Recent gigs

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Not sure if this counts as a gig, but our last (planned) live event was Les Misérables last night at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

A fabulous production, with Dean Chisnall as Jean Valjean and Lauren Drew as Fantine. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Lots of tears, of course...  

[dog-nap (Ian)]

Sarah McQuaid at Twickfolk
My first gig of the year, and it was a cracker.
For anyone who does not know her, try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QcXha4VN34

[Kevin M]

Transatlantic Sessions at Symphony Hall last night. The playing was mesmerising at times. Vocals from Martha Wainwright, Karen Matheson and some really powerful stuff from Liam O'Maonlai. Michael McGoldrick on pipes and whistles was a joy to see.

[Nick]

Well, I'm counting it as a gig*...

Saw the RSC's production of The Tempest last night, with Alex Kingston as Prospero.

Very good production, and it really works well with a female in the lead role - completely changes the central dynamic of Father-Daughter to Mother-Daughter.

We saw Simon Russell-Beale's Tempest a few years ago, which was very good, with seriously clever CGI and tech involved. We felt this version the better though; more human and earthy, with a strong ecological spin.

Cheers

Nick

(*and by that count, so too was Les Mis, Bridg!)

[DarrenWilliams]

Soft Machine last night at the Band on the Wall in Manchester. I was a bit disappointed to hear that John Marshall and Roy Babbington had retired, leaving only John Etheridge from the 1970s incarnations ( and even he only joined on their 9th album). The music was excellent though, and the newer material sounds good, including some from their forthcoming album.

Also Weyes Blood on Monday at the Ritz in Manchester and Stewart Lee at the Liverpool Philharmonic last Saturday.

[John From Austin]

Itzhak Perlman, at the Long Center tonight!

This show is entitled "An Evening With Itzhak Perlman," and the musical interludes are interspersed among stories, slides, and film chronicling his life. He actually played relatively little, but what he did was remarkable. I detect no hint of a diminishment of his ability in his seventh decade. Two thumbs up!

[Andy]

I detect no hint of a diminishment of his ability in his seventh decade.

Glad to hear he's in good form, this is his eighth decade, though, as he's 77.

[RobertD]

Just getting home from an outstanding show by Alan Doyle  & The Beautiful Beautiful Band at Sony Music Hall. Alan was in top form, excited to be playing a Friday night show in NY...especially one twice postponed due to Covid. The band was incredible, most notably Cory Tetford and Kendel Carson. Lots of songs from the solo albums and EP’s, but also plenty of Great Big Sea material and it transported me back to those sing along at the top of your lungs gigs. Alan is a great showman, but also hugely supportive of the band as well. Chris Trapper opened, and then came out to do  a slowed down version of Sea Of No Cares (one of the songs he wrote with GBS) with Alan which was sublime. A very happy night!

[garrypbrooks]

Just getting home from an outstanding show by Alan Doyle  & The Beautiful Beautiful Band at Sony Music Hall. Alan was in top form, excited to be playing a Friday night show in NY...especially one twice postponed due to Covid. The band was incredible, most notably Cory Tetford and Kendel Carson. Lots of songs from the solo albums and EP’s, but also plenty of Great Big Sea material and it transported me back to those sing along at the top of your lungs gigs. Alan is a great showman, but also hugely supportive of the band as well. Chris Trapper opened, and then came out to do  a slowed down version of Sea Of No Cares (one of the songs he wrote with GBS) with Alan which was sublime. A very happy night!

I envy you, Robert. I wish Alan D would bring his band over to England

[John From Austin]

Larkin Poe, last night at the Historic Scoot Inn in Austin, Texas! I wore my Fairport 45 T-Shirt, with the members timeline on the back, in honor of the 2012 Cropredy alums.

[John From Austin]

Al Stewart with the Empty Pockets, Friday at 3Ten Live in Austin, Texas!

He apologized from the top that he was feeling unwell, and that his voice was rough. It didn't really detract from the show, because he was fabulously charming and I enjoyed the unfamiliar as well as the familiar tunes equally. He was unable to provide an encore as his voice left him at the end of "Year of the Cat." An excellent evening and another one off my bucket list.

