All the big stars of the northern hemisphere are back from their hols and filling up the enormodomes and their bank accounts. Lesser musical mortals are back from family jaunts to the Costa-packet and are eager to divest you of your spare spondulicks, pounds and pence, dollars and cents.
My favourite Steely Dan tribute have a few pub gigs lined up, mostly free entry. Herts Jazz have their new season starting (after a Summer break) Tuesday nights at The Maltings Arts Theatre in St. Albans. Some good nights in prospect there, including Jim Mullen’s organ trio.
Looking at the upcoming schedules for local venues, I’m somewhat in a quandary. Some clashes ahead.
On October 2nd it’s the second in a monthly series of open mic nights in Colindale, organised by an old mate. Also a latin jazz quintet featuring 3 local favourites are playing at Mill Hill Jazz Club.
On October 7th Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames are on in Letchworth (Herts Jazz Festival) and vocalist Tina May is on in Colindale.
My dance card looks pretty full for October and November.
What about youze lot?
It hasn’t been that great a year for gigs and we don’t have muched planned between now and the end of the year. There are a few operas (get us), but the real treats will be Ross Noble at the London Palladium (there is no funnier comedian in the land), and Richard Thompson at Southend (there is no finer popular musician anywhere), then it’s Thea Gimore’s annual Christmas bash, back in its rightful home of the Half Moon in Putney this year, and that’s about it.
Oh, I should add a couple of smaller ones – Martin Stephenson (without his Daintees) at a pub in Chelmsford this weekend, and David McAlmot’s Billie Holiday tribute in Saffron Walden the Saturday after.
Haven’t done many gigs this year what with operations etc, however going to this Ashley Hutchings and his band: “The Origins of Fairport Convention” at Otley Folk Festival on Friday.
May go to see David Byrne in Leeds in October but finding gig going harder as the years roll on.
Between now and the end of the year, I hope to visit The Boy in that London on a number of occasions, hopefully to see:
– Peter Hook and the Light do “Technique” and “Republic” at Koko on 28/9
– Soft Cell do their finale at the O2 on 30/9
– Echo and the Bunnymen tonight at the London Palladium on 18/10
– New Order at the Ally Pally on 9/11
– Nils Frahm at the Barbican on 4/12
The above trips will almost certainly also include much eating, drinking, football, fillums and perhaps the odd Saturday lunchtime visit to the Union Chapel.
Just typing this makes me excited!
In my book there are still 2 days of summer to go!
Anyway, am going to see Macca in Montreal tomorrow, it will be my 5th gig in 8 days, then Charlatans next week in same city. Before Christmas I have tickets for Fleetwood Mac (not sure I want to go though), Brian Wilson and Jack White all in Ottawa. Also thinking about going to see Echo and the Bunnymen in Toronto and maybe one or two other shows.
In line of sight:
Twilight Sad
WWPJ
Kris Kristofferson
Teenage Fanclub
RT
Chuck Prophet, Stefanie Finch and Jesse Malin
Alerjandro Escovedo
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of secrets
Richard Thompson
Alabama 3 – TBC
Chuck Prophet cancelled last night at Bush Hall, and we were informed during Jesse Malin’s support set. Jesse was a hero and carried on for another blistering hour after the announcement, really saving the day. He was aces.
I hope Chuck is back in proper health by the time your date comes around.
I’m planning on getting down to the Goat for Stanley Dee in October. See you there (after last abortive attempt).
I’ve got monthly jazz night at my local music club which is always good.
I saw Amanda Anne Platt on Sunday who was as excellent as @carl reported. Even made going to Basingstoke worthwhile. Also just saw Jonathan Wilson who was great but the sound was crap. My next is RT at the end of October which I’m really looking forward to.
Stanley Dee itinerary:
Oct 28th, Oddfellows Apsley, free entry.
Nov 11th, The Boot St. Albans, free entry.
Nov 18th, Half Moon Putney, £10 (£12 on the night).
Nov 24th, Jagz Ascot, £??.
Nov 29th, The Horns Watford, free entry.
A correction for my post above. The latin jazz quintet gig I mentioned is at Herts Jazz Club in St. Albans (23rd Oct), not Mill Hill Jazz Club. Also I forgot about The Carla Bley Trio @ The Jazz Café 30th October, for which I already have a ticket.
I have resolved my quandary and got a weekend ticket for Herts Jazz Festival, 5th-7th October at the Broadway Theatre in Letchworth. The Joey DeFrancesco Quartet headlining on Saturday and Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames headlining on Sunday.
Forthcoming possibles/probables : Olafur Arnalds, RT, Boo Hewardine, Rod Clements & Rab Noakes, Deacon Blue, so nothing of any cutting edge or modernity.
Rod and Rab at Kinross by any chance? If so, I’ll buy you a pint.
Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham, so I will sadly have to forego that kindness. But I am looking forward to it nonetheless. I loved Fog on the Tyne and the Noakes written Together Forever was always my favourite track.
