Venue:

The Albert Hall, London, UK

Date: 26/03/2015

This time last year Wilko Johnson was supposed to be playing one of his last gigs at the Albert Hall supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust. Sometimes fairy tales do happen, so 12 months after he was supposed to have expired he’s back, with the characteristic goggle eyed-stare, stage strut and machine gun guitar very much in place. Playing a 30 minute set comprising, amongst others, “Roxette” and “Down By The Jetty” he was the perfect opening act for the main event of the evening.

Although at 71 years of age Roger Daltrey’s mic swinging technique may have gone downhill since Woodstock his voice remains in fine fettle and, in a “medium” size venue, he is still a charismatic front man. An eight-piece Who with the ever reliable Zac Starkey on drums, a statuesque Pino Palladino on bass, Pete’s brother Simon on guitar, plus three keyboard players sounded tight, despite Townshend’s stated dislike of soundchecks and Daltrey declaring that evening’s one to have been a “waste of time”.

Kicking off with Mod anthem “I Can Explain” a run of classic singles ensued. The passing of time was brought poignantly home during » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Town Hall Birmingham

Date: 25/03/2015

So which Joan do you want? Delicate singer-songwriter? Tick? Confident popstar? Tick Agressive blues shredder? Again, um, tick. So a show of parts, all mixed and melded, with Joan alone on stage, 3 guitars, and a keyboard. Occasional backing tracks were to used, a screen told us, which later, as is the vogue, projected appropriate images to the songs, a bit like the OGWT videos of yore. Self-deprecating from the start, making cracks about (her) age and (deteriorating) memory, she was keen to remind how long she has been in the limelight, kicking off with a song from her first LP, from all of 1973, strumming gently on her beloved blue guitar. And it was delightful. Another song and she moved to the keys for an exemplary “Different Kind of Love”, a subject the mature and largely female audience seemed to appreciate. And so it went, with oldies like “Rosie” interspersed with medium oldies, “All the way From America”, and all was dandy. But then she mentioned the B word, “Into the Blues”, her recent foray into hardcore blues, reminding the audience how well it had done in the US Blues charts, staright » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Apollo, Manchester

Date: 24/03/2015

Chic are the greatest disco band that has ever existed. Of that there is no doubt. For two hours, they serve up nonstop flawless party ‘bangers’. The atmosphere created by the interaction between band and crowd is celebratory. The stalls in The Apollo have the seats removed and is packed. The crowd moves symbiotically as one throughout. It is a trans-substantial experience in which each individual becomes part of a whole.

The focus is, of course, on one individual, Nile Rodgers. Having survived aggressive cancer, he charms us with his witty repartee and dazzling smile. Pretty soon, he straps on his white fender strat and starts up Everybody Dance, the first of many effortlessly slinky rhythms.

The band are resplendent in white; two keyboards, two horns, two lady vocalists, bass and drum. I expected Nile to have some guitar support but, no, his is the sole axe. He is absolutely mesmerising and I would go as far as to say that on Lost In Music he actually plays lead too.

The Chic sound hinges on the restless rhythm guitar bouncing off a bubbling bass. Jerry Barnes has big shoes to fill. He » Continue Reading.

Venue:

A big tent over a car park in a Centreparcs in Port Zélande, Ouurdorp, Netherlands

Date: 20/03/2015

A traffic snafu on the A1 means I miss my 07:00 flight. Next one is 15:15, getting into Schipol at 17:20 local time, which means I miss my coach to Port Zelande, over 100 km away. After some frantic searching, I find two others in a similar situation and we share a taxi. Before I even arrive on site, I’ve spent more than €100 I hadn’t anticipated. This is not a good start to the Marillion Weekend 2015.

A frantic dash to meet my mate with the key to our chalet, a run to the far end of the site to dump my gear and back and I get into the tent with barely minutes to spare before Marillion come out. I’ve missed guitarist Steve Rothery’s solo band, which is disappointing, but I’m starting to calm down.

