Recent gigs

[davidmjs]

Oysterband with June Tabor night, very good as expected. One interesting new song is a arrangement of a traditional song my False True Love, Talkawhile is mentioned in the first verse.

I don't think you can just leave that tease hanging there...tell me more!

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Big Big Train in Newport (or "The Port" as it's referred to around here!). I'm not particularly good at writing reviews, I keep running out of superlatives, so bear with me....

BBT are 13 Amazing musicians - in addition to the usual 8 they had a 5-piece brass section which added a wonderful richness to the music. They kicked off with the joyous Alive and I have decided that I want this to be played at my funeral    I cried at Rachel Hall's haunting violin solo in Hedgerow and sang along enthusiastically to Wassail. I loved Winkie too. David Longdon is a fantastic front man - energetic and with a touch of theatre and Nick D'Virgilio is one of the best drummers I've seen for a while. I have a thing for drummers  

Set list is the same as Edinburgh which is here:    https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/big-big-train/2019/the-queens-hall-edinburgh-scotland-239dc45f.html

Now, why haven't they played at Cropredy? They'd be a perfect headliner for a Thursday. Get them booked Peggy!!!

One other thing - I liked the sound of the music being played before the band came on so asked at the desk who it was, and now have a new Fave Band Of the Week - Jellyfish. How have I never come across this band before?!!

[jude]

I saw them in London on Saturday.. they were fabulous...

(I am slightly biased of course.... )

[Kevin M]

Oysterband with June Tabor night, very good as expected. One interesting new song is a arrangement of a traditional song my False True Love, Talkawhile is mentioned in the first verse.

I don't think you can just leave that tease hanging there...tell me more!

I think it’s a song Shirley Collins recorded, and 2nd line said “chat for a while”. Oysters and June changed this to “talkawhile” 😀

[Nick]

Took The Chap to his first proper* rock gig this evening - Feeder at O2 Oxford. He's happy, slightly deaf, and has the T-shirt. On a school night too. I'm a bad parent  

Cheers

Nick

*Ignoring festivals, this is still technically his 3rd concert. He's been to Bruce Springsteen and Muse, but there we were sat at the back of enormous stadiums. This was a stand-up, beer on the floor, mosh pit hosting, sweaty club. Rock!

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Took The Chap to his first proper* rock gig this evening - Feeder at O2 Oxford. He's happy, slightly deaf, and has the T-shirt. On a school night too. I'm a bad parent  

Cheers

Nick

*Ignoring festivals, this is still technically his 3rd concert. He's been to Bruce Springsteen and Muse, but there we were sat at the back of enormous stadiums. This was a stand-up, beer on the floor, mosh pit hosting, sweaty club. Rock!

How old is he now Nick?

[Nick]

How old is he now Nick?

He's 11. Been to lots of festivals, theatre and a few sit-down concerts. This was the first time he had to rely on his legs, fight for a view, and have the stamina to jump around - and still get up in time for school the next day. I think he knows what a hangover feels like now  

Feeder were pretty excellent by the way. Rock, a bit of pop, lots of guitars, and plenty of bounce. Going 25 years as a band, and still getting albums in the top 10, so good for them I reckon.

Cheers

Nick

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

How old is he now Nick?

He's 11. Been to lots of festivals, theatre and a few sit-down concerts. This was the first time he had to rely on his legs, fight for a view, and have the stamina to jump around - and still get up in time for school the next day. I think he knows what a hangover feels like now  

Feeder were pretty excellent by the way. Rock, a bit of pop, lots of guitars, and plenty of bounce. Going 25 years as a band, and still getting albums in the top 10, so good for them I reckon.

Cheers

Nick

Gosh I remember you pushing a little baby around Cropredy in a pushchair! Glad he enjoyed it   I like Feeder too

[davidmjs]

Excellent!  My sixth form chum, Tanya has been working at the Wedgewood Rooms in Pompey for the last quarter of a century (as a graphic designer).  Her boy, Kai is now 18.  Most people have a height chart for their kids but she's got an amazing array of pics of him standing backstage next to Grant Nicholas - about 8 photos from 7 to the most recent taken just a couple of days ago with the lad at 18.  He starts waist high and he's now towering over him  

[Ancient Muse (Andy)]

One other thing - I liked the sound of the music being played before the band came on so asked at the desk who it was, and now have a new Fave Band Of the Week - Jellyfish. How have I never come across this band before?!!

I love it when that happens, Brij. That's how I 'discovered' Battlefield Band, Dead Can Dance and the Portico Quartet.

Nick - where does the time go? 11 years? Of course, he won't be fighting for a view for long if he follows you in the height stakes!

