What was your last concert you went to ?

The Duke & The King Electric Ballroom Camden Town 27th Oct. Great band super concert. their cover of the Neil young song Helpless was superb!!

Psychedelic Furs Forum Kentish Town 28th Oct. Awesome!! Talk Talk Talk one of my favourite albums showcased in its entirety followed by a run through of some their other great songs. Butler's voice was tremendous and the saxophone player was brilliant. Top notch!!

Chris Wood and Andy Cutting - The Courtyard Hereford


First time visit for myself Mrs G and First Born at this venue. Really good acoustic and excellent sound mix (as good as J at the Westie - and that is praise).

Enjoyable and long set (over 2 hours), I'd never reaslised how good Cutting was until this evening - the last night of their short tour. FB really enjoyed it Mrs G found it a curates egg with the second 'half' being the better

30/10/10 -Barbican:
Mary Chapin Carpenter and her five-piece band guitarist John Jennings, keyboardist Jon Carroll, drummer Vince Santoro, bassist Don Dixon, guitarist Jim Henry, support act Tift Merritt.
A great concert it was too, from the sparkly and lightly bonkers Ms Merritt, to the more laid back MCC.
2 hours of Mary, a lot from the latest album Age of Miracles, but a general "summing' up of her various albums as well.
Excellent band , good sound. Slight criticism Mary's voice could have been a little more forward in the mix. a good 8.5/10.

Richard Thompson last night. After seeing him solo about five times it was a revelation. What a great band and concert.

matt we have to wait till January to see the band tour, he is doing a gig of Elizabethan songs in December though.

31/10/10 Jazz Cafe Camden, Larry Carlton trio.

Not bad for Jazz
Very accomplished player, a very varied style, so it was difficult to "home in" as were.Support players very good, especially the bassist.
Usual complaint about the music falling apart when it gets very jazzy,I really failed to see the attraction of un-syncopated (?) noise.
Almost a couple of fights when someone was asked to shut his conversation, and for a change it wasn't me asking.
We stayed for a little over 1 1/2 hours, not sure if he was having a break or was getting ready for an encore.
Sold out gig so there were many more than when we were there for Antonio Forcione.

After 2 day trips running to London I'm knakered.

Robyn Hitchcock & Friends play Hunky Dory at Three Kings Pub, Clerkenwell.
What can I say a run through of one of Bowie's finest albums and after a short break ripping through Soul Love,Jean Genie,Rebel Rebel,Golden Years,TVC15,All The Young Dudes & Sound & Vision. Simply does not get better than this!!

Just in from watching the Court Yard Hounds playing The Union Chapel in Islington (two of the three ladies from Dixie Chicks plus band).

They made for a great evening's entertainment - really enjoyed the show.

Peter

Just back from Robert Plant & The Band of Joy at the Waterfront Hall Belfast,great seats sitting in the sweet spot front row of the circle!, ,wonderful show ,Bob even found time to tease the girlies in front of the stage!

The swedish twins - aka matt berry and Mark Morriss at the Westie

Whilst the songs were amusing the audience were very disappointed at a 35 minute performance. However, Matt Berry did say we were seeing something unique. He came into the bar afterwards and was happy to be photographed with people.

1/3 the price of Nils Lofgren hmmnn I know who will be getting my cash again

Michelle Shocked - Westie last night

After the disappointment of the Swedish Twins I went prepared to be depressed. I hadn't heard much of her for a number of years BUT......

Started at 8.20, finished at 10.50. Excellent band with her (Violin, Banjo and Guitar/Bazooki/Mandolin from Peter O'Toole)

Enough of the old stuff, lots of community singing as she taaught us choruses, much of the Arkansas Traveller album and for an encore the first performance of a song inspired by a painting of Anne Frank.

Lots of her philosophy (she says herself she can talk) and the oddest interval - they all stayed on stage and played tunes.

Rapturous reception and you left with a grin!

Claire Martin - Stonehouse Court Hotel

Presented by dealer UHES and Linn.....

