Recent gigs

[JJ (Joanna)]

Lovely show at Birmingham Town Hall on Monday. Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis and Mary Chapin Carpenter promoting their collaboration album. Fantastic vocal harmonies, and a very sympathetic band, all very gentle, which combined with the warmth of the room caused a few people to nod off  

 

[Alan2]

Soft Machine at Band on the Wall last night,  on the first night of their short UK tour. They played a few new tracks which they are planning to record in April. The rest were split roughly equally between more recent albums and 60s/70s tracks. Theo Travis was on particularly good form.

Excellent...anything from Bundles (my fave)?

I like Bundles very much too, although it's almost politically incorrect to not like 3rd  etc. more.

[davidmjs]

Soft Machine at Band on the Wall last night,  on the first night of their short UK tour. They played a few new tracks which they are planning to record in April. The rest were split roughly equally between more recent albums and 60s/70s tracks. Theo Travis was on particularly good form.

Excellent...anything from Bundles (my fave)?

I like Bundles very much too, although it's almost politically incorrect to not like 3rd  etc. more.

You know me...contrary to the last, Alan, contrary to the last  Soft is good too, but I draw the line at Land of Cockayne, which hovers around 'execrable'.

[John From Austin]

Sons of Cream, Empire Theater, San Antonio - March 6, 2025!

Kofi Baker, Malcolm Bruce, and Kofi's cousin Rob Johnson played tons of Cream and a snatch of Blind Faith. To be honest, I missed Will Johns on guitar. However, Rob has a lovely tenor singing voice, and Malcolm of course sings and plays just like his Dad. They jammed a lot, with shifting tempos and a lot of "searching" or wandering about looking for a groove. They played pretty much everything you'd want to hear except "Strange Brew" and "I Feel Free." A lovely time, and I was particularly happy to see Malcolm back. (Years ago he publicly shared that the group's manager had discharged him after the previous "Music of Cream" tour.)

Good sized crowd of about 200-250. I previously observed that Kofi and Will drew fewer than 30 people in Austin a couple of years back. We could learn a thing or two from San Antonio about supporting live music.

[John From Austin]

Rod Stewart and Cheap Trick, Moody Center, Austin - March 7, 2025!

Cheap Trick were very loud and raucous, which is always fun. Robin Zander can still hit the high note in "Eternal Flame."

Rod was awesome, as usual. He apparently had an attack of allergies when he arrived in town, and he name-checked the Austin allergist who got him past the cedar fever that afflicts this whole area. He was in pretty good voice although the high notes weren't really there.

I would have liked to have heard "Gasoline Alley," "I'm Losing You," and "Stay With Me," but otherwise he covered all the bases. I do not expect we'll see him again, so I'm thrilled he came back around.

[Kevin M]

Two gigs this weekend, the ever reliable Ian Prowse with a 2 hour show in Stourbridge on Friday - first night of the tour and exceptonally good. Followed by the Mary Wallopers in Birmingham on Saturday. Not sure why, but I don't quite get these guys - on paper they sound great - irish trad / punk, but somehow they come across as a cabaret act to me, also the strong Donegal accents are very hard to hear clearly. They must be doing something right though - 2500 people can't be wrong - can they?

[Andy]

John Spiers and Jon Boden, at the penultimate gig of their brief Spring tour, at the Welfare, Ystradgynlais.

Enjoyable as always, Jon Boden looked rather tired although his musicianship was consummate as ever.

John Spiers was, as always, excellent.