shankly (Peter)]

Billy Bragg last night in the Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic, talking about his new book. He really is an engaging speaker - he talked about a subject that I know next to nothing about and had little interest in (skiffle) and people who I've never heard of (with the exception of Lonnie Donegan) yet made it a very entertaining evening. Met him afterwards at a book signing and he was happy to chat and sign anything - I got my copy of the 'Greetings to the new brunette' single cover signed as well as the book.
 He's playing the Phil in November so I got a ticket for that too.

[Will S]

Lovely gig last night with Jackie Oates and Jim Causley at Nettlebed.  They did half the evening each, Jackie first, then Jim, with John Spiers joining Jackie for a couple of songs, and then playing a couple of his tunes in the interval, and it ended with all three of them on stage together.

It was my first time to see Jim Causley, and I came away very impressed (as did my wife, who says that she thinks Paul Sartin now has a serious rival for her (musical) affections!).  Great voice, good humour and stage presence and songs.

It may have helped that I won his CD of songs of Jack Clemo poems in the raffle too

[DawnG]

It was a brilliant evening we will be seeing Jim at Sidmouth & have also booked to see him at The Anvil in October

[Will S]

Oh, thanks for the heads-up about the Anvil date.  I'll have to have a look and see if we can make that one too.

[GubGub (Al)]

Oh, thanks for the heads-up about the Anvil date.

I just read that out of context.



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[Will S]

Oh, thanks for the heads-up about the Anvil date.

I just read that out of context.

 

[RobertD]

Los Lobos last night. A free show at Battery Park, framed by harbor views of  the Statue Of Liberty and Ellis Island behind the stage, not to mention all manner of ferries and other small boats going by. The band were on great form. Old favorites with a healthy dose of new material and some serious jams. One of which they were joined by a kid (didn't catch the name) who more than held his own with the guitar trio of Cesar Rosas, David Hidalgo, and Louie Perez of the band. I put some photos up on Facethingy if anyone is curious about that fabulous view!