My best chum since school went to see Gigspanner at Theatr Mwldan this week, on my recommendation. Always a dangerous thing to recommend something when your chum's musical tastes are pretty much stuck in the 1970s and 80s, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, etc. She was bored by Bellowhead and preferred the country/rock of the support band that night. Anyway, she enjoyed them very much - "more melody than Bellowhead"! She also commented on it being 44 years since she last saw Steeleye Span!
I'll try her on something else a bit folky next - any suggestions?

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

One other thing - I liked the sound of the music being played before the band came on so asked at the desk who it was, and now have a new Fave Band Of the Week - Jellyfish. How have I never come across this band before?!!

I love it when that happens, Brij. That's how I 'discovered' Battlefield Band, Dead Can Dance and the Portico Quartet.

Nick - where does the time go? 11 years? Of course, he won't be fighting for a view for long if he follows you in the height stakes!

My best chum since school went to see Gigspanner at Theatr Mwldan this week, on my recommendation. Always a dangerous thing to recommend something when your chum's musical tastes are pretty much stuck in the 1970s and 80s, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, etc. She was bored by Bellowhead and preferred the country/rock of the support band that night. Anyway, she enjoyed them very much - "more melody than Bellowhead"! She also commented on it being 44 years since she last saw Steeleye Span!
I'll try her on something else a bit folky next - any suggestions?

Was this Jean? I remember her calling Bellowhead boring!!!

Martin Simpson is at Menter Rhosygilwen, Cilgerran Fri Nov 15
https://rhosygilwen.co.uk/events/martin-simpson-2

Same venue Jim Causeley's Christmas
https://rhosygilwen.co.uk/events/jin-causleys-Christmas

Easier for her to check her local venues though....

[Will S]

One other thing - I liked the sound of the music being played before the band came on so asked at the desk who it was, and now have a new Fave Band Of the Week - Jellyfish. How have I never come across this band before?!!

I love it when that happens, Brij. That's how I 'discovered' Battlefield Band, Dead Can Dance and the Portico Quartet.

...

That's how I discovered 10,000 Maniacs too - at an RT solo concert in a pub in Nottingham in the mid-80s!

[Brendan]

Rowan Rhiengans : Dispatches on the Red Dress at Nuffield Theatre Lancaster certainly deserves the praise it has received, it was a brilliant executed multi faceted story which used storytelling, movement/dance and beautifully crafted songs to bring to life the story of Rowans grandmother but through that so much more it was subtle surprising and real creating images and ideas which will stay long in the mind, I am not ashamed to admit I cried and it may have been because of how well it was crafted. If you get a chance go see it there are a few dates left.

[davidmjs]

Rowan Rhiengans : Dispatches on the Red Dress at Nuffield Theatre Lancaster certainly deserves the praise it has received, it was a brilliant executed multi faceted story which used storytelling, movement/dance and beautifully crafted songs to bring to life the story of Rowans grandmother but through that so much more it was subtle surprising and real creating images and ideas which will stay long in the mind, I am not ashamed to admit I cried and it may have been because of how well it was crafted. If you get a chance go see it there are a few dates left.

I so wanted to see this, but the dates didn't work out for me.  I think I've probably said before how Rowan is one of my daughter's best school chums.  A very talented lass indeed.

[wayne stote]

Went to see Declan Welsh & The Decadent West last night.

They are new-ish indie rock band, somewhere between The Pigeon Detectives & The Arctic Monkeys in sound, full of big, sweeping melodies and buzz saw guitars. Declan himself was a natural onstage, hugely confident and engaging. Not afraid to get political either, which, I suppose, may put some people off but I was happy enough with it.

Best band in that style I've seen in a long time. Very impressed!

[Peter Allen]

Saw Elio Pace at Hull Truck theatre last night , he had with him ex Amy Winehouse sax player Frank Walden  and the current Queen bass player Neil Fairclough , plus Billy Joel's actual guitar player David Brown , he was with Billy both live and on the studio LP's from 1978 to 1992
Elio covers Billy Joel material in this case , superbly well, appreciative crowd , did an audience Q+A with David Brown  and lots of chat between songs
I'd prefer to see Elio with his top class band in a small local theatre than Billy himself in an aircraft hangar
Although I will go see Billy next time he's in the UK , (bucket list thing)but probably half a mile from the stage , technically watching a large screen projection of the artist

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Steve Hackett and his band at St David's Hall Cardiff Saturday.

