Venue:
The Stables, Milton Keynes.
Date: 27/04/2015
A setlist based around the wonderful new album, and then peppered with ‘the classics’ and some lesser known tracks, was right up my street. Josh and his 3-piece band were obviously in a good mood. They had walked into the little restaurant at the venue, ready for their pre-gig nosh, as Carole King’s Tapestry album played. Josh began singing his lyric from ‘1972.’
“She was feeling 1972
Grooving to a Carole King tune.”
I nearly fainted. He sat down opposite me, poured his water and caught me watching.
‘Hi.’ he said.
I think I did faint.
The gig was joyous. Almost the whole of the new album, plus Love Vibration, 1972, Comeback, It’s The Nighttime, Winter In The Hamptons, Carolina, Why Won’t You Tell Me Why, Quiet Town, Lemon Tree, I Will Live On Islands, The Ocean, Julie….most of the set called out ‘on the hoof’ as his mood got ever happier. I was in the centre of the front row and didn’t stop grinning all night. I’ve been gigging for 44 years, hundreds of gigs, and this went into my Top 10 of all time. Wonderful.
The audience:
Afterword types to a man and woman. Just a shame that my favourite venue was only half full. Still, they made plenty of noise and sang, clapped and roared at the end.
It made me think..
How does anyone make a living? About 150 punters, at £18.50 a pop, is £2,775. Josh, 3 musicians, 3 crew, a support singer, promoter, agent and venue will all need paying out of that. Yes, they’ll have ‘done some merch’ but….
Thank God people like Josh still want to do it.
SteveT says
Great review. I am still stung by the idiotic reviewer upon reviewing his splendid anthology suggesting that his music was ‘for people who don’t like music’. Obviously bollox but for someone to earn a living by writing such drivel is a little disconcerting.
Still, Winter in the Hamptons is just fabulous and would have been worth the admission on its own.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Can we have an idiots guide to Mr. Rouse please? The best 5 albums to buy, something like that. He’s not a complete stranger to me, but I think I only have odd tracks on comps. Bruise my wallet why don’tcha.
SteveT says
Personally I would go with the 2cd best of the Rykodisc years which has nearly all of the songs mentioned above by Niall of his back catalogue. Then if you can find it reasonably priced his ep with Kurt Wagner – Chester.
In fairness I don’t know either of his two most recent albums but Niall appears to give them the thumbs up and I can usually rely on his reviews.
BryanD says
Hi Niall. I wish I’d known you were going – it was only down to you mentioning it on the gig list thread a while back that I knew he was touring. Me and Mrs D were there last night and in the restaurant at the same time. I suspect that you were either the white haired guy with his wife/partner two tables away or the bloke at the table in-between. I was the white/grey haired bloke in a blue stripy shirt and jeans.
Tremendous concert, we loved it. We live over 100 miles away, so I had to take time off work and stay over but it was well worth it. The only slight grumble was £5.10 for a bottle of Old Speckled Hen, although it didn’t stop me having three of them as I wasn’t driving, as usual.
I can’t really add anything other than I really enjoyed Tim Keegan, the opening act. He put me in mind of Lloyd Cole acoustic concert. I bought his new cd and was chatting to him at the interval. Mainly about Lloyd Cole and whether or not he is miserable or just very dry. I’ve just played the cd, it’s really good.
Top 5 Josh Rouse albums? Mine would be Nashville, The Happiness Waltz, The Embers of Time, 1972 and Subtitulo. Probably in that order.
Balancedview says
Had the pleasure of seeing JR at The Ruby Lounge Manchester and a similarly great show.
Pleased to say a healthy audience who gave a great response.
Tim Keegan very good too and we have enjoyed delving into his back catalogue both solo and with Departure Lounge.
One of our favourite Josh Rouse albums is ‘Cold Blue Stars’ which we would recommend highly! Glad to see him back to his best and hope for a speedy return to the UK!
Vulpes Vulpes says
*jemmys open piggy bank*
Twang says
1972 is the place to start, then Nashville. @feedback_file is a huge fan after I was kind enough to introduce him to the Rouster.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Shamefacedly, I have now realised that I already own both of those!
