Loudon Wainwright III finally arrived in Birmingham on Thursday night after a couple of pandemic false starts. I have most of his recorded output and have seen him half a dozen times and have always enjoyed his gigs. His latest album Lifetime Achievement celebrates his milestone of reaching 75 years. Of course he celebrates it with sardonic wit and a little surprise that he has got to where he has in life.
There was no compelling reason to see him again given the vast choice of gigs we have to chose from but would have never forgiven myself if this turns out to be his last UK tour. Given how fit and vigorous he appeared, health reasons would be less likely to deter him from touring here again. The 25 percent capacity audience more likely to be a bigger deterrent. It is really upsetting that ghere is no interest in seeing a singer of his stature – we live in different times. The first time I saw him was at this same venue and it was packed.
Aside from 3 or 4 opening songs from his new album we got lots of classics, Motel Blues, April Day Morn, a gorgeous Primrose Hill, Five Years old, The Swimming song a nd a personal favourite Harry’s Wall. He had added Career Moves it would have been a near perfect set.
Voice still strong, weird facial expressions still intact and humour as strong as ever.
Glad I made the effort.
A special mention for support Katherine Priddy – crystal clear beautiful voice, great finger picking and a lovely personality. Hope she makes a name for herself.
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25% full? That’s a crying shame.
I was talking to someone at a concert on Thursday, it was the first one he’d been to since lockdown started. He was a bit wary of going out still. Possibly the same for LW3’s audience.
I think that’s very true. Pre-Covid, half the audience at gigs were wives/partners of the more enthusiastic punters. Nowadays they don’t think it is worth the risk to see someone they’re not that bothered about. And many of the more enthusiastic punters have health conditions of their own.
One of my favourite local bands are playing their first post-lockdown gig in a week or so. They’re playing in a nice music pub venue, but supporting a visiting American act who will sell the place out. I’m immunosuppressed and my gig buddy has just completed a round of chemo. We’re both weighing up the safety of going to see them and leaving before the headline crowd arrives.
I get my 5th vax this afternoon, so I’ll see how I feel on the day of the gig (if it doesn’t sell out in advance).
I booked my 5th for yesterday on the website. When I turned up at the pharmacy “We don’t start doing it to the 8th of October”.
Looking at my booking it said the 8th, I’d definitely chosen the 17th. Cancelled that, rebooked at another for tomorrow, hopefully that will go ahead.
I was dead nervous about going to my first gig, but it was fine and I’ve now been to four more. Got a lot coming up towards the end of the year so will have to chop a few – more because of expense than fear of getting COVID which I’ve now had twice – both times just before I was due to get a booster shot. Fingers crossed for mid-Oct!
I went into work three times last week, for the first time since last October. I wasn’t more anxious because of Covid, simply because I don’t like where HQ is – a grey industrial estate next to a motorway. I much prefer my garage office.
It was nice to see people in 3D, though. I was an hour late leaving each time, because of chatting to people in the corridor.
I got jabbed today, Hubes, but nearly didn’t get in. There was a big questionnaire on a roll-up screen inside the door. First nine questions were “do have have a cough/cold/covid symptoms/monkeypox/etc” and I answered ‘No’.
Then, tucked away almost at floor-level “are you immunosuppressed?”
“Sorry, can I change my answer?”
I felt a bit out of place, everyone else in the queue was at least 30 years older than me.
Hmm, have a cold at the moment, have to take my box of tablets with my prescription on for my condition.
Can’t find my letter from the health secretary, several ones ago.
A lot of people in the typical gig-going demographic seem to have developed home-based hobbies/pursuits during the loooooooong lockdown and no longer go out much, if at all. Financial concerns are also a factor, of course.
Opening night of Jazz At The Elephant, in North Finchley last night, was completely sold out to the extent that they had to turn people who hadn’t pre-booked away. A small room that only seats about 120 (my estimate), mind you.
I’ve developed terminal laziness and terminal antisocialness. I just can’t be arsed to go into London for a gig and put up with the drunks on the train on the way back. Local gigs, fine, though my local (very good) venue posted on FB this weekend that they have had to cancel two gigs through poor ticket sales. Next weekend is the monthly jazz club which is usually nicely busy. I’ll be there
No offense to LW3, but Birmingham Town Hall seems a tad ambitious at this stage in his career – especially after a pandemic and with a let’s be honest, aging fan base.
In Ireland where he has a pretty strong fan base, he tends to play much smaller venues such as Vicar Street – about 1,000 people seated.
If one of the times you went to see him was at Warwick Uni in about 1973 or 74, Steve, I was there as well. While I have got four or five albums, not seen him since as there’s always too much other stuff that I’d rather see.
Saw him at Warwick Arts in about 85.
Town Hall, B’ham isn’t that big, @Jaygee. Symphony Hall is the big gun, half empty for Agnes Obel. Given it nominally sold out, ahead the two postponements from 2020 and 2021, I wonder whether the empty seats had ever been reclaimed, mind.
Just checked, it holds 1,086 – lot smaller than i remember it as being but i’ve not been to a gig there since the mid-70s
WAC which I remember as being tiny actually holds around 400 more
Been down here a few times and missed him each time
Still wishin’ an’ hopin’’
Last time I saw him was years ago at the CFF.
He was on early-evening Radio 4 a week or two back, I switched it on as I was cooking and missed the introduction. I thought “Dear gawd, that guitar sounds awful, and the playing is not much better” then, “hang on, that sounds like LW3 singing”. The slightly fawning interview included detail of the heritage of the guitar and how many songs he’d written on it over the years but, really, he should have tuned it first.
I doubt it did much to endear him to the listening public, and it made me think it was perhaps time he packed in the singing and playing, and just stuck to being a raconteur.
Glad to hear it was a one off duffer, and he was better in Brum.
I didn`t get to see him until the early 80`s at The International, Manchester. It was seating and tables and we were on the front row. He asked me why wasn`t I singing along to a couple of songs, I reokied that it was the first time I`d heard them. He then asked if I`d got any of his albums, err, no I replied but I promised to get some, which I did. I`ve seen him a few times since, great artist and as @fentonsteve says raconteur. `Tis a pity about the sparcity of the audience, perhaps @Jaygee is right regarding smaller venues. Unfortunately it`s not Covid that keeps me away it`s tinnitus but I reckon I`d be alright at LWIII gig. I was unaware he was touring and his remaining tour dates in the UK are distance prohibiting.