Venue:

Rock City, Nottingham

Date: 26/03/2019

Despite being a fully paid up member of the denim and leather brigade in the 80s, I’ve never seen UFO live before, never even owned an album. The closest I got was when “Lights Out” was a track on the “Live and Heavy” compilation I had as a boy, and the first gig I ever went to was MSG, who played “Doctor, Doctor” and “Rock Bottom” as encores. You know a fair few UFO songs though, despite them never quite cracking it as a “big” act, remaining generally a Championship team, if you’ll forgive the football analogy. But of course, their “Lights Out” double live is a thing of rare respect, universally held up to be one of the greats. I didn’t own that either. (See above) So, my first UFO gig is their farewell tour. This is a band who released their 4th album when Barry Sheene was world 500cc champion the first time. Me and the band are 51 as I write… Tara Lynch (“Gui-Tara” apparently…) gets the place warmed up with some full on shredding rock instrumentals and a decent tune or three, getting a decent response for her troubles. » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Markthalle, Hamburg

Date: 05/07/2017

OK Afterworders, we all know that the first band on at Live Aid was ‘ver Quo, yes? Bonus points if anyone knows who was first on at Philadelphia? Yes, it was the Hooters, a band so ignored in the UK and long forgotten that they’re a bit like Iceland. 99% of people have never been, and 99% of the people who have, have only been to Reykjavik. As a test, see if you can name any other City in Iceland? As a further test, even if you’ve heard of them, how many of you own a Hooters album? The defence rests, your Honour. Philadelphia’s finest, The Hooters are in fact, still going, especially popular in Germany, and, here’s the thing, I utterly absolutely and fantastically love them. Ostensibly, they’re the band who harbour the uber hit song writers Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman (One of US, Time after Time, Private Emotion, Old Before I Die, Gimme a Stone and a fair few others) and they play a kind of music that is somewhere between roots, rock, folk, reggae and ska, with mighty tunes, the kind of choruses you can’t stop humming and a joy » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Graham’s living room

Date: 20/04/2017

My first experience of a “living room” gig, fortunately one of my favourite front men, on his own, with a great new album to plug, only about ¾ of a mile down the road, near where we used to live. Enough to call a halt this week on my usual Thursday evening “world to rights” session with Smudger of this parish. Craig was tuning up when I arrived, but the natives appeared friendly so I repaired onto the back yard/lawn, where a succession of very friendly, interesting and likeable people (from reasonably far and wide (and West Bridgford)) came, mingled and went. Showtime, and everyone siphoned in through the French doors, to exhortations to “come closer”, so, cushion in hand, I did. Immediate stage left, leaning on (while sat down) some kind of flight case, a sofa and a CD rack. I got comfy about 3 songs in… Craig called us to order and began a guitar only (as he was all night) “God In Chicago”, during which you could’ve heard mice farting next door. Wonderful in all respects. Preludes, Jester and June, Tangletown and Be Honest followed from the new album, with » Continue Reading.