Surprisingly excellent acoustics and a lovely atmosphere (especially for a 'Jazz Club'during daylight!) We were taught how to do the Jazz Lips and Jazz 'No' much to the amusement of all.

A very relaxed performance emphasising how she is our Queen of Jazz and a suitably varied programme. One voice, one guitar, one bass.

Thanks for the invite

Christine Collister at CB2 in Cambridge, a tiny venue (about 50 seats) in the basement of a cafe - so extremely intimate.

I'd have to say that musically this is not really my thang but I can still appreciate a great vocalist and she is pretty funny with the intros as well. Backed up by Rob Cross on guitar there were 2 sets of about an hour each so great value for a tenner.

Cheers
Scott

Kate Walsh- at the WEC

Very good voice (accompanied by a cellist, a number of songs from her covers album Peppermint Radio, excellent versions of Monochrome and When love Breaks Down. Great sound (as ever)

Looking forward to seeing again

Eh, what....speak up !

Motorhead, Newcastle City Hall. A true blast from the past.

Michael Monroe, support -backed by half the NY Dolls - , hung by one arm from the old pa points on the balcony by one arm while singing. Not bad for a 48 year old.

Imogen Heap last Friday.
Totally nuts, as usual. With a band. I prefered it three years ago when it was just her and a computer.

NY Phil, Mendelssohn's Elijah - outstanding.

Oua Umplute, Los Zingaros at "Netley Abbey" where they held a fabulous party to celebrate the life of their grandfather.

Chris

Just got back from Goldfrapp at the Brighton Dome.

Wow

quote:

Originally posted by Julian H:
Just got back from Goldfrapp at the Brighton Dome.

Wow

Very nice! Went with Lontano to see Bred Mehldau at the Barbican.

Julian wins.

I hope you ALL had a good time.

Yesterday Berlin Philharmonic - Haydn 99. Berg 3 Pieces For Orchestra, Dean Komarov's Fall, Brahms 2.

Tonight it's Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances and Mahler 1. Rattle conducting on both concerts.

Yesterday was astonishing - I think the best I've ever heard an orchestra play live. Really looking forward to tonight....

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
Julian wins.

Didn't know it was a competition.

quote:

Originally posted by Julian H:

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
Julian wins.

Didn't know it was a competition.

We won, we won.... to be honest neither of us were in the mood for the Brad concert with orchestra performing Highway Rider. It was well played but at the interval, the temptation to make a quiet exit was far too tempting....

Back from Hampshire Jam 9.

Line-up:
Stephan Whitlan
Ron Boots / Morpheus
Omega Syndicate
Redshift

The two halves of the show spit into two different approaches to performing electronic music live, particularly the old school kind of electonica represented by the Hampshire Jam, that greatly influenced by Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis, rather than the more beats originated music fathered by Kraftwerk and Techno artists.

Stephen Whitlan used pre programmed backing and played the lead over it. The backing wasn't played with live, and to be honest it felt little different to a X-factor singer with a backing tape. He did do a very passable cover of Vangelis' 'Pullstar', but it wasn't a very interesting performance.

Ron Boots / Morpheus played as a band, two keyboard players, electric drums and guitar. Good for a couple of tracks, but then just turned into a lot of noodling, without any memorable melody.

After the break it was Omega Syndicate, who I saw at one of their first (possibly their very first) performances at the Awakenings shows in Leeds. This, and Redshift afterwards, was a type of electronic performance I really enjoy, built up live using analogue sequencers, constantly changing the sound and rhythm, a degree of improvisation and a lot of atmosphere. They really have come a long way since their first gigs, and they put on a great show.

Redshift play in the same vein, but are very polished. On the negative their music has become a lot darker and less tuneful over the last few years. The atmosphere though is very powerful. Not for everyone, after the high of the Omega Syndicate, the darkness of Redshift was too much for Mike who quietly made his exit during their performance.

Overall it was not such a good day as the previous Jam's I have been to, and with my priorities changing a 500 miles round trip is getting to be quite a lot for a day of ambient music. That said, Redshift are one of those bands it is hard to resist seeing perform.

Drive By Truckers Shepherds Bush Empire. Last night