New Gig Thread

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ice nine
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by ice nine »

Went to a piano recital given by Lang Lang. It is a pleasure to listen to a lone piano when it is played by a master. He played some Schubert, Bartok, Debussewy, and Chopin. I know not everyone is so bowled over by Lang Lang's interpretations, but it was a magnificent concert.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by verbal gymnastics »

Billy Bragg in Northampton last Friday (21st) and
Paul Weller in London on Monday (24th).

Both fantastic gigs by artists who have been very inspirational to me (along with EC and Bob Dylan).

I love seeing Billy solo and in a small theatre he was very chatty which he (unnecessarily) apologised for. He dealt beautifully with a drunken racist and told someone else who shouted out that "I can deal with my own hecklers thanks"). He then sang Accident Waiting To Happen and, with a second row seat, I could see the vitriol in his eyes as he delivered a few of the lines directly to the heckler. People I spoke to were divided as to if the guy drunk (no doubt about that) and racist or just that he chose a bad time to heckle (as Billy was talking about the BNP membership list which had been leaked on t'internet).

Mr Weller was awesome. It's the third time I've seen him this year and he was on fire again. Good to see some of The Jam songs played (Eton Rifles, That's Entertainment, Butterfly Collector, Town Called Malice), Shout To The Top (which is unfortunately relevant again) and some great oldies (Peacock Suit, Broken Stones (fabulous), Changing Man, Into Tomorrow).

If I could I'd have gone another night. But I've had three nights out in a row this week. :shock:

It's great to see my four favourite artists getting better with age.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Saw Weller do Eton Rifles on a nice BBC4 session last week. Cracking stuff. And also Butterfly Collector, which sounds incredibly dated ('You can't light a fire/You can't cook or sew') but still great. Most Weller, as you may recall, sense me to sleep, but one song I adore is Brand New Start, and he did a nice version of that with about 4 acoustic guitars, one played by the drummer (what happened to Steve White?) who took a verse solo and sang perfectly.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Boy With A Problem »

We went to the David Byrne show last night at the Zeiteruib Theatre in New Bedford, Mass. He was doing the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno. It was a blast - five piece band, three back-up singers and three dancers - everyone in white - choreographed - kind of art school - highly entertaining. They played most of the new record (which I now must pick up) and a bunch of Talking Heads songs - I Zimbra, Houses in Motion, Heaven, Once In a Lifetime, Life During Wartime, Heaven, Take Me to the River, Burning Down the House - and even did Help Me Somebody from the My Life in the Bush of Ghosts LP. Byrne was in good humor, a little bit of stage banter - seemed like he was having a lot of fun. Thank god for the gray hair; he doesn't look like he's put on an ounce since 1977.If this comes close to you, its well worth seeing.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Sounds great. The new LP seemed to get a bit of a lukewarm critical reaction, but The Word did put it in their top 10 of the year list (although, entirely inexplicably, Fleet Foxes was omitted, which is bizarre in any magazine, let alone one which has been championing them all year and includes an interview as part of their review of the year). Said it was more conventional songs than the original. The TH songs selected sound like great choices. He's playing London in April, RFH, and similar places elsewhere (Bridgewater Hall Manchester, Sage Newcastle, Symphony Hall Birmingham, etc.). Steep at £35-45 in London, but keen to go.
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johnfoyle
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by johnfoyle »

Just in from Whelans where The Dirtbombs just destroyed the place. My ears are still hissing from their non-stop , in-your-face show. A Detroit garage band , they feature two drummers, a tiny girl making a big guitar sound and a shaven headed , muscle laden black man bawling out the vocals as he riffs away on another loud guitar in tandem with another bloke on yet another guitar - a HUGE sound in such a tiny place. The encore finished with one of the drummers jumping in amongst us at stage front and , with help from a roadie, assembling his kit and trashing away as we bayed along. One of the best shows I've seen in ages!

http://www.thedirtbombs.net/news.html
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by martinfoyle »

Now that Dublins Point is about to re-open, now know as The O2 Dublin, Bobs coming back to town on May 5th next.

http://www.aikenpromotions.com/content/view/305/105/

I wonder if he'll have a support act? Maybe another singer/songwriter who has been absent from Dublin even more than Bob.....
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

... never to return.

Well Ron Sexsmith in Madrid was great fun. For my detailed account of how I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, etc., go here.
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BlueChair
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by BlueChair »

Neil Young last night here in Toronto. The fact that Wilco were also on the bill made it a must-see for me. It was at an arena, and the floor was opened up for general admission, standing room. I showed up about an hour early and managed to get very close to the stage.

Opening for both bands was a group called Everest. Pretty good. Then Wilco came on and tore the roof off the place. I don't have the setlist, but they played a number of tunes from their latest album, including "Hate It Here," "Impossible Germany" and "Walken," along with some old favourites like "Via Chicago," "California Stars," "I'm The Man Who Loves You," and "Jesus, Etc." Terrific. I hadn't seen Wilco since just before Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came out, and it's amazing how different they sound with the addition of Nels Cline on guitar.