Re: the venue, they had put in 10 or 15 rows of folding chairs, which were not there when I saw Kofi Baker's Music of Cream last year. I stupidly bought a standing ticket, so Mrs. J From A and I unnecessarily had to stand inside or retreat to benches outside. Next time I'll navigate this situation better, because neither one of us wants to stand anywhere for two hours.

[Will S]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

I forgot to post about seeing them Saturday at Acapela. A little too much talking at one point, I thought, but Damien’s voice is still powerful and many of their songs brought tears to my eyes. Adam has definitely inherited his Dad’s piano playing abilities & humour but I’d like to see him take centre stage a bit more. Looking forward to seeing them again at Cropredy

[davidmjs]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

That can't be economically viable can it?

[Nick Reg]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

That can't be economically viable can it?

We have a local venue that holds about 50. I've seen Bennett Wilson Poole and Headsticks there with Martin Stephenson next month.

[davidmjs]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

That can't be economically viable can it?

We have a local venue that holds about 50. I've seen Bennett Wilson Poole and Headsticks there with Martin Stephenson next month.

I guess musicians are happy to earn less and less...in some regards a few hundred quid for a night might be considered not bad but it doesn't take into account all the travel and accommodation etc etc.  I'm always amused by those late 60s / early 70s band charges lists which everybody translates on social media as being about how cheap they all were...when in fact the direct opposite is the case and factoring in inflation shows how much more bands were paid then than now.

[Will S]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

That can't be economically viable can it?

Capacity is only about 90. There are only the two of them in the band with one guitar and one keyboard, plus someone else doing merch and other bits and pieces.  i don't know how the other venues they played in compare size-wise.  Two nights before they were supposed to play the Queen's Theatre in Barnstaple, which is a lot bigger, but it looks as if that was cancelled.

[Nick Reg]

Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson last night at the Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington.  

In a small and intimate setting - only about 50-60 of us - was very different from the only time I'd seen them before, at Cropredy, but they were engaging, funny and of course musically wonderful.

I was excited to see that Ben Sanders and Hannah Savage are playing there in a couple of months' time, and then disappointed to see that it is a couple of days after I travel back to Africa to work for a couple of weeks.

That can't be economically viable can it?

We have a local venue that holds about 50. I've seen Bennett Wilson Poole and Headsticks there with Martin Stephenson next month.

I guess musicians are happy to earn less and less...in some regards a few hundred quid for a night might be considered not bad but it doesn't take into account all the travel and accommodation etc etc.  I'm always amused by those late 60s / early 70s band charges lists which everybody translates on social media as being about how cheap they all were...when in fact the direct opposite is the case and factoring in inflation shows how much more bands were pai d then than now.

Some will take a gig as stopover to save going home especially if they are put up for the night. Some do house parties, I've seen Martin at one with 10 people, of course the host subsidises this. I didn't previously know the host but the food laid on was top notch!! Ian McNabb will be available shortly.

[ColinB]

Some will take a gig as stopover to save going home especially if they are put up for the night. Some do house parties, I've seen Martin at one with 10 people, of course the host subsidises this. I didn't previously know the host but the food laid on was top notch!! Ian McNabb will be available shortly.

I've recently discovered that someone I know here in Lancaster puts on the occasional house concert and I can't see them getting more than a couple of dozen punters into their place. Instead of selling tickets in advance you are put on a kind of guest list and asked to make a donation on the night which is then passed on to the performer. I think this is due to them not having a licence - they're not an official venue.

There's one this week which I'm hoping to get to as I missed another gig last week due to this wretched lurgy. It's a good idea as there are fewer folk gigs in the area due to a local promoter calling it a day.

[Andy]

KT Tunstall was extremely good at St David's Hall, Cardiff, tonight. Andy Burrows and Stuart Wilkinson did a double shift as the opening act and than played in her band, Mr Burrows switching from guitar to his customary drumkit. Accompanied by Gorillaz bassist Seye Adelekan, they made a right old racket and great stuff it was.

With a bit of Led Zeppelin and Annie Lennox thrown in for good measure, a very enjoyable gig, albeint a tad expensive.