What was your last concert you went to ?

It is a studio photo, taken against a scenic background (real or electronic I don't know). Just look at here hair, you can really see the join.

Elbow, at the Roundhouse last Sunday. Fantastic stuff, great sound, great venue, great band, great music, great audience. Best version of "Newborn" I've ever heard them do too.

Does anyone else reckon that Guy Garvey is starting to rival Jarvis in the National Treasure stakes?

Julia Fordham at the Hiro Ballroom in NY.

Surely one of the UK's most under rated female vocalists.

quote:

Just look at her hair, you can really see the join.

Is she wearing a wig then?

Elbow at Liverpool Uni' tonight.

Very good it was too.

Fleet Foxes in Seattle...

They are about to head your way for another tour, so if any of you are FF fans, you're in luck!

....Just been to see Billy Cobham and Asere at the Gala Theatre in Durham

...Wonderful stuff! ...as a long time devotee of BC going back to his Mahavishnu days and through to his solo albums I wondered how he'd sound with this young Cuban band but it worked really well!

No Mahavishnu style fusion work-outs tonight but what we did get was an exhilarating evening of latin music.

Obvious comparisons could be made with The Bueno Vista Social Club ..Asere are a very hot 7 piece band (acoustic guitars ...electric bass ...trumpet ..a whole host of various percussion instruments ...and Billy's awesome technique holding it all together.

Cobham seemed to be having the time of his life in this small intimate venue and the audience lapped up every minute.

..If you get the chance definitely go see em'!

The Stranglers last night at Birmigham Academy - Retro heaven - but the pogoing was not as energetic as I remember!!

Leonard Cohen at the O2. ENjoyed it sdo much I'm going again next month. He's got better with age and his backing band is superb.

new orleans international piano competition

Richard Thompson last Friday night. It was a most excellent show. I haven't seen him in a few years but he still has it in spades.

Dr John at the Sage in Newcastle. A brilliant, laid back set with 4 excellent musicians.

Herbie Hancock might be the next one on 14 Nov if I can get a ticket.

Laura Marling, at The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth. Excellent.

Support from JJ Pistolet ... not my thing really, but a very good performance.

Motörhead at the Ipswich Regent on Tuesday - 2nd row, blinking loud, ears just about stopped ringing, but great fun!

Toumani Diabate at the Barbican on Wednesday 29th October (a week ago).

Regular readers of this thread will know that I love to report on gigs. This was so beautiful I couldn't bring myself to try to write about it immediately afterwards, and I still can't. Absolutely stunning.

It is a long time since I have encountered something so beautiful it brought involuntary tears to my eyes. All I'm saying is that it's a good job I took an hankie.

And by the way, real mean do eat quiche.

James

James,

I know where you are coming from. Saw him at The Sage last year or the year before, absolutely brilliant, glad you enjoyed it. Your enthusiasm for the music shines through.

Regards

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
Toumani Diabate at the Barbican on Wednesday 29th October (a week ago).

Regular readers of this thread will know that I love to report on gigs. This was so beautiful I couldn't bring myself to try to write about it immediately afterwards, and I still can't. Absolutely stunning.

It is a long time since I have encountered something so beautiful it brought involuntary tears to my eyes. All I'm saying is that it's a good job I took an hankie.

And by the way, real mean do eat quiche.

James

Hi James,

I saw him the week before at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool (straight after flying back into Manchester from the Naim factory tour!). In the first half of the show he was accompanied by a few band members and also the RLPO. This was really beautiful with some fantastic arrangements. The second half he played solo or with the full band, and was a bit more upbeat. Like you say - stunning. It was quite a day!

Mark

Leonard Cohen at the SECC Armadillo in Glasgow. Matchless performance and far superior than when I saw him at Edinburgh Castle earlier in the year

Tom Morello in Vancouver. It was a great show. Think of a blend between Woody Guthrie, Ani Difranco, Nick Cave and RATM.

Yep, a varied affair, but very, very good.

I think he is the best (or at least, most interesting and adventurous) rock guitarist of my generation.

Micah P Hinson @the Cluny in Newcastle on Monday. Was ok, quite samey with many of his songs. Didn't help when one of his strings broke and neither he nor the drummer could replace it. Left before the end. Getting too old for 'standing up' gigs, can't nod off if the band isn't to my liking

JWM

My review of Toumani Diabate is on this page. I entirely agree about the emotion thing.

I'm off to hug a tree. Jet Johnson will be appalled.

Paul Weller at K2 in Crawley on Thursday (6th). Excellent concert. Paul was in good spirits, the band was tight, wonderful light show. They played for about 2 hours almost non stop. The man can do no wrong in my book.....

louisiana philharmonic doing the brahms piano concerto no. 1 and the shostakovitch 6th.

Metallica in Portland last Saturday evening
and off to see Meghan Smith tonight...

Laura Marling at The Glee Club, Birmingham last night.

First time I've been to this venue. Reading that it was only 5 minutes walk from New Street station I decided to be good and go by public transport. Unfortunately this meant a replacement rail coach from Northampton to Rugby, a train to Coventry and then change to another train. Total journey time over 2 hours. On getting off the train, some of the worst weather this year and unbelievably nobody I asked seemed to have a clue where either the Glee Club or The Hippodrome Theatre (which I knew it was opposite) were. Bloody uncultured lot!

Anyhow, it was worth all the hassle. It's a very intimate venue . The stage can't be more than 50cm off the ground made of the wooden blocks that I remember we used to use in our school hall! I was literally within touching distance of LM.

I've seen Laura Marling once before and I was struck by what a delicate and almost fragile (but in a good way) performance it was whilst at the same time very intense and consequently powerful. This night was no different although she seemed more relaxed this time.

A great set, with most of the tracks off the album, a couple of single B-sides and at least 4 new songs, one of which was only written 4 days ago. They all sounded as good as anything off her album. I think any Laura Marling fans will not be at all disappointed whenever the next album does come out.

Would have liked to have hung around just to say hello but as my last train was at 11 o'clock I had to dash back through the rain and take a convoluted trip back home via Milton Keynes!

I feel a separate rant coming on about the state of public transport in the Padded Cell!.....

Steeve