New Gig Thread

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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Outstanding night with The National at the lovely Alexandra Palace last night. Along with their other great American contemporaries, Wilco and Arcade Fire, they've worked out completely how to make the power and excitement of their recordings come across in a visceral way live. They sounded magnificent. Interesting setlist with some earlyish stuff and one song, Lean, only played for the first time this week:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-natio ... 48226.html

Bit of a shame that Bloodbuzz Ohio was played so soon as nothing else could top it - the closing section was probably as thrilling as anything I've ever heard live, replete with the huge power of twin trombones. But it was all outstanding. No great clips up, but here's a nice Tiny Desk session:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdFCD3oXMZo
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Outstanding night with The National at the lovely Alexandra Palace last night. Along with their other great American contemporaries, Wilco and Arcade Fire, they've worked out completely how to make the power and excitement of their recordings come across in a visceral way live. They sounded magnificent. Interesting setlist with some earlyish stuff and one song, Lean, only played for the first time this week:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-natio ... 48226.html

Bit of a shame that Bloodbuzz Ohio was played so soon as nothing else could top it - the closing section was probably as thrilling as anything I've ever heard live, replete with the huge power of twin trombones. But it was all outstanding. No great clips up, but here's a nice Tiny Desk session:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdFCD3oXMZo
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Hot on the heels of that one, and not wanting to lose the sense of its magic, the wonderful Aimee Mann at the wonderful Union Chapel. Sold out and more atmospheric than ever. Never seen Aimee before, despite owning almost all her albums. Support was from Ted Leo, who is unknown to me, but with whom (and a third person) she's releasing an album in March performing as The Both. He played solo but then Aimee joined him on bass for two of their songs. Great voice combo, reminded me a lot of G Welch and D Rawlings given his sweet, high voice.

Aimee played with Paul Bryan on bass, producer of her last two albums and a sublime bassist, and a very good pianist called, I think Lewis. No drums, sadly, but the sound was great and full (and I didn't need hearing protection, yay!).

Great setlist, very similar to this:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/aimee-man ... 492d6.html

One-two sucker punch of two great Magnolia songs was just lovely. She introduced Fall of the World's Own Optimist as a song she'd co-written with EC and then our man got a second namecheck in the encore responding to the request for the immaculate Other End of the Telescope, which I wasn't expecting. I've heard but don't know well the original 'Til Tuesday recording, and was unaware of its second verse, which threw me as I sang along:

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... _Telescope

Incredible that Aimee is 53, looking as skinny and leggy as ever (enhanced by shorts and fishnet tights!), and from a not huge distanced, very uncreased. but most important of all, that immaculate voice is as perfect as ever. Some similarities with Chrissie Hynde in town and the quality of warmth, like melted butter on hot toast. Delicious to listen to. So glad I saw her. she seemed to really enjoy it too, very appreciative audience.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

Went to 'An Evening with Bryan Ferry' last night in Southend with Mrs Sheep. A real top class evening.
The band were top class, the staging, meeting him afterwards. A real great evening out.

One surprise was the audience were all so old. I know he is 68 but so were most of the crowd. We felt like teenagers. I hear Graham Parker at Shepherds Bush was almost the same.

The woman sitting in front of me must have been 75, I thought she was getting up to go home at one stage because it started to get 'rockier' but no she was getting up to move to the front so she could dance. (don't bury me cos I'm not dead yet)

I suppose that is the downside we are getting getting older and so are our musical heroes.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Boomtown Rats crowd was like that too! National's was pretty young, with a few wrinklies. Aimee's was quite mixed, but verging on the old.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

Thinking about I was 11 when Virginia Plain was a hit in 1972. If you were a fan of Roxy Music and you were 21 then you're going to be 62 now. Scary isn't it.

Thought the Rats crowd might be a bit younger. I saw them quite a few times in the late 70's early 80's. Always enjoyed them
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by nicola76 »

Well, been to a few gigs of late! I don't think I covered Graham Parker and The Rumour in Glasgow (one of my gigs of the year), Travis at the Picturehouse, Glenn Tillbrook at the Liquid Rooms, Miles Kane at Eric's in Liverpool and Ocean Colour Scene also at the Picturehouse!

I've seen Miles Kane a few times now and think he is definitely one of the better young live performers around. I was in Liverpool for the football, so tied in a gig at Eric's on Mathew Street which was part of the attraction. The venue then ended up being the biggest drawback in that the foot high stage mean that I barely saw him! Also, a rather large Newcastle gent took great delight in taking the mick out of me for much of the pre-show (what is it about people that they can only enjoy themselves if they're tormenting people standing minding their own business?) so I was relieved when the show actually started. Have to say that I've not seen such an enthusiastic crowd for a show in years. It literally was a sweatbox as Miles went through songs from both of his albums (and a wee cover of Sympathy for the Devil which was tagged on to Give Up).