Then Neil came on and the crowd went mad. I've been lucky enough to see Neil on three earlier occasions: twice with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and once on his own. This show was by far the best of the bunch, both because Neil cranked out one hit after another, but also because he and his band exhibited the kind of energy you'd expect to see from an artist in his prime. There was nothing shaky or inconsistent about his performance, from the one-two-three punch of "Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black," "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and "Powderfinger" to the more relaxed and sublime "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man." Of course, you can't go wrong with "Cortez The Killer" and "Cowgirl In The Sand" either.

For his encore, Neil covered The Beatles "A Day In The Life," which was weird and wonderful.

Here's Neil's full setlist:

1. Love And Only Love
2. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
3. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
4. Powderfinger
5. Spirit Road
6. Cortez The Killer
7. Cinnamon Girl
8. Oh, Lonesome Me
9. Mother Earth
10. The Needle And The Damage Done
11. "Lighting A Candle" - new song (this title is a total guess)
12. Unknown Legend
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
15. Get Back To The Country
16. Just Singing A Song
17. Sea Change
18. When Worlds Collide
19. Cowgirl In The Sand
20. Rockin' In The Free World

Encore:

21. A Day In The Life
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Wowee! Wilco + Young, and Young on top form. You lucky, lucky man. Superb setlist, and if I'd been there, one of my absolute highlights, if not best of all, would have been this:

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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by verbal gymnastics »

The Fratellis on Sunday
James/Athlete on Tuesday

I can't complain about the number of gigs I've seen this year.

There are a few that I'm not sure if I should book for eg Morrissey, The Specials, Franz Ferdinand and Blur because it's getting a bit costly.

I will book for Glenn Tilbrook in May though.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by so lacklustre »

Specials tickets went v. quickly. I was too slow.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

I was well fucked off as I'd had some email alerts re Moz playing London and Manc (inc. one date on his May 22 birthday - same as my second son), but nowhere did I see he was playing the Cambridge fucking Corn Exchange a mere few minutes on bicycle from Westinghouse Villas, until I happened upon an ad in today's Guardian. LP Feb date and loads of tour dates, and they went on sale at 10.00. Needless to say Cambridge is unavailable anywhere and Great Yarmouth pier has gone too, but I did get standing tickets for Brixton Academy, sorry 'O2 Brixton Academy' on May 29, a Friday, happily. I wonder if it will be worth getting a tout ticket here, or maybe someone I know has a spare. the last time at King's Lynn was a fantastic night. I can't wait for this.

Going to see Richard Thompson in Jan on his 1,000 years of music tour. Good seats near front, so will be able to marvel at his mastery. I'm not a big fan, like what I know, but am sure this will be one to remember.

In the 90s I went to next to nothing, missed loads of good stuff (Jeff Buckley at the Junction, etc.) but now I can't get enough of it.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by BlueChair »

Just booked my first gig of 2009: Mark Olson & Gary Louris (formerly of The Jayhawks... the both of them, though Olson quit the band in 1995 and Louris carried on until the band disbanded in 2004). I just saw Louris this past year, but it'd be cool seeing the both of them together again. They're supporting a collaborative album that comes out in January.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by verbal gymnastics »

I've booked The Magic Numbers doing an acoustic show in February in London, Elvis in London in April and Billy Bragg in Brighton in June.

Glenn Tilbrook is no longer an option as I'm away that weekend.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by verbal gymnastics »

I'm now going to see The Specials in May thanks to a funny but sometimes misunderstood member of the Board.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

I didn't know you were still in touch with Mr Average!

Richard Thompson, Cambridge Corn Exchange. I don't know if we have any big RT fans, but it was my first time seeing him, and he is great to see. Nearly 60, guitar playing as brilliant as ever (I'm not a guitarist, but I spent most of my time looking at his amazing hands doing their thing, just incredible), and his voice was great too. The concept is '1,000 years of popular music'. The idea came about when Playboy asked people for their top 10 pieces of the millennium, and of course everyone started in the '50s and moved forward, but RT being the contrary folk musicologist that he is went back to the 11th century and forward. They didn't publish his selection, the wankers, but he then went on to make a show of it. There's a CD/DVD from 2003:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-Thompso ... 375&sr=1-3

Some of these were played, others changed. Sadly no 'Oops... I Did It Again', but instead we had things like 'Money, Money, Money', 'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime' (The Korgis - remember that?). All lots of fun. Just him and two women, one a very good singer who also played keyboards, the other a percussionist. Tedious part was the tickets said 7.30, which normally means support soon after that, main act 8.30, no indication that he would be on stage then, so we rolled up at 8.10 fresh from the pub to find he'd played 30 or more mins. So I missed the first 700 years! Oh well.

Highlight for me was Down By The Salley Gardens, the Yeats poem set to music, sung by the woman. Just heaven. Sadly he didn't play any of his own songs, not even in the encore, so I'll have to go back for one of those shows.