When is Rab and Rob @retropath2 and are there any tickets left?
Might join you if I am not away.
24/10. Will pm you. Or text.
Joe Bonamassa in Toronto in November. I’m there for the weekend so thought – why not?
It’s been a relatively quiet year for gigs, but in the next few months I have Olafur Arnalds, Teleman, Gogo Penguin, Christine and the Queens and Young Fathers. And I’ve just just booked my first gig of next year – Nils Frahm in February.
I’m seeing
4/10 Steve Hackett plus orchestra at the RFH
30/10 The Church at The Firkin in Bristol, never been there before.
@neil-jung
Are the Church headlining this or are they support to The Neff?
Saw the Church twice earlier this year….absolutely on top form.
Still one more festival to go, with the annual parish council meeting of the French dance crowd in Todmorden next month. Blowzabella are still celebrating their 40th, and there are two more gigs to go. Then it’s Prog Central with Hackett and Crimson, both at Bridgewater Hall, leavened with Dublin’s band du jour Lankum.
I am off to see epic45 at the Victoria in Dalston. Tickets are a mere £5. Wormer Word subscribers may remember them from the free CDs, that’s where I first heard them…
I didn’t realise there was new epic45 stuff on the way! Cheers for the heads up. They’re also playing a tiny venue in Glasgow for a fiver so I’ll need to add that to my list. And yes, I heard them first on a Word CD.
May Your Heart Be The Map – there’s a stone noughties classic right there.
Gorrrrrrgeous.
Only one in the Calendar so far:
Madness – Reading Rivermead in December.
Looking at From The Jam and John Otway, both also playing Reading, and also in December.
Looks like it might be a busy month
Gig of the year so far for me is David Byrne at Hammersmith so I will be seeing him again. In a normal year the other gigs I have lined up – Chucho Valdes and the Mingus Big Band both at Ronnie Scotts and Bixiga 70 at the Jazz Cafe would be contenders, but I think only Chucho is capable of topping DB. I’m also tempted by Daptone Records signing Orchestra Akokan at Under The Bridge, which would be my first ever visit to Stamford Bridge.
Saw Byrne twice too. Amazing!
Under The Bridge is a very good venue except for the crap choice of beers on offer. Massive LED screens behind and above the stage were used to good effect when I saw Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The heart there a few years back. Excellent sound. The suited-and-booted venue security were a bit nonplussed by the rich smell of ganja coming from certain sections of the standing audience at stage front.
It’s been a rubbish year for gigs so far, the only highlight being Billy Childish a few weeks ago – and he made a wondrous racket.
Blues harp puffer Errol Linton is also highly recommended.
As a birthday present to my wife I did some tedious Sigur Ros-related late-night thing as part of Meltdown. We had to be prone on the floor; inevitably I fell asleep, only to be rudely awoke when I started snoring.
To make up for the dirge of gigs we go to the theatre every week instead. If there’s any appetite for play-chat, I’ll do a piece on my productions of the year.
That said, there’s a musical autumn boon coming up. Next month in London we have The Sonics, Bo Ningen, and Michael Chapman.
Then in eight days we have Tom Robinson doing Power In The Darkness, David Byrne, Pixies, and Henri Herbert.
After that it’s MC50, and that’s probably it for the year.
I expect the chant of “do some new” to be ringing in my ears until Christmas.
Its not particularly convenient for me, but the band might be really good. I saw Johnny Clarke at the Jazz Cafe a few weeks ago and the roped off area at the front of the venue for smokers was full of people smoking weed. The security didn’t bat an eyelid.
Just one, Neko Case late October. Which will only be my third gig all year…my gig-going has certainly suffered since they shut down the Stockholm Music & Arts festival! And this year’s free Culture Festival didn’t have any interesting artists either, for once… 🙁
But ultimately it’s my own fault, I’m quite fussy about what gigs I choose to see…but also because I’m useless at finding out who plays where and when – I tend to find out when I read the review in the paper the day after! I’m still kicking myself for missing John Moreland earlier this year!
@Locust I saw John Moreland supporting John Prine recently in Birmingham. He was terrific but couldn’t help thinking he will end up with health issues – he is a seriously big bloke and I mean seriously big.
A few lined up :
Ry Cooder at Cadogan Hall
John Fogerty and Steve Miller at the O2
Public Service Broadcasting at the Albert Hall
The Pretty Things at the Indigo O2
Next year sees Wilson Bennett Poole and Dead can Dance hoving on to my radar
Tempted by Stanley Clarke and the Headhunters at the Festival Hall
Dead Can Dance are touring again??? As a late convert to them (and to the solo Lisa Gerrard, you can beam me up, Scotty!
UK tour = 2 nights at the Hammersmith Odeon (as was). Nite out in that London it is, then.
Yoo hoo, tip top o’riley and all that, Nick Masons Saucepan of Sausages on the friday and Dead Can Dance on the saturday. I believe it’s a BH w/e as well, day off monday. Anyone here going to either of these? I know some good bars in Camden, less so Hammersmith.