Next up for me is a friend's band, The Apple Beggars, at The Caves on 20th, and then Travis at the Barrowlands on the 21st Dec.

Few plans for 2014, so if Elvis is looking to tour, I have a free diary!
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Re: New Gig Thread

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Great, great Hyde Park line-up for July 12 next year: Neil Young & Crazy Horse plus The National. I'm booked to drum at my own gig that night but having seen both acts in 2013, and loved them both hugely, I can't complain. Makes me v hopeful that The National will also play Latitude which I may well get to for the first time (90 mins drive only) the following weekend. They did c. 3 years back. Wow, maybe with Neil too!
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Not sure it's even worth posting this, but last night I witnessed a sublime gig: Lloyd Cole and the Leopards at the lovely Shepherds Bush Empire (on Lloyd's 53rd birthday). Only time I've seen him with a backing band other than the Commotions and this was far more satisfactory than their 2004 reunion tour. Superb band (from Glasgow), great setlist balancing old hits, great renditions of songs from last year's masterwork Standards, many other favourites from his solo career, but also some less obvious ones (e.g. v obscure Missing), many of which are ones he doesn't play live solo. Forest Fire, Lost Weekend, Brand New Friend, Jennifer She Said, No Blue Skies, all pretty well perfect renditions.

Excited to see the Glasgow date from earlier in the week being torrented on a well-known website for streaming non-commercially available live recordings. Hoping SBE will be loaded soon.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Jack of All Parades »

I understand your trepidation, Otis. I, too, question active participation these days. But it does sound like it was a lovely show. I wish he would come over here. I would make an effort to catch him. Thank you for sharing. But then again I am probably talking to myself. Back to the tumbleweeds........
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Re: New Gig Thread

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Well at least someone appreciated it! I had an idea I'd seen a mention of him reacquainting himself with the Negatives for some Stateside shows in a similar vein, but this may have been just in my dreams.

Reasonably decent capture of the closing song of the evening, and probably one of the most epiphanistic renditions of a song I've experienced, if I may without the law enforcers hounding us:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAjjhdozNNg
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Who Shot Sam? »

I'm seeing Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings on Thursday at the Beacon. She always puts on an amazing show.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by johnanderson »

I spent a marvelous evening with Miles Hunt and Erica Nockall playing Wonderstuff stuff in the Greystones in Sheffield. They were brilliant.

The venue is a gem. It is just a backstreet pub, with a concert room at the rear. I've tickets to see Ben Watt and Glen Tilbrook in the same place fairly soon. How they get such bookings is beyond me, but I'm glad that they do.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

Glenn Tilbrook is always good solo, cracking night out. I saw Ben Watt many moons ago supporting The Monochrome Set. He was pretty good.
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Re: New Gig Thread

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Billy Bragg at Hammersmith Apollo last night with Neil.

Cracking night!
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Re: New Gig Thread

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Pre the Towne Crier, I would be hard pressed to note when a top class popular artist could be seen performing in Beacon outside of Pete Seeger or the various classical musicians who have appeared at the Howland Center in their annual piano series. Last night with my wife, Lisa, at the Crier was a revelation listening to John Pizzarelli and his quartet live. Yes, live music as if you were in a famed club in Manhattan but on your Main Street and within walking distance from your home.

To say that Mr. Pizzarellii is a performer is to understate. He holds a room with his easy, self-deprecating charm as he spins, seemingly with little effort, songs and witty banter in between the songs. He manages to both entertain, educate, and enthrall at the same time. Backed by his brother on bass last night and two vibrant musicians on drums and piano, he and his bandmates created engaging aural variations on some old standards like "The Way You Look Tonight" or "Don't Get Around Much Any More" with jazz riffs on contemporary standards like Neil Young's "Harvest Moon", tom Waits' Drunk on the Moon"-with its melding into Billy Strayhorn's "Lushlife", and the Allman Brother's 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and Donald Fagin's "Dance Between the Raindrops". There is no trace of pretention in Mr. Pizzarelli's playing-just the sheer joy of sharing some damn fine music. And the banter is fresh- I particularly loved the anecdote concerning his father, Bucky, and a recent recording session with Sir Paul McCartney and his father's reaction to being asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. My favorite moment last night was probably their version of "Harvest Moon". Welcome big time music with regularity to the main street of Beacon. And the performance space is warm and intimate with well designed acoustics.

As an aside-it was gratifying to watch my wife chat with Mr. Pizzarelli after the show and to hear some new anecdotes about her father.and her brother- one in particular caught my ear involving Joe and an encounter with Bucky in the mid 80's at a private jazz event out in Colorado. Bucky was going to give Joe a private lesson on guitar and he started by playing Joe three chords to repeat. When Joe did so effortlessly, Bucky stopped him and said "there is nothing I need teach you".