Gulp. I have FAR too many CDs.
Fuck it, I might get his new one. I really liked Nashville (*clutches brow* it’s all coming back to me now) and I bought 1972 to follow up. I think I stopped there not because I had been disappointed with anything subsequent, but simply because I was listening elsewhere. Too much music, too little time left…..
Happy Harry says
As someone who very much liked 1972 and Nashville but has been disappointed by more recent work can I ask how the new album stacks up?
niallb says
New one is excellent. He obviously thinks so too, considering how much of it he played. It’s one of those I’ll be playing a lot in the Summer, sitting outside, glass of red. Perfect.
Twang says
I’m with you HH, that’s all the Rouse you need, really. OOAA.
Happy Harry says
Those good people at emusic have it so will give it a spin.
BryanD says
I would agree that he dipped a fair bit for a while but the Happiness Waltz was a definite return to form. I have only listened to the Embers of Time a few times so far but I think it’s another good one. They are both on Spotify if you want to try before you buy.
niallb says
We need some kind of badge, Bryan. Yes, that was me on my own, black & white checked shirt.
BryanD says
Yes, a missed opportunity. We could have had the miniest of mingles. I am sure at least one other person on here (Twang?) has talked about going to the Stables and I did wonder when I went to see Gretchen Peters a few weeks ago if there was any Afterworders there, although it was in Bury St Edmonds. At the Apex which I think is a venue you’d love if the Stables is your favourite. It’s also doable for us without having to stay away.
androo1963 says
That is great news. I don’t know that much about him but took a punt & bought tickets for tomorrow at the Oran Mor in Glasgow (after checking him out on youtube).
I’ve since bought 1972 & Nashville, both of which are brill. I’m sure I’ll buy some more at the gig. Off to Spotify now to familiarise myself with the new one.
mossquito says
His first album – Dressed Up Like Nebraska – is the best. I may be biased though as I was working at Rykodisc when it came out and Josh came into the office to play songs from it to the staff. Unforgettable.
Gary says
He did a nice version of Straight To Hell for Uncut’s Clash tribute CD.
Rosbif says
The Happiness Waltz is indeed wonderful. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Josh Rouse song I didn’t like, tho I’ve not heard them all by any means.
Bamber says
My wife and I identified a Josh Rouse gig in Dublin as one of those shows we were both at before we met and when I first lured her back to Bamber Towers, it was the presence of Josh Rouse in my CD collection that convinced her that I had some taste in music…
Having said that, I tend to find him a bit too laid back for my tastes and would be more of a fan of the Silver Seas featuring his sometime band member Daniel Tashian, regarding them as more like the more uptempo Josh Rouse of Nashville on songs like Carolina, It’s the Night Time and Winter in the Hamptons. I’m sure there are some but I’d imagine there are few Josh Rouse fans who wouldn’t enjoy the Silver Seas, especially their Chateau Revenge album (Red Version).
Feedback_File says
I should have been there but had to attend school event. Went in 2006 with Twang to see him at the Stables. One the great unsung singer songwriters IMHO – went through a bit of a low for me when he did those Spanish style albums a few years back but the last two are back up there (almost) with 1972 and Nashville.
Sad that the place was only half full – hope he comes back
Twang says
I found him utterly charmless last time and felt he didn’t want to be there, so I’m glad to hear he’s getting his mojo back.
niallb says
Saw him in London on the last tour, Twang, and I agree that he seemed miserable. This was so different. I guess sometimes ‘life’ just gets in the way, just as it does for all of us. I’ve had plenty of bad days at the office, when ‘stuff’ at home has got in the way. As you say, good to see him so happy. Trust me, it translated to the audience.
David Wright says
I heard him on the Sodajerker podcast talking about his new album and it sounded great,will have to purchase. I’d recommend Nashville as well, Winter In The Hamtons is as heart-warming as drinking a steaming mug of hot chocolate laced with a little brandy after walking for two hours in the snow.