Friday night’s set is a run through the band’s 2001 album Anoraknophobia in full. Particular highlights are the rarely-played Fruit of the Wild Rose, a song with a rather average first half, but a wonderful extended bluesy playout and the funky Quartz. I find » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Birmingham Town Hall

Date: 21/03/2015

Gretchen was in fine voice last night and her band including husband Barry Walsh and Christine Bougiew on lap steel and drums were tremendous. It helped that the sound was crystal clear. The first set featured mainly songs from new album Blackbirds but also a wonderful version of Tom Russell’s Guadalupe which is a uniquely beautiful song which if anything Gretchen has made her own. The second set started with Gretchen alone at the piano for Independence Day and her voice soared. During this second set the highlights were five minutes and Idlewild from her last album and at the end a duet between her and Barry covering John Prine’s In spite of Ourselves which was a lovely end to a great night.

The audience:

Perhaps only three quarters full which was a shame. Nonetheless they were hugely appreciative of the performance and the standing ovation at the end visibly moved Gretchen to tears. Oh and there was a marriage proposal. The lady said yes!! The guy must have been brave to do that publicly.

It made me think..

Nights like these are special but it is a tad annoying for me that » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Ark, Ann Arbor, MIchigan.

Date: 19/03/2015

Solo Lloyd – a man, a guitar and 30 odd years of songs. Playing the new album -Standards- and plenty of “old” both popular and obscure – (that’s Why I Love. Country Music and Hey Rusty). Between song banter was witty and self depreciating – ” here’s another song with the same chords” A great night.

The audience:

53 year old folks who have followed him since the eighties. Many couples – Lloyd thanked the spouses that had been dragged along by their partner.

It made me think..

He was writing about middle aged angst when he was 23.

Venue:

Nottingham Glee Club

Date: 12/03/2015

Yet another great evening in the company of Belfast’s Duke Special on the beginning of a tour to promote his soon to be released new album Look Out Machines (out 6 April). Songs from the new album were interspersed with some old favourites (Last Night I Nearly Died, Freewheel, Brixton Leaves, Wanda) and an eclectic selection of covers (Ash’s Shining Light, The Smiths There is a Light, a Lemonheads song, some Harry Nilsson songs and a couple by Ivor Cutler). Well supported by Paul Cook and the Chronicles.

The audience:

From 20 to 70 year olds, me fitting perfectly in the middle of the range. A decent turn out with most of 200 odd seats taken, although I cannot let the opportunity pass to remark that they were perhaps the hardest, most uncomfortable seats my bony backside has even had the misfortune to sit on.

It made me think..

Is taking a cushion into a gig the done thing these days? Thought not.

Venue:

Moochers, Stourbridge

Date: 12/03/2015

39 years since I last saw him, at Hammy Odeon, then a Lost Planet Airman, here I was in a tiny dive bar watching one of my living legends, the King of Dieselbilly. With a fine pick-up band featuring ex-Bees Make Honey (and fellow Texan) Austin de Lone, on keys, ex-Chilli Willi and Roogalator Paul “Bassman” Riley on, um, bass, and Malcolm Mills on drums. Riley and Mills are also his record label bosses, as heads of never more AW Proper Records. Kicking straight off into some steaming twang, the set, split into 2 halves, alternated between his rock’n’roll and his country influences, with many a song from the Commander Cody days. The solid 4 to the floor rhythm section underpinned Kirchens astonishing forays into the lesser played areas of his beloved telecaster, playing the lower notes rather than the squeals and squiggles of usual rockest fare. Finishing the first half with his showstopping Hot Rod Lincoln, within which he evokes every player of said instrument, from Haggard to Hendrix, by way of Kings, Albert, Ben E and Billie Jean(!) De Lone also threw in some keyboard greats from Count Basie to Professor Longhair. » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Troubadour, West Brompton, London