Here is the quartet doing "Harvest Moon"

http://youtu.be/vLUoVrHYujo

and "Drunk on the Moon"

http://youtu.be/JJFJIyV-Vt4

and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"

http://youtu.be/fMsTBxrBdq8
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Boy With A Problem »

Wye Oak tomorrow night and Paul Weller on Saturday.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by so lacklustre »

Martin & Eliza Carthy next Friday at Southbank
Eels in July at Barbican
Kate Bush in August in Hammersmith
Cinsidering Jeffrey Lewis at the Railway in Winchester
signed with love and vicious kisses
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Was wondering if you'd scored K Bush tickets, given your wife's love of her. How the hell did you do it? I tried my hardest, only the top price tickets remained when I was finally able to click on anything, and by the time you'd clicked them, they'd all gone too. Good to know a diehard fan was luckier. Very jealous. An unticked box on my list will remain unticked, unless she tours, maybe?

I'm going to almost nothing, though I am going to see the brilliant John Grant twice, once because he's repeating last year's Junction booking, one of the best things I've seen in over 20 years in this town, and twice because he's touring with an orchestra, just couldn't miss that. RFH in Nov.

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Re: New Gig Thread

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The National on Monday. Support from St.Vincent.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Wow, should be a great evening. St V is playing here soon but I haven't got tickets. Hope you enjoy The National as much as I did last Nov and look forward to reading your responses. I was playing their last album again this morning and it seems to me they can do no wrong. Strong in every department, and seriously exciting live. The film singer Matt Berninger's brother Tom made about being on tour with them in 2010 is now being released. There's a screening with live Q&A around Britain on 14th but I can't make it.
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invisible Pole
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by invisible Pole »

The National must surely be one of the best live acts in the world. The show they put on last Monday in Warsaw was nothing short of breathtaking.
Intense, powerful and intimate at the same time.
The whole set was masterfully paced and played, but if I had to choose highlights, I'd go for Bloodbuzz Ohio, Sea Of Love, Squalor Victoria, I Need My Girl, screamed-out Abel (brilliant!), Mr November (during which Matt walked off the stage and ran around the venue among euphoric fans) and the acoustic sing-along closer, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.

An hour after the show the band posted a comment on their facebook page saying: "Wow .. Loudest show on tour ... Thank you, Warsaw" :-)

If you haven't seen them yet I (and my daughter, who's a big fan of The National) cannot recommend them highly enough.

Here is the setlist: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-natio ... 012f4.html

As for the support, I was not a big fan of St. Vincent but she played an excellent, if rather short (33 minutes), show. I had no idea she was such a good guitar player. I have to check her albums more carefully.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Excellent to hear you had as good a time as I did last year and agree completely with your accurate description. This balance of elements, on the back of 4 superb albums, and also happening to be one of the best live bands you could see makes me think they are the best current band out there. I want to see them again now!

Setlist looks v similar to the one I saw, except you got the gorgeous About Today and I didn't.

Like the fact that St Vincent joined them for Sorrow. Agree re her guitar playing. Was fortunate enough to see this Tom Waits Rain Dogs recreated at the Barbican where she wigs out at the end of Big Black Mariah:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N66HPoQBChk

Here's the glorious Sorrow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15RugSJ ... TkuDn4QOlg

Several other clips from the show available too, inc Vanderlyle... Looks like it's in a large, permanent marquee.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by Jack of All Parades »

The National- last night at Prospect Park Bandshell- the first night of a three night residency in their home borough. Could not have asked for a better show in the first real heat of the summer. Highlights for me were "Afraid of Everybody" and "I Need my Girl" and the grand encores of "Santa Clara", "Mr. November", "Terrible Love" and the gorgeously acoustic "Vanderlyle, Crybaby, Geeks". First time seeing them for me and hopefully not the last.
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Re: New Gig Thread

Post by verbal gymnastics »

I took 6 yesr Mini VG to see Larkin Poe on Wednesday in Lewes for her first ever concert.

To say Mini VG enjoyed it would be somewhat of an understatement. The only thing I enjoyed more was how much she loved it as you never know how these things are going to go...

One of the many highlights of the evening was when she spoke to the lovely Rebecca Lovell before the show and Rebecca told her how pretty she was. Rebecca and the equally lovely Megan both signed a CD for her after and asked her if she enjoyed the show.

They didn't play much of their early stuff which is a bit more folky. Rebecca told me before the show that it would be a bit more rocky. She wasn't wrong!

Their latest album, Kin, is superb - it's much more rocky than their previous ones. Very highly recommended. I'm looking forward to seeing them support Elvis at Kew Gardens.
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