What was your last concert you went to ?

Yes Ciaran, I thought the lady (I think!) performer was poor. She/he needs to learn to move to the music...in time!

One could actually hear the orchestra gradually better through the concert, as the layers of gauze curtains were removed one by one.

Still, good night out.

Nick Lowe and Ry Cooder in London last night ( Sunday). Just fabulous. Just the two of them with Joaquim Cooder on drums and two backing singers. A full range of songs new and old, all favourites! The pair of them grinning at each other like cheshire cats just having a huge amount of fun. Cooder was, as you always hope he will be, astonishing with his guitar playing. Lowe as gently self effacing as he always is these days secure in the knowledge that he has and continues to write some fantastic songs.

To those going tonite just bathe in the joy of it all.

james

James,

Thanks for the enthusiastic report. I'm seeing him on Wednesday, hope it is as good as your experience. Really looking forward to it.

Regards

Nic

John Mayall at the Sage, Gateshead last Saturday.

Ry Cooder with Nick Lowe at the Sage.

Came away a bit disappointed that the expected mixture of old and new contained only about 3 tracks from the 8 or 9 albums I have, and they all seemed to be included to fit the format of the available musicians.

It felt like 50% Ry Cooder being supported by his son and Nick Lowe, and 50% Nick Lowe being supported by Ry Cooder.

No disrespect to Nick Lowe, who sang and accompanied Cooder extremely well, but Ry Cooder was who the crowd had gone to see, and the tickets were bloody expensive. Nick Lowe even joked about the fact that he had played a gig at the Sage six weeks ago, which was clearly not a sell out, unlike this one.

The man is however clearly a genius on guitar, I just wished it had been more of his music, than what seemed to be a compromise to accommodate Nick Lowe.

Glad I went, but did not walk out exactly satisfied.

Regards

Nic

Last night, at the Milano Arena, Steely Dan.
They came with an 11-piece band (drums, guitar, bass, 4 winds, keyboards, three Danettes) plus of course Fagen and Becker, who look like an old cat and his friend an old mouse, very cool, very at ease.

A wise mix of old and new (new? The newest piece was Two against nature, 2000), with a few great classics but not Do it again.

A few, funny spoken interludes mainly by Becker, who curiously announced the last chorus of Hey Nineteen (the Cuervo Gold..) with a mini scene of drinks reminiscences while the band froze on a four-beat groove, Fagen bent on his electric piano and occasionally walking two o three step around blowing in the melodica.

Around me, a very nice, reassuring audience of middle aged bellies and bald heads, many from the nearby nations, all of them tapping feet and mimicking the drum passages, oblivious of offices and cell phones, while some younger beauties just sat smiling and waving like sirens
at the constant, implacable, capturing rhythm.

Let's say that had I gone alone, and with the help of a few more beers I may not have come back home so quickly.

Great evening.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
Just back from Oysterband at Crawley Hawth, a really superb couple of hours, tight and connected well with the crowd. Support by Robb Johnson, singer song writer, guitar and story songs,also Mawkin:Causley a group of 5 young (midish 20's) lads, fiddle, bass,guitar,squeeze box and vocals,and very good they were too. A mix of English and European folk songs with just a hint of now. We probably see them again in October when their tour hits Crawley.

..and that Alan Prosser was supposed to be with me at one of our dearest friend's wedding on that Saturday. So I hope you enjoyed the sacrifice.

They were going to Germany for a Saturday evening gig.

Blur, last Thursday in Hyde Park - absolutely brilliant. Ordered the CD of the gig from their website.

The day before I went to see the Dan at Hammersmith Apollo - as pointed out in another thread, it was quite a night, and the least sedate Dan gig I've ever seen!

The Eagles in Manchester last Saturday.

Technically faultless but a bit too clinical for a lot of the time. Didn't really loosen up until the last half hour or so. Mind you, I appreciate the Long Road Out Of Eden songs they did a lot better now.

The most irritating thing was the woman sat behind me who wouldn't shut up. Rabbiting on throughout the entire gig; even during the song she said was her favourite!

steve

James Taylor, last night at the Arena in Milano.
Band included Larry Goldings, Michael Landau, Steve Gadd.
Since it was an open air concert the sound and the arrangements were of course a bit more >rock< than country/blues/jazzy, but a very good sound at least as far as the first 15 rows, too bad we were seated far away.

All in all, a very nice concert by a great musician, with a few hot moments - Goldings' and Landau's solos in a Muddy Waters' blues, for instance - but Taylor's gentle, restrained, humorous attitude on the stage was partly responsible for a certain small degree of boredom.

We too were plagued by chatting as***les, and had to change seats two or three times; on the track circling the field, a number of people went forth and back incessantly for the whole concert talking at the cellphone, chatting, laughing, drinking, meeting other people...

I give up understanding what's on the people's mind.

