Your 2014 Concerts

I've been really looking forward to seeing A Winged Victory For The Sullen in Brighton tomorrow, but as I'm ill I can't go. Grrr. If anyone wants two tickets for free, let me know. They'd need to be collected from Emsworth.

Bought this album last week, and love it!  Another in a long series of wonderful releases by Frisell -- my all-time favorite modern jazz guitarist. Also dig his cover art!

Am sure this will be a great show.  Enjoy!

Hook

TAKÁCS QUARTET

Surprisingly I enjoyed their performance very much. What struck me at first was that the tone of their strings were much warmer and had a very inviting golden tone. 

They performed three very different programs: Haydn, Debussy and Franck's *angry* Piano Quintet with Marc-Andre Hamelin.

Haydn was played with a jovial rhythmic style whilst Debussy piece was rendered in a dreamy pastel hued melancholia. Quartet's warm tonal balance seems to match perfectly with Impressionistic scores.

Altho I preferred more incisive stronger touch of keys on Franck Quintet than Hamelin's caressing and gentler delivery even at the fits of bursts at the final movement.

I was surprised that the attendance was rather low. Maybe 1/3 of the house wasn't filled.

I hope thy'll come back again.

UB40

John Mayall

Paul Carrack

Robert Plant

The Who

An interesting mix I thought.

Richard O

Winged Victory for the Sullen in London last Sunday. Very low key, but excellent if you like post - classical ambient drone (to quote the Sunday press).

Next up Jan Garbarek at Ely cathedral, then Bugge Wesseltoft, & Henrik Schwarz & Dan Berglund at the Barbican.

Just back from Steve Hackett at the Brighton Centre, what an excellent evening.

Bryan and Olivia from a band called Mostly Autumn were the support, 2 piece acoustic guitar and flute, good act might be worth hearing what the full band is like.

Steve and band played 1 set 20:20 'til 10:45, great set but don't ask me all that was played, but it included Suppers ready, Volcano, Giant Hogweed,Fly on the Windscreen, Dancing With the Moonlight Knight, Musical Box etc. Much gusto, good  sound, although the drummer/singer sounded better than the singer/singer for some reason. We had central seats above and behind the mixing and lighting desks, fascinating seeing the frequency scan and below it the power display over the frequency bands, when the Taurus pedals came in the low end light up, also Nick Beggs (back with Steve) made the low end work too. Mostly silver foxes in the audience many women , not too many youngsters, whether this accounted for the lack of walking about and phone waving, just a few people taking the odd snaps and for a change no one in my earshot talking.

Harry Manx tonight

Obviously Steve didn't play for 14 hours   it was "only" 20:20 til 22:45. 

UB40 Friday night in York.

The set had a great DJ on before playing some great reggae mixes with real deep bass. A great start with the crowd skanking even before UB40 hit the stage and not the sight or whiff of a spliff in the house!

UB40 played extensively through their back catalogue including tracks from their new album.

A great vibe and a good time was had by all.

Richard

Saw Nerina Pallot at the Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth last night.  Not really familiar with her or her music but a friend is a big fan and persuaded me to go.  Glad I did. This lady has real talent. Terrific voice, and when she sings ballads while playing the electric piano she reminded me of Tori Amos.  Nerina also did some ballads while playing guitar, and was backed by a band for the heavier stuff. All of it very enjoyable.

She has a lovely way of engaging with the audience and a nice sense of humour.  The venue is one I haven't been to for very, very many years. It's a bit tired (and the loos reminded of those Fratton Park - which will mean something for the footie fans on here) but the 'club' style produced a very nice intimate atmosphere.  An evening very well spent and I shall be exploring Nerina Pallot's music. 

Pollini plays Chopin and Schumann

• Schumann Arabesque
• Schumann Kreisleriana
• Chopin Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45
• Chopin Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor
• Chopin Berceuse
• Chopin Polonaise No. 6 in A-flat Major, Op. 53
• Chopin Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 [ENCORE]
• Chopin Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39 [ENCORE]

He's now basically doing what Horowitz did in his later years sticking mainly to Chopin, Schumann and Mozart.

I was thrilled that he did not cancell the gig this time. When he appeared on the stage looking somewhat frail but he sure did not disappoint.

The Highlights of the performance, for me, was the opening Arabesque, Berceuse and two Encores he played. ( Nocturnes and Scherzo )
Gone was that laser precision analytical touch of keys and Cool tonal palette. This is by far the most romantic and warm style I have heard out of Pollini. I have noticed his mellower dispositions in his later work but I did not expect a romantic Pollini altho he's still keeping a reserved attitude avoiding a syrupy mess. ( nothing worse than saccharine sweet rosy over emoting Chopin )

What I loved most was his slower and quieter passages that had a greatest impact and renewed respect.  So skillfully done but the subtle emotional thread in the music were speaking to me.  Ok so he missed a few keys in the fast and busy passages and I can't help comparing his Polonaise to my favourite Horowitz' Last Concert set. ( which I think Horowitz still got the edge over Pollini in sheer decadence and indulgence)

Altho, the very last Scherzo No.3 encore, he was singing along and letting it rip to show he can still rock'n'roll and knows how to finish off a memorable Sunday afternoon recital.