Already have tickets for Deafheaven and Mono (on consecutive nights! oooh!)
Will probably go to Killing Joke, She Makes War, and Ezra Collective
Might go to one, some, or none of The Interrupters, Lucy Dacus, Speedy Ortiz, Kelly Lee Owens, Jeff Rosenstock, Orbital
J Mascis and Cloud Nothings already announced for January…
I was hoping to go see Killing Joke in Manchester but £50 is a bit too steep.
Off to see Shame in London at the end of November….a bit worried bout it tbh!
£50!!! It’s £33 in Bristol, which tbh I’m thinking is a bit steep – that’s why they’re a probably instead of a definite
@kid-dynamite
Just checked on the Academy website and they are in fact nearer £30 than the £50 quoted on Viagogo. Alas I’m unlikely to be able to make it due to a knee op. Poop.
Speedy Ortiz were great fun the one time I saw them at the Hare and Hounds.
Quite a few coming up
Spiritualized, Saucerful Of Secrets, Glenn Hughes, Pineapple Thief, Kscope20, The Decemberists, Smashing Pumpkins in the next month…
I’m not going/interested but my local crew guy on Monday told me he’s off across Europe for the next week or so as backline tech for The Wedding Present. A quick Google reveals that they will be in Lille tomorrow, only a 10 hour drive for Lodestone of Wrongness, followed by Paris. The tech didn’t know if there would be a meat raffle during the interval I’m afraid.
Josh Rouse @ King Tut’s.
Kacey Musgraves @ the Armadillo.
St Paul & The Broken Bones @ Barrowlands.
All in November.
As Yassassain appear to have cancelled their gig at Sneaky Petes, I only have two definite (ie, ticket in hand) so far with the Twilight Sad in November and The Proclaimers in Dundee in December.
Have just noticed Pip Blom are at Sneakys though, so will get a ticket for that later today.
Might do some combination of Metric, Still Corners and Chorusgirl/Life Model in Glasgow.
Two ex-Arab Strap chaps are out and about too. Malcolm Middleton in Edinburgh looks likely, but not sure I like Aidan Moffat’s solo stuff enough for a trek down to Galashiels on a Friday night.
Non musically, am going to an evening with John Niven next Friday ahead of the launch of “Kill ‘Em All”, his sequel to “Kill Your Friends”.
So looking pretty good really.
I’ve just read “Kill ‘Em All”. It’s not a restrained book.
Glad to hear it 🙂
Nice to know there’s a band (almost) named after me! I have tickets for the following gigs in Bristol in November, Damo Suzuki, Go Kart Mozart, Baxter Dury and Shame. Am also considering Mattiel and Beak. This spring I saw probably more gigs than I have in the previous 5 years. In sequential order from April (as memory serves, Alan Tyler, Hanging Stars, Ugly Guys, Girlray, Damo Suzuki, Nick Cave et al, David Byrne, The Fallen Women. All were pretty good but the one I enjoyed most was the Fallen Women.
Having gone to only two or three gigs so far this year, I’m soon on a roll.
Next week: Elma, Model Village: A Decade of Disappointment with support from my faves The Pony Collaboration (I’m doing the sound).
Next month: the Wedding Present do Tommy (I missed the ‘George Best’ tour, although that’s my fave), Robyn Hitchcock, Blue Rose Code. Tempted by Jilted John & John Otway, Superorganism, RT, Helen and the Neighbourhood Dogs & Morganway.
Nov: Haley Bonar, Sink Ya Teeth, Chris Difford & Boo Hewerdine, Jane Siberry, Fred’s House, Robin Deacon (a man talks about some records – none more The AfterWord), The Ballads of Child Migration, Afro Celt Sound System, Tom Adams (I’m doing the sound).
Dec: Bjorn Again.
Next April: HMHB, Wilko Johnson & Glenn Tilbrook.
Tonight it’s Chuck Prophet & Stephanie Finch with SteveT in Nottingham.
Chastity Brown at the Green Note, London
Alejandro Escovedo at Bush Hall in London.
Dan Stuart (on his last tour, apparently) at The Islington, London
Kacey Musgraves in York
Israel Nash at the Scala, London
Next year Roy Harper at The London Palladium.
Funny you should mention Alejandro Escovedo. When I saw Martin Stephenson last night there was a surprise special guest guitar on several numbers, John Perry (he was the guitarist within The Only Ones). I think John’s appearance last night was a one off with Martin, but Alejandro Escovedo is his regular gig at the moment.
Indeed, Perry plays on Alejandro’s new album, The Crossing.
I forgot Bruce Cockburn at at St Pancras Church from my list.
The Chameleons ( or rather Burgess plus whoever ) on Dec 15 in Manchester. It has become an annual thing for Burgess and whoever plus me and my mates. Think they’re playing Strange Times in its entirety this year which suits me as long as they finish with Second Skin for a massed singalong.