What was your last concert you went to ?

Thanks Adrian. Nik said that his next record was due out in the Autumn. I'm pretty sure that a couple of the numbers they played were new ones, including the encore, which was a cracker.

Regards

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Nic - a review of the Sage show has just been published over at the Telegraph
Sage review...

quote:

Originally posted by DenisA:
TMDR - Union Chapel gig last night (more photo's @ tour talk).



A wonderfully friendly atmosphere which warmed to the nearly 2 hour 'rehearsal' of The Flat Earth. Thomas guided the audience through the background of the songs and we witnessed the re-learning of tunes not played for 25 years. After each song section was 'learnt' a rough run-thru was performed. Thomas is very relaxed, a great sense of humour and made you feel you were in the studio witnessing the band practicing. A great idea and a unique performance that was thoroughly entertaining.

As John said, I there will be the 1st of 2 or 3 EP's released in 3 months. This will be followed by a full album of the EP's and extra material. I managed to speak with Thomas after the show and he said he was recording with Matthew Seligman & Adelle Bertei in his solar panel + wind turbine powered Studio I also had a gig memory problem fixed when TMDR confirmed he did not perform with David Bowie @ Earls Court during the 'Stage' tour. I should have packed up drinking much longer ago I reckon

House Band
Justin Hildreth - Drums
Matthew Seligman - Bass
Kevin Armstrong - Guitar/Vocals
Lyndon Connah - Keyboards/Vocals
Pete Thoms - Trombone
TMDR - Piano/Keyboards/Vocals
Clif Brigden - Percussion

Guests
Martin McAloon - Guitar (Prefabs)
Trevor Horn - Bass
Bruce Woolley - Theremin
Darren - Bass (from The Pirate Twins)
Andrew - Keyboards (from The Pirate Twins)
Matthew? Robertson - Drums on White City rehearsal (TMDR's son)

Backing Vocals
Debra Barsha
Adelle Bertei (check this Build Me a Bridge)
Lesley Fairbain
Wendy Smith (Prefabs) - Wendy said that Paddy McAloon was writing material but absolutely no timescale for output.

Rehearsal/Setlist
Dissidents; The Flat Earth; Screen Kiss; White City; Mulu the Rain Forest; I Scare Myself; Hyperactive!; Airwaves; One of Our Submarines.

Highlights for me were...
Dissidents - Rehearsal & Main Performance
I Scare Myself - Kevin/Acoustic; Pete Thoms/Trombone
Airwaves - Lyndon/Keyboards; Bruce Woolley/Theremin
Hyperactive! - Darren/Bass; Adelle Bertei/vocals;

Hi

You lucky devil.

I had not kept an eye on TD of late and would love to see him live again as I think the man has great talen as an artist and producer.
Who else could have done what he did on his production of Prefab Sprout's ,"Steve Mqueen" album.Unique production and textural sound.

"The Flat Earth" and "Golden Age of Wireless" were demonstration favourites in the early 80's and still stand up as brilliant albums today.

We all went to the Dominium Theatre in Lomndon to see his 1984 "Flat Earth" concert with a band called The Opposition as support.

It was wonderful.

When he came on stage he stood on the upper level of the set and did a backflip seconds before starting the first song.Pretty brave as it could have been a catastrophe but he pulled it off.

Anyone else remember this?.

Regards

Colin Macey.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

I am very impressed with Ian Anderson's ability to stand on one leg whilst playing the flute.

He's the same age as me, I struggle to stand on one leg ,let alone play the flute.
Looking forward even more to next week.

Forgot (in my post) to mention that, yes he still does. And they still bring out the big balloons at the end

Cheers
Scott

Just back from Chris Rea @ Brighton Center 13/3/10.
An excellent show good mix of blues and rock from his back catalogue. Not the most erudite chap , he did introduce 2 of the 5 members of his band though.
Good crowd, simple light/stage show and good sound, his voice was lost in the mix a bit on the louder songs though.
No concession stand which was weird.

The Borodin Quartet at Auckland Town Hall last night. Brahms Opus 51 No.2, and after the interval Shostakovich No.1 and Tchaikovsky No.2. There is something about Russians playing Russian music, so the second half was superb. The Tchaikovsky Andante cantabile was played as an outstanding encore. This quartet was founded in 1945, but none of the original members remain.