I wish I had a set list as I'm not good at remembering (anything...) but I can confidently say that they played the whole of Selling England by the Pound and it was immense. The band are Nad Sylan on vocals, Roger King on keyboards, Rob Townsend on sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards and percussion, Jonas Reingold on bass and 12 string and Craig Blundell on drums, which seems a complete understatement, plus of course Steve Hackett on guitar. The tracks off the new album sound great, and despite there being signed copies of the CD, I am going to download it. We got a good range of his back catalogue, with the band jamming on a few numbers and some old Genesis such as Squonk and Los Endos. Big Big train got a mention (and a huge cheer).  A fabulous evening of prog heaven   I'd say catch him if you can on this tour but I believe it's sold out  

[bassline (Mike)]

Steve Hackett and his band at St David's Hall Cardiff Saturday.

I wish I had a set list as I'm not good at remembering (anything...) but I can confidently say that they played the whole of Selling England by the Pound and it was immense. The band are Nad Sylan on vocals, Roger King on keyboards, Rob Townsend on sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards and percussion, Jonas Reingold on bass and 12 string and Craig Blundell on drums, which seems a complete understatement, plus of course Steve Hackett on guitar. The tracks off the new album sound great, and despite there being signed copies of the CD, I am going to download it. We got a good range of his back catalogue, with the band jamming on a few numbers and some old Genesis suck as Squonk and Los Endos. Big Big train got a mention (and a huge cheer).  A fabulous evening of prog heaven   I'd say catch him if you can on this tour but I believe it's sold out  

This was the setlist from a German gig earlier this year...
TRACKS/SETLIST:

SET 01
01 Intro
02 Every Day
03 Steve speaks I
04 Under The Eye Of The Sun
05 Steve speaks II
06 Fallen Walls And Pedestals
07 Beasts In Our Time
08 The Virgin And The Gypsy
09 Tigermoth (Instrumental)
10 Spectral Mornings
11 The Red Flower of Tachai Blooms Everywhere
12 Clocks - The Angel Of Mons

SET 02
13 Intro Set 2
14 Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
15 I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
16 Firth Of Fifth
17 More Fool Me
18 The Battle Of Epping Forest
19 After The Ordeal
20 The Cinema Show
21 Aisle of Plenty
22 Steve speaks III
23 Deja Vu
24 Dance On A Volcano
25 Encore Break
26 Myopia Slogans Los Endos

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Steve Hackett and his band at St David's Hall Cardiff Saturday.

I wish I had a set list as I'm not good at remembering (anything...) but I can confidently say that they played the whole of Selling England by the Pound and it was immense. The band are Nad Sylan on vocals, Roger King on keyboards, Rob Townsend on sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards and percussion, Jonas Reingold on bass and 12 string and Craig Blundell on drums, which seems a complete understatement, plus of course Steve Hackett on guitar. The tracks off the new album sound great, and despite there being signed copies of the CD, I am going to download it. We got a good range of his back catalogue, with the band jamming on a few numbers and some old Genesis suck as Squonk and Los Endos. Big Big train got a mention (and a huge cheer).  A fabulous evening of prog heaven   I'd say catch him if you can on this tour but I believe it's sold out  

This was the setlist from a German gig earlier this year...
TRACKS/SETLIST:

SET 01
01 Intro
02 Every Day
03 Steve speaks I
04 Under The Eye Of The Sun
05 Steve speaks II
06 Fallen Walls And Pedestals
07 Beasts In Our Time
08 The Virgin And The Gypsy
09 Tigermoth (Instrumental)
10 Spectral Mornings
11 The Red Flower of Tachai Blooms Everywhere
12 Clocks - The Angel Of Mons

SET 02
13 Intro Set 2
14 Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
15 I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
16 Firth Of Fifth
17 More Fool Me
18 The Battle Of Epping Forest
19 After The Ordeal
20 The Cinema Show
21 Aisle of Plenty
22 Steve speaks III
23 Deja Vu
24 Dance On A Volcano
25 Encore Break
26 Myopia Slogans Los Endos

That's very close.  I'm sure he's due a return to Cropredy…

[Will S]

Lovely night at Nettlebed with the Snack of Fiddles (just Chris Leslie and Tom Leary as 'scrapers'), Chris Leslie solo, and a short set from the FOF backline under the name of PIG (apparently they do play round the pubs with that name - started out as the Dave Mattacks Quintet, but then presumably he moved abroad and they found another drummer.

Considering how quickly it all had to be thrown together, they did an excellent job.  Some highlights included the version of Baker Street (close your eyes and you'd have thought it was Bob Holness Raf Ravenscroft on sax), a new song from Chris Leslie with a Cornish title and his solo Bring Me Back My Feathers, and lots of others...