Max

Paul McCartney at the Commons in Halifax , NS this past Saturday. Absolutely an excellent show, Mull of Kintyre with a local highland pipe band, Day Tripper, Helter skelter, etc....sweet park in the middle of the city, beautiful day and the sound system was excellent....I am still on cloud 9,000......

Paul

Oasis at Eden classic Britpop at its best!

quote:

Originally posted by NB_Dude:
I am still on cloud 9,000......

Paul

I do believe you. I heard him back in 1989, in Milano, with the classic McIntosh/Hamish/Wickens band, but what's so strange, he's the Genius of Pop.

Hey, aren't you that same Paul, are you?

Last night Hampden Park, Glasgow - Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. My 20th Bruce show and again he did disappoint. The audience were noisy and loving it. Bruce, approaching 60, just has a phenomenal energy. How he does this night after night I do not know - he looks like he just thoroughly enjoys it.

After Glastonbury, I was a little concerned at Clarence's sax blowing but happy to report he was back on top form.

Some great songs in the set that came across well such as Badlands, She's The One, Outlaw Peter was really good and a rock version of Johnny 99. The atmosphere and noise for Born to Run was something to behold. The audience got to choose a few tracks - a great version of Incident on 57th Street, Pink Cadillac and Cover Me. Great night out - Thanks Bruce.

[Nils solo accordion intro]
Badlands
Out in the Street
My Lucky Day
She's the One
Outlaw Pete
Working on the Highway
Working on a Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
Atlantic City
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
Incident on 57th Street
Pink Cadillac
Cover Me
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The River
Kingdom of Days
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born to Run

Hard Times
Thunder Road
American Land
Bobby Jean
Dancing in the Dark
Twist and Shout

I'm assuming an important "not" missing there?
What was Hampden and the sound like?

Very jealous Adrian, missed him here as we were out of town.

Last Monday night, a very enjoyable evening in the open air listening to Quadro Nuevo. Sadly, their guitarist was involved in a bad RTA and is currently unable to play. For the time being Evelyn Huber plays the harp in his place. I was a bit sceptical, but it did not take long to convince me that this configuration of the quartet works equally well.

I am not sure that I am as convinced about the bass player doubling up as percussionist as part of their earlier charm was the absence of a drum kit. Nevertheless, they are always good value as much for the banter as the music.

My first concert for nine months!

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I'm assuming an important "not" missing there?
What was Hampden and the sound like?

Ooops yes a not missing. Hampden was just another big stadium. I really prefer small venues these days. The sound was very good for a big show like this if you could hear it over the noisy audience!

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I'm assuming an important "not" missing there?
What was Hampden and the sound like?

We were in the bull pit, dead centre about 20m back from the stage. I've never experienced an atmosphere like it. The audience was so up for it from the first minute. The sound was excellent although there was a very noticeable echo which was occasionally quite intrusive.

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I'm assuming an important "not" missing there?
What was Hampden and the sound like?

We were in the bull pit, dead centre about 20m back from the stage. I've never experienced an atmosphere like it. The audience was so up for it from the first minute. The sound was excellent although there was a very noticeable echo which was occasionally quite intrusive.

Good position there Tom. I used to do that thing but not these days - too lazy now. I was seated and where we were did not get the echo. Great show.

An All-Star Fairport Convention at the Barbican Hall. A quite stunning evening, with most of the surviving members of various versions of Fairport. No Dave Swarbrick for some undisclosed dispute. Richard Thompson , well actually at one point the whole Thompsom family, yes Linda joined Teddy and Kami for Meet on the Ledge.
Great musicians having a great time and wowing the audience, a magical experience.

Take 2 (I seemed to offended the word nanny)

Re: All Start Fairport Convention Concert at the Barbican.
I'll add these names and hope my other post materialises.
...focussing on the music from the first five Fairport Convention albums - including Liege And Lief. Taking part (in alphabetical order) will be : Martin Carthy, Judy Dyble, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, Iain Matthews, Simon Nicol, Linde Nijland, Dave Pegg, Kami Thompson, Richard Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Chris While and Kellie While.
Martin Carthy did not appear as Norma is ill, so I / We wish her well.

My other posts do seem to have been "cleared so I'll try again.

To quote from the Barbican site"
focussing on the music from the first five Fairport Convention albums - including Liege And Lief. Taking part (in alphabetical order) will be : Martin Carthy, Judy Dyble, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, Iain Matthews, Simon Nicol, Linde Nijland, Dave Pegg, Kami Thompson, Richard Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Chris While and Kellie While.
Martin Carthy was unable to appear as Norma Waterson is ill (all the best to her).

Can some one please explain why the take 2 post as well as one other had been moderated?
Post timed 01:10 "got through"

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women

Friday night at Revolution Hall-Troy,NY.

Fantastic show.