Probably the oldest gig I've been to ever, white haired wrinklies - average age 50 or more, I felt almost young there!
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ReadyToHearTheWorst
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by ReadyToHearTheWorst »

Otis Westinghouse wrote:... I don't know if we have any big RT fans
yes.
Otis Westinghouse wrote: ... Just him and two women, one a very good singer who also played keyboards
Judith Owen Maid of these Isles, and wife of Harry Shearer.
Otis Westinghouse wrote:... Probably the oldest gig I've been to ever, white haired wrinklies - average age 50 or more, I felt almost young there!
I'll be @ home on Friday then (it'll be my 3rd time seeing him @ Sage, Gateshead).
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

I thought you might be! I take it you've seen this tour on a previous occasion. Judith Owen was very good, but also a little annoying!

Any chance of a 'top 5/10 whatever of RT'? I've looked on amazon and stuff and got recommendations from the guys I went with. I have the immortal I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight. Small Town Romance and a bootleg of the last show he played with Linda before they split up, and the more recent Front Parlour Ballads and 2007's Sweet Warrior, the latter from the library yesterday and sounding very good so far.

Unlike most of his contemporaries, and in huge contrast to John Martyn, with whom there are many links, he and his voice are in fantastic shape. he looks amazingly lean and fit, has a real shine to his eye, dresses sharply, and sings and plays as sharply as ever. I've never loved his voice that much, not in the way with John Martyn's, but it was great live.

Ones I know to be good:

Rumour and Sigh
Shoot Out The Lights (the break-up LP)
Old Kit Bag (raved about on Amazon)
Mock Tudor

But there are so many, so any guidance welcome.

For those who don't really know his stuff, check out the EC covers of the wonderful 'Withered and Died' from GCW bonus and The End of the Rainbow from the KOA bonus. If you like these, both come from the above-mentioned I Want To See...
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ReadyToHearTheWorst
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by ReadyToHearTheWorst »

No, I haven't seen this show before (he's only done a few one offs of it in the UK, till now), but I have the DVD of a show in San Francisco (wherein he remarks that singing Shenandoah to an American audience makes him feel like a Rolling Stone c. 1965 - he's a funny chap).

I think RT continues to mature, as a musician, writer and performer, but especially as a singer. The voice on Henry the Human Fly (from 1972) is very weak & limited compared to the confidence & range displayed on Sweet Warrior (from 2007).

As for recommendations, there's merit in most every album, although I'm not keen on some of the side projects (such as French, Frith, Kaiser & Thompson). However, as well as the ones you've already mentioned, check out:
Fairport Convention - Liege & Leaf (1969)
Richard Thompson - Across a Crowded Room (1985).

He's changed labels many times so there is no single 'career overview' that does justice to the whole cannon, but these would cover all of the bases except the later 80s :
Fairport Convention - The History of
Richard & Linda Thompson - The Best Of: The Island Records Years (aka End of the Rainbow)
Richard Thompson - Action Packed "the Best of the Capitol Years"

My fave songs approximate to:
The Poor Ditching Boy
Saturday Rolling Around
When the Spell is Broken
I Feel So Good
Cooksferry Queen
Waltzing's For Dreamers
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
I Misunderstood
Cold Kisses
Gethsemane
Tear Stained Letter
Wall Of Death
Take Care the Road You Choose
1952 Vincent Black Lightning
From Galway To Graceland
Crazy Man Michael
Let it Blow
Dimming Of The Day
Beeswing
Persuasion

Finally, you should also check out his very wonderful website: BeesWeb, a model of how it should be done.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Many thanks. Review of the show in Observer yesterday:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/ja ... ular-music

I have Liege and Leaf, but Across A Crowded Room sounds good. Fave song list also v welcome, only know a few of these. Agree the singing on Sweet Warrior is very good. Strong LP all round.

His inter-song banter is generally wonderful.

My research took me to BeesWeb and I agree it's an excellent site.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by ReadyToHearTheWorst »

RT was phenomenal, though set list and banter seem little changed from reports of other nights (in pre Net days that didn't really matter, but we expect so much more now).

However, a recent posting on RTs site led me to this rather wonderful corner of t'InterWeb:
The Black Cab Sessions
They have short films of some really interesting musicians (e.g. Ryan Adams, Fleet Foxes), who sing whilst riding in a black cab around London.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Great idea! Nice rendition of setlist regular 'Crayon Angels' , a Judee Sill song. Some nice stuff there. Interesting to hear bon Iver solo as opposed to multi-tracked.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Boy With A Problem »

We went to see the English Beat on Friday night in Providence - Lupos at the Strand. Of course the only original member is Dave Wakeling. For years he was taking a similar band out under his own name, but this way he can play bigger venues and earn a better living. Anyway they were shit hot on Friday - crack band, started off with Whine and Grind/Stand Down Margaret (at the end of which he commented that she doesn't remember being prime minister), into Best Friend then Twist and Crawl etc etc etc - they played almost all of that first album, one or two off the second (Doors of Your Heart was a standout) and three or four off the last one. I was wondering how he'd handle the high notes on I Confess, but they didn't play it, which solved the problem. There was a cover of I'll Take You There thrown in at one point and a new song, plus Tenderness from the General Public days - it all ended with Jackpot, which included a Barack Obama chant/chorus. Fun night.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by pophead2k »

I saw Wakeling under his own name several years ago at the House of Blues in New Orleans and he was great that night too, but this sounds like a fantastic set.
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