Your 2014 Concerts
Posted by: Richard S on 04 November 2013
Just booked for Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth in Liverpool next May.
Anyone else have forthcoming concerts to announce? I only discovered the last Steve Hackett tour from this site, so here's hoping for more undiscovered gems.
Kenny Barron & Dave Holland in the Bimhuis, Amsterdam on November 10th
http://bimhuis.com/gigs/kenny-barron--dave-holland
On Friday (19th) went to the Queen Elizabeth Hall to see the mighty Moon Duo (Wooden Shjips guitarist Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada on synth, plus guest drummer John Jeffry). Fantastic gig - it was ear-splittingly loud, with a mesmerising psychedelic light show. If you're not familiar with MD, their speciality is drone-rock with a Dingerbeat: waves and washes of trippy guitar, stabs of synth and Farfisa over a relentless 4/4 rhythm. One critic memorably described it as "12 cylinder space-rock".
This was the setlist if I remember correctly:
1. Sleepwalker
2. Catch as Catch Can
3. Circles
4. I Been Gone
5. Free Action
6. In the Sun
7. Motorcycle, I Love You
8. Mazes
9. Goners
Ryan Adams - Albert Hall, Manchester last night. Superb as usual.
My planned concert to see Ian Anderson play Jethro Tull next Friday is being sidelined; I "opted" instead for umbilical hernia surgery that day...providing I can hold out that long as it appears to worsen every day. 
My planned concert to see Ian Anderson play Jethro Tull next Friday is being sidelined; I "opted" instead for umbilical hernia surgery that day...providing I can hold out that long as it appears to worsen every day.
Sorry to hear it -- Good luck Dr. Mark!
The Fall on Friday (26th Sept) at THe Electric in Brixton. Best I've seen 'em in years. Great five-piece band (two drummers, bass player, guitarist and - I believe - the current Mrs Smith on keyboards) young enough to be MES' grandchildren but supremely well-drilled.
MES himself-ah was in-ah magnificent form-ah, prowling the stage like a malevolent cat and eyeing up the audience with the jaundiced eye-ah of a hyper-cynical Northern nightclub comedian-ah.
Hell, we even got TWO encores! A lot of the stuff I didn't know so this setlist is sketchy at best, I think they played 11 or 12 songs...
- The Remainderer
- Cowboy George
- Bury
- Bam (Student Village)
- Facebook Troll
- White Lightning
- Cock In Pocket
- Mr Rode
- Blindness
Simon Rattle/Berliner Philharmoniker at Carnegie Hall 2014 Opening Gala:
- RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances
- BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
- STRAVINSKY Closing Scenes from The Firebird
Anne Sophie-Mutter playing Bruch Violin Concerto
The hi-light for this performance was Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances.
This is my first time live experience with the Berliner and as Dresden States, they gave a big meaty sound with energetic exuberant personality. Comparatively they make CSO sounds like Academic student playing.
Mutter's fiddling was something more akin to Kreisler style with full of sentiment and romantic feel with many dramatic pauses with lyrical whispy whistling melody line. Altho, in the 3rd movement the she almost lost the key with the joining violins. A quick recovery and finish saved the day.
- Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
- Mahler Symphony No. 5
Donald Runnicles replaced the guest conductor Jaap Van Zweden due to illness.
When he first appeared on the stage he looked sort of like a mad professor. But what a fabulous job he's done! Particularly I enjoyed his Mahler's 5th immensely. Expressive and dynamic he kept the leash fairly tight on the orchestra for this score keeping tension all the way through.
I was awestruck and overwhelmed by this piece of music as there were so much more of textures i was aware of. Layers upon layers of dense music as various instruments keeps moving as another disappear in perfect unison. It was just amasing to feel the whole orchestra execute a delicate Adagietto in a hushed silence to an impactful and dynamic finale.
They aren't the Berliners but the CSO horn section was cooking and actually they were more together than what I have seen at the Carnegie Gala above.
Nothing beats the live orchestra. It's got so much power to move! It sure is good for your soul.
Friday, 10th October, Jah Wobble & The Invaders of The Heart at Under The Bridge, an odd little venue beneath the home of Chelsea FC. Wobble himself was on great form - a good gig.
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN with TAKÁCS QUARTET
- Haydn String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64, No. 3
- Debussy String Quartet
- Franck Piano Quintet
My first chamber program at the Orchestra Hall.
I have reserved flights, hotel, restaurants for a romantic weekend in Barcelona with my wife to attend the concert of Diana Kroll but unfortunately Diana got very ill and she had to cancel all events till next year 
Very nasty her and for the surprise that I wanted to make to my wife !