When was the last concert you went in 2017

notnaim man posted:

Just back from The Hot Club of Cowtown at St George's,  Bristol. The first night of their tour, rockabilly, hot jazz trio. Their recordings don't do justice to the live performance. The bass player Jake Erwin is a master of slap bass, if there is a show near you I suggest the price of entry is worth it to see him.

At the risk of offending, the live performance shows what PRaT doesn't describe (for me), ensemble, the gestalt from that, energy, excitement and enjoyment.

St George's is a great venue. I've seen Cara Dillon there.

 

 

Fazil Say | Klavierabend

Chopin, 3 Nocturnes
Beethoven, Klaviersonate Nr. 23 f-Moll op. 57 „Appassionata“
Satie, 6 Gnossiennes
Say, Klaviersonate op. 52 „Gezi Park 2“

Just had the concert. It was a concert of contrast BEETHOVEN and Fay bold and Chopin / Satie gentle and lyrical. I mostly like him playing the lyrical stuff, while his own piece is kind of expressing well what he tries to express. He has kind of strange mannerisms when playing and more or less dancing / conducting with his arms. 

So bottom line. Chopin, Satie...yes please. BEETHOVEN I appreciate a different execution. His own piece interesting. The encores where good...

 

That's wonderful!

Say is one of my favourite pianist but he never got around here. ( perhaps his style too *out there* for conservative Chicago audience )

I would have guessed that his Appasionata would have been pretty unique.

Where was the venue?

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Sunday 24th September. After a long day doing a video shoot at Off the Cuff (an under-the-arches bar in Herne Hill that is a brilliant place to take pics or to film in), Ese and the boys played an incendiary half-hour free concert as a thank you to all the fans who had been extras in the video (you can see bits of the gig in said vid):

Kevin-W posted:

Sunday 24th September. After a long day doing a video shoot at Off the Cuff (an under-the-arches bar in Herne Hill that is a brilliant place to take pics or to film in), Ese and the boys played an incendiary half-hour free concert as a thank you to all the fans who had been extras in the video (you can see bits of the gig in said vid):

I like the picture of you taking a picture of Ese that I saw on social media :-) Really like 'Fairytale', great song.

ChrisH posted:

I like the picture of you taking a picture of Ese that I saw on social media :-) Really like 'Fairytale', great song.

Thanks Chris - I don't think the pic is of me taking a pic. I took a pic of Andy Lee (video director) taking a pic.

I think!

Kevin-W posted:

Sunday 24th September. After a long day doing a video shoot at Off the Cuff (an under-the-arches bar in Herne Hill that is a brilliant place to take pics or to film in), Ese and the boys played an incendiary half-hour free concert as a thank you to all the fans who had been extras in the video (you can see bits of the gig in said vid):

Kevin,

It' disable in the US?

kuma posted:

 

 

Fazil Say | Klavierabend

Chopin, 3 Nocturnes
Beethoven, Klaviersonate Nr. 23 f-Moll op. 57 „Appassionata“
Satie, 6 Gnossiennes
Say, Klaviersonate op. 52 „Gezi Park 2“

Just had the concert. It was a concert of contrast BEETHOVEN and Fay bold and Chopin / Satie gentle and lyrical. I mostly like him playing the lyrical stuff, while his own piece is kind of expressing well what he tries to express. He has kind of strange mannerisms when playing and more or less dancing / conducting with his arms. 

So bottom line. Chopin, Satie...yes please. BEETHOVEN I appreciate a different execution. His own piece interesting. The encores where good...

 

That's wonderful!

Say is one of my favourite pianist but he never got around here. ( perhaps his style too *out there* for conservative Chicago audience )

I would have guessed that his Appasionata would have been pretty unique.

Where was the venue?

Save

It’s the Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg, not too far from where I live...

kuma posted:

Kevin,

It' disable in the US?

Shouldn't be Kuma - about 5% of the views so far have been in the US...

Gavin B posted:

Black Star Riders at Wulfrum Hall in Wolverhampton tonight! Three support bands so a very full evening. 

Well! What a let down!

Caught the last two songs of the first band - singer was a (literal) howler - not my cup of tea.

Tax The Heat - best dressed band I've seen in ages (apart from orchestras, obviously). Interesting enough to have a listen at home, even if it's just to hear what I couldn't in the live setting.

Blues Pills - a band from Sweden who appeared to have been teleported in from the 1970s. Again, enough interest to see if they're on Tidal.