Date: 11/03/2015

Despite jet-lag and about three hours sleep in the previous 36 I made it to this gig. After last year’s stupendously good introduction I didn’t want to miss out. Mrs P was too tired out though Hannah made my effort worth it and didn’t disappoint in the least, other than her set was barely 40 minutes. She came on promising new material though she recognised most of her songs would be new to the majority. In the event only the opener and another titled Goldrush were new and a good part of her set came via requests, including mine for Black And White. A brilliant addition to the set-list is Jason Isbell’s Cover Me Up, but for those who know Jason’s work I can testify Hannah’s own songs are equally as good. She just has that essence of star quality about her. With respect to the other acts playing before her, while none were bad, from the very first chord of her first song it’s clear Hannah is a class act and the others comparative journeymen. Last night she was top of a four act bill in a small venue; hopefully » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Adelaide Town Hall, South Australia

Date: 10/03/2015

This was just sublime. The first hour was a continuous succession of improvisations, he’d play a melody or a theme and then rather than take off an extended virtuosic solo he gently explored the ideas in the piece, sometimes setting up a rhythmic groove, sometimes exploring the chord progression. It was all very gentle, meditative but never dull or boring, indeed it was the opposite – endlessly interesting, the sound of a master musician who knows exactly what he’s doing and how to do it. After that first hour there was another twenty minute piece, not quite so inventive, and that was it.

He didn’t speak a word to the audience, and had a folio of music on the piano which I suppose was a reminder of the pieces he wanted to play.

As a footnote, I’d organised to go this gig several months ago – had to leave a rehearsal half an hour early to get to the airport, fortunately the plane was on time but I was 3 minutes late and had to sit in the dress circle, which was OK. I fell over running across the road rushing » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Date: 06/03/2015

OK if you dont like long reviews look away now.

Womadelaide has been going since 1992 and they have got the organisation down pat by now. It is very civilised – book a hotel in the CBD or North Adelaide and take a stroll down for 4 days of World Music. Heat is the usual concern not mud a la Glastonbury in the UK or the other big Festival here- the Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival. The first festival had Peter Gabriel, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Youssou Ndour , Remy Ongala and a bunch of other greats. The lineups can fluctuate -sometimes too much drums ,other times too many artists backed by a line of French players in black t shirts in ponytails. But this was one of the better line ups and the weather was in the mid twenties , far more comfortable than the mid-thirties. Here’s a bit on a few of the acts I saw. Rufus Wainwright closed Friday.As soon as he started with that slurring vocal I walked off and listened to a blue grass act before returning to hear him sing 3 sublime, slow ,understated songs. Too » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Thekla, Bristol

Date: 09/03/2015

A wet and windy Monday night in Bristol so why venture out? Some things are worth the effort. Hence Claudia. Propaganda’s “A Secret Wish” and the remix “Wishful Thinking” were/are the perfect combination of impact and nonsense and the best thing about ZTT. The OK people knew/know them. Long since separated from” “the band” (if they were ever that) Claudia continues to pursue a range of interesting collaborations. This was mainly songs from her new-ish album “Where else…” some older songs, plus a few covers. A couple of Propaganda songs too.C laudia sings, a guy plays keyboards and another guy plays guitars. You can you-tube the rest. I particularly love her version of “Everyone Says Hi”.

The audience:

Select, appreciative

It made me think..

…we had faces then.

Venue:

Colston Hall, Bristol

Date: 08/03/2015

This is the last night of the Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival, a New Orleans themed day. And if you’re doing Nawlins, you need the Doctor. Filing into the auditorium we are treated with the sight of Mr Rebannack’s skull roadie sorting out props on the piano before his band, led by ace trombonist Sarah Morrow take the stage and kick up an introductory groove. Dr John hobbles to the piano in feathered top hat, walking with two canes (both covered in trinkets and fetishes, obv), and kicks off Iko Iko. It’s not quite jazz, not quite blues, not quite funk, and sets the tone for the rest of the night, all swampy voodoo with enough room for a Professor Longhair break. The rhythm section are very good, especially the drum workout on Walk On Gilded Splinters, and there’s some lovely Hammond as well. Pee Wee Ellis sat in for a couple of tunes near the end (he’d played an earlier set at the festival (my excitement at seeing one of James Brown’s sidemen was only slightly lessened after the gig when I discovered he lives just down the road in Frome these » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Dome, Brighton