I just checked Thomas Dolby's blog and fans have supplied concert video on YT (TMDR approved) and photos.

Thomas will review the footage and sound recordings made to see if they can be used. Unfortunately no soundboard recording was made even though it was planned. There was an issue about letting the freezing fans into the Chapel and recording not taking place, according to TMDR.

Thomas has collated fans photos and added comments here.

Thomas has also approved fan posting footage on You Tube, with some shot in HD here.

Lookout for Trevor Horn (Bass) and Bruce Woolley (Theramin) on a wonderful version of 'Airwaves' & 'Dissidents' rehearsal

Jethro Tull at The Union Chapel, London.
Excellent gig, venue and sound was OK +. A semi acoustic/unplugged vibe with this one.
Same set list that Scott posted earlier. Still impressed with the standing on one leg.

Apart from going to Arsenal ( not a nice experience for a blue) instead of Highbury, found the venue easily.
Perhaps the most stunning part of the day was getting back from Highbury to home in 1 hour and 20 mins, and not a fast train either.

Nothing but good reports on Jethro Tull. Really looking forward to next Tuesday now. Plus I'll have a wander round Fopp, where there are always some good bargains.

Really looking forward to Tull in York next Thursday. I think the sixth time I have seen them, and every time has been excellent, and different in its way. Glad to hear others have been enjoying the tour. I have avoided looking at the set list, that will be a nice surprise.

One good thing about Union Chapel is the no alcohol in the chapel, so very few people wandering about during the performance.
I wasn't too taken with the support lady Soari Jo? but you did get bonus views of mambers of Tull.

Question do venues employ some guy with no sense of rhythm to sit or stand and dance or wave off beat? Usually right at the front.

Went to see Mary Coughlan last night at Downpatrick Arts Centre.Excellent versions of Love will tear us apart& I'd Rather go Blind
Overall I have heard better from her ,but SWMBO
enjoyed it.

Should have been this evening: The Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra [an amateur organisation I used to play for on times twenty odd years ago] were playing the Force Of Destiny Overture [Verdi], The E Minor String Serenade [Elgar], and the Fifth Symphony of Tchaikowski.

After last night's entertainments, I simply forgot that I had bought a ticket! I blame the Polish myself!

ATB from George

Paweł, Justina, Krzystoff, Renata, and a rare move into the world of Bacardi!

ATB from George

Roy Haynes
Blue Note - NYC

85th Birthday Celebration

I was very lucky to be in NYC at the right time. Roy Haynes who was the drummer for Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan and many more is currently celebrating his 85th birthday with a series of shows at the Blue Note. Each night his band is joined by special guests, this time it was Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride.

A great night out with one of Jazz' all time greats. Got to shake his hand and thank him after the show. Talking to him and seeing him perform it wouldn't cross your mind that he's 85 - still had his eye firmly on the ladies in the audience.

Sorry for the poor pics but they are taken with my Blackberry and with no flash as requested by Roy.

Christian McBride on bass, you can see Roy Hargrove to the left of the Exit sign. Roy Haynes at drumms but covered by the piano. To the right of the Exit sign is the sax player but I forgot his name.


Roy Hargrove is the man with the horn.

Oliver sounds good. Roy Hargrove snd Christian McBride are stunning musicians....shame about the photography....

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Oliver sounds good. Roy Hargrove snd Christian McBride are stunning musicians....shame about the photography....

Next time you've got to come with me, some nice shows are coming up in April: Bad Plus, Madeleine Peyroux etc.

Last night
Verdi's Requiem

Performers: Basingstoke Choral Society
New London Sinfonia
Croydon Philharmonic Choir
David Gibson, conductor

The Anvil Basingstoke

Stunning

Them Crooked Vultures at The RAH last night - great gig, very loud 'n 'eavy but soooo much better live than on cd and for a wonderful cause too. Roll on The Who next Tuesday!

Last night I went to hear (and see) "Fish Pursue" presented by the Wenzhu yueju opera at the Peking Opera House in Shanghai. My first experience of Chinese Opera and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It was visually exciting, but the music lacked the variety found in Western Opera. The plot was daft, but no dafter than the Magic Flute.