Anyways, I am happy that finally got to hear Pollini play Chopin and hope he'll be back next season.

It's partly in 2014 partly in 2015 but I am looking forward to these great artists

So., 9. November 2014, 20:00 Uhr

Nobu Tsujii

Klavierabend

Di., 9. Dezember 2014, 20:00 Uhr

Daniel Barenboim

Klavierabend

Mo., 26. Januar 2015, 20:00 Uhr

Russian National Orchestra

Khatia Buniatishvili, Klavier

So., 8. März 2015, 20:00 Uhr

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

Yuja Wang, Klavier

Sa., 25. April 2015, 20:00 Uhr

Staatskapelle Berlin

Martha Argerich, Klavier

Bert,

I am envious you are going to a Martha concert!

She never comes around to the US.

John Mayall supported by King King, York Barbican, Wednesday 29th Oct.

John was there to meet and greet the fans at the start and end of the gig. So I managed to shake his hand and have a quick chat. Nice man and experience.

He played a solid set covering the greats in blues including his vast back catalogue and new LP. The band and sound quality was excellent.

King King were very good also with excellent sound quality and played some strong electric-rock blues. My wife said it was one of the best support acts she has seen.

Really glad to have met and seen John Mayall who has still got it at the age of 81 next month!

Richard

I've just got back from the Salford gig and thought the band were fantastic, it's the first Genesis related act I've seen since the wonderful Lamb Lies Down tour back in the day and was getting the old goosebumps within seconds of them kicking off. The standard of musicianship was a joy to behold. Disagree about the vocals though, loved the lead singer and his general bonkersness.

As to the support, wor lass an mesen were ready for a suicide pact by the time Mostly Autumn had done, it's not that they weren't very capable but to me/us they're just dull. We have seen the full band some years ago and was bored stupid by them. They're probably  one of only two or three bands that I've left  before the end.

Opinions eh?

Drive-by Truckers a couple of weeks ago. Fine band putting on a great show.

The History Of Apple Pie last night in Zurich. I counted the audience. There were eleven of us.

That is unfortunate, as the cd I have heard is very good.  Must be hard as performers to look out and see so few.

Jeff A

Sorry, I can't figure out how to add text to the above pics.

Perth Arena on Wed. 29 Oct. This was my 1st. Stones concert & I loved it. Considering the prices that were charged for this concert, I had very high expectations and was not dissapointed, the set list was very good which went for a touch over 2 hours. The lads appeared to be having fun & engaged with the audience a lot. The local papers gave it a great review which I agreed with.

Considering their age, I was very impressed with the concert, for example unless Satisfaction was played with a guitar dubb and Keith mimmed the work, he did not miss a trick - perfect riff the entire song like it was right off the original recording.

A bucket list to see I suppose & I ticked it off.

Last time I saw the Stones (2007) I was in a position to see what was going on - and KR was definitely miming, with Blondie Chaplin hidden in the wings doing the actual playing.

These days Keef does very little - apparently he has arthritis in his fingers - and Ronnie  does most of the heavy lifting.

I'm not saying there's anything particularly wrong with this - after all pop is mostly artifice rather than sweaty authenticity - but the Stones are just responding to today's audiences' demands, which is for a tight facsimile of the [Stones'] records, not the sloppy, ragged semi-improv of their late 1960s/early 70s glory days.

At the prices they are charging, I would be pissed off being offered a mimed version. If they can't hack it for real, stay at home and show a video.

It seems that the "advisers" for stars don't have the ability to say no to stars wishes or actually you've lost stop now.

Witness 'Ole Blues eyes later performances, Elvis' Vegas shows, there are many more examples but my flu ridden brain (which ain't too good normally) wont allow them to come out to my fingers.

You get my drift though. I always hope that whoever I'm seeing has still got it and luckily we haven't been disappointed by them being passed it and struggling to give a good show.

23rd October, I schlepped over to Cafe Oto in London's Trendy Dalston (TM) to see former Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo play an acoustic set. 

Now I'm not much of a fan of blokes with acoustic guitars, but this as a stunning gig - Lee is a fine singer and an even better songwriter, and an affable, charismatic performer.

Setlist:

 

Penguin Cafe Truro Cornwall

Sublime

Haven't been active here for a while but went to see Adam & Rick Wakeman playing a fundraiser at a local primary school on Saturday night. Fantastic musicianship from both of them and the banter between them was pretty funny as well - although well rehearsed I'm sure. Standouts were Adam's take on Dudley Moore's classical piece without an end and Rick's Nursery Rhymes Concerto where he played well known tunes in the style of various great composers and included a Les Dawson style demolition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Genius.