Date: 28/02/2015

A try-out for the fourth series of Comedy Vehicle, the show consists of six roughly half hour routines (of which he does three in one show). On the night we went we got Islam, Urine and The UKips all of which were brilliant. Lee is really at the top of his game at the moment with the deconstruction of the ‘jokes’ funnier than ever. His piece about the Ukippers which really isn’t about them (but it is really) is genius. His new hearing aids means that he can hear the laughter which seemed to lighten his personae, except for the bit mentioned below!

The audience:

A full house for his second night in Brighton (a third has been added in June). But why can’t people sit for 50 minutes or so and watch the show, at times it was non-stop. So much so that Lee finally snapped and called the six people wandering about C**ts which got a huge cheer. There was much less movement in the second half!

It made me think..

A fantastic evening with Britain’s top comic, all of this without appearing on Live at the Apollo!

Venue:

The Greystones, Sheffield

Date: 06/03/2015

The evening was in a question and answer format with author JP Bean (and later the audience) asking questions and Joe then regaling us with lengthy and fascinating accounts of various episodes from his career. It transpired he had once been to Sheffield 51 years ago as a young tour manager. But had got so wrecked the night before that he has no recollection at all. Tales from his early days included his first encounters with Bob Dylan. From hearing Dylan playing through songs such as Masters of War in a room at a party before it had been recorded, to losing out on a night sleeping with a girlfriend he was staying with. Joe got in from a Skip James gig to find his things moved from the bedroom to a couch and a note saying ‘I’ll explain in the morning.’ Iit turns out that she’d met Dylan at a party so he’d usurped Joe’s place in her bed! Joe also spoke at length about the famous Newport Folk Festival when Dylan went electric and all the backstage ructions and the fact that although it was momentous, it also destroyed something that » Continue Reading.

Venue:

London Coliseum

Date: 05/03/2015

This was my second opera – the last time I was anywher close to opera was tracks from the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera. So, I know nowt – but always keen to try anything.

The staging for production of La Traviata was stark and modernistic but very effectively theatrical. Never having seen La Traviata the plot was new to me but basically consisted of the heroine suffering, suffering some more then just as she said she felt better, dying. Of course, that Joe Green can write a tune.

The discovery for me though was the ‘rising star’ soprano Elizabeth Zharoff. Her acting was magnetic and her voice was exquisite – it was also very easy to watch her for the 2 hour duration. Have a look at this clip – not the same tenor as last night but you’ll get the idea.

The audience:

A bizarre bunch – some ‘I know that face’ types, some anoraks, some business types but a lot of people with colds.

It made » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Date: 05/03/2015

Trevor Horn has been responsible for some great records. Most of them were released under other people’s names but he’s had plenty of credit for his work. I think we all have a fair idea that Frankie Goes To Hollywood might not have sounded quite the same without Trevor and his studio crew. So there are plenty of people willing to pay to listen to him and a band of terrific musicians play some of “his” greatest hits. And one evening only offers enough time to play a smattering of them. Last night, Seal was suffering from the after-effects of ‘flu and couldn’t sing (no sniggering please) but there was still plenty to enjoy. Lol Creme was one of the band so we heard him sing Rubber Bullets and accompany one of the excellent “house” vocalists on I’m Not In Love. I won’t try to remember the setlist – they rattled through a lot of stuff – but the standard of playing was superb. One highlight was an instrumental version of Two Tribes which, shorn of vocals, sounded rather like an Asia outtake. Continuing the prog theme, we had the pleasure of a » Continue Reading.