Last night...Tindersticks with Lontano & MilesSmiles.

The support act (Villagers)left us a bit bored but Tindersticks were brilliant. Stuart A Staples was utterly captivating and well worth seeing live. I have found new respect for their latest album (Falling down a mountain) having heard the tracks live.



A brilliant night all round.

quote:

Originally posted by Voltaire:
Last night...Tindersticks with Lontano & MilesSmiles.

The support act (Villagers)left us a bit bored but Tindersticks were brilliant. Stuart A Staples was utterly captivating and well worth seeing live. I have found new respect for their latest album (Falling down a mountain) having heard the tracks live.



A brilliant night all round.

Couldn't agree more - have to get his solo album now.

I saw Jethro Tull in York last night. It was the sixth time I have seen them, starting back in 1982 when they headlined the Theakston's Music festival on the Broadsword tour. (wish I'd had been old enough to see them in the 70's).

I had enjoyed every show until last night, but I found the performance unengaging. The bass and keyboard players have changed since the last time I saw them, and for the worse I felt. Although both are technically excellent, I didn't feel their style of playing fits the band I think of as Jethro Tull.

Tha bass player played a six string bass, and I have almost always found with six string players he played like a rhythm guitarist, and not part of the rhythm section. This meant the music lost a lot of punch. The keyboard player played mostly accordion , which was played well, but I missed the Hammond Organ that I always found integral to the Tull sound. I also felt his playing was very classical, and lacked the blues feel, especially on the start on 'Locomotive Breath'.

Doane Perry's drumming was amazing, both on the kit an his stage front percussion, and Martin Barre's must be one of the most underrated guitarists around, but they were mixed back so as not to fight with Ian Anderson's failing voice. Ian Anderson was full of spirit, his flute playing the joy it always is, he was witty and entertaining (as always), but the weakness of his voice meant that the music had been changed, and I felt changed to a point where it was not the band I wanted to see.

The set was the same as posted by Scott, and some tracks were excellent, 'Dun Ringill', 'Life Is a Long Song', 'Nothing is Easy' but others were a huge disappointment. 'Bouree' was J S Bach's Bouree, and not what Jethro Tull made of it, I didn't want to see a classical performance of it, I wanted something with the life, and even funkiness of the version from 'Stand Up'. The bass solo in it was woeful.

Perhaps with the sound going less electric, the set should move more towards the acoustic tracks from their repertoire, or perhaps I should just accept that they are not the band I have love seeing many times in the past.

I am glad others enjoyed this tour, and I am sorry that I did not.

Hi Jamie that is a shame. I hadn't realised they were protecting Ian's voice. This tour is only the 2nd time I've seen them live, early in '09? was the time before.
I just assumed they were doing an "unplugged" type of set.

Just got back from the O2 arena here in London, a few of us met up before the show for a nice meal. The concert was outstanding.

A fantastic orchestra, his great voice and a stunning stage show. The sound engineers worked hard to optimize the acustics (unless you had a corner seat ), everything fell perfectly into place.

Hope Lontano will post a few pics later tonight.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:

quote:

Originally posted by MilesSmiles:
Just got back from the O2 arena here in London, a few of us met up before the show for a nice meal. The concert was outstanding.

A fantastic orchestra, his great voice and a stunning stage show. The sound engineers worked hard to optimize the acustics (unless you had a corner seat ), everything fell perfectly into place.

Hope Lontano will post a few pics later tonight.

Good Seats??
Stu

Yep - absolutely excellent seats.

NO GUITARS, NO DRUMS, ORCHESTRA


This was a privilege and a great pleasure to see this show tonight.

Sir Peter Gabriel is a genius. The amount of detail, care and attention that went into making this show was phenomenal and his voice and the orchestra were superb. It was a beautiful show and a work of art to witness.

The acoustics where we were were outstanding and the amplification of the orchestra superb. The album came across so well and his voice is to die for.

The set with his own songs was even better IMHO. They really benefitted from the orchestra which often sounded just like his rock band. Great orchestral playing.

I should really go back tomorrow night and see it all again. It would be worth it.

Pics to follow in a few mins.

Mel did a fine job although it was really mainly background vocals.