BSR - my wife and I left after 15-20 minutes. The sound was just so utterly unlistenable that there was no point in staying any longer. We're not too familiar with their material (and went with friends) but you simply couldn't hear anything from the sonic mush created primarily by the bass and the heavy drums.

The venue has some form of sound meter on one wall with a bunch of green and read LEDs. It was lit up to the max permanently. I don't really have a problem with loud but this was just stupid - as I said, just unlistenable.

And to cap it all off, the M6 was closed at Spaghetti Junction and the ensuing chaos added 45 minutes to our journey home. Thanks, Highways Agency!

Bert Schurink posted:

kuma posted:

 

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Where was the venue?

Save

It’s the Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg, not too far from where I live...

Nice Bert. I know it well. Lived in Nürnberg for 25 years. Saw people like John McLaughlin, B.B. King and George Benson at the Meistersingerhalle. You living in the city or Herzo? Would it be possible to hear your system sometime?

Bert Schurink posted:

Sat’s the Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg, not too far from where I live...

looks very nice. Impressive he can fill such a huge hall for a piano recital!

Save

William posted:

Bert Schurink posted:

kuma posted:

 

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Where was the venue?

Save

It’s the Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg, not too far from where I live...

Nice Bert. I know it well. Lived in Nürnberg for 25 years. Saw people like John McLaughlin, B.B. King and George Benson at the Meistersingerhalle. You living in the city or Herzo? Would it be possible to hear your system sometime?

Hi William,

I live in a small village close to Erlangen. And yes happy to have you over and listen to my system. Leave your contact details on my wall and I will contact you for arranging some time.

cheers,

Bert

Kevin-W posted:

kuma posted:

Kevin,

It' disable in the US?

Shouldn't be Kuma - about 5% of the views so far have been in the US...

Kevin,

I can't watch it embedded but if I click the Youtube icon, I can.

A nice band. I like her looks, too. ( a good makeup whomever did it )

kuma posted:

Kevin,

I can't watch it embedded but if I click the Youtube icon, I can.

A nice band. I like her looks, too. ( a good makeup whomever did it )

A lady called Chanelle Lai did the makeup, Goldi Locks and Marissa Miller did the costumes...

Very nice!

Mariinsky Orchestra -
Valery Gergiev conductor
Denis Matsuev piano

Oh wow. what a concert!

Gergiev/Marrisnsky is back this time with terrific Matsuev. The program opened with short jovial Shosty's 9th and Giergiv + co. sounded much lighter on feet compared to their triple feature Stravinsky programs I have attended. But the piece I really wanted to experience was the very difficult Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.2. I only have a few on hand and even picked up Wang's newer release a while back for this.

Matsuev certainly did not disappoint. Through and through pyrotechnics and acrobatic moves both from the pianist and the orchestra. One wrong move can send the whole tune turns into a stooper. They need to work extremely tight and cohesive together to pull it off without  a hitch. Matsuev tracking time with feet, Gergiev making sure the band keeps up with him! There was even an applaud from the audience after just the 1st movement. I was sitting close enough to him that I can feel the beat and the intensity and concentration. Truly electrifying experience.

There was a moment in 2nd movement I felt like there was a double take with young Richter playing Chopin's Scherzo No.2 or Suggestion Diabolique. He's often compared with Horowitz but I think that  he's much too much serious with cooler angry dark bursts like Richter does. ( he even stomps foot like Richter does and i certainly could feel it from a few feet away )

I found this trailer for their new CD and here, he talks about how much impact Richter had on Matsuev. I am curious to see if he'll start taking on wider repetoire with subtler interpretations.

As usual as any Russian artist concert at the Orchestra Hall, there were a huge Russian speaking constitutes amongst the audience and they rewarded us with 2 Wagner Encore pieces. Lohengrin was dedicated to a recently deceased Gergiev's friend. I think I saw tear streaming down from his eyes. This is a very difficult piece to reproduce in hifi due to high tension massed strings throughout. ) not too dissimilar from Barber's Adagio for Strings ) I have a wonderful Toscanini, Mravisnky and Klemperer version yet the intro is  tasking due to limitation on both the software and hardware. Not so with Mariinsky's warm full bodied silky strings.

Strauss' Ein Heldenleben was great, too. A deep tonal colours and dynamic expressions.  They did a great job and his first violinist was just wondrful. ( the one on the left with white curly hair ) The tempo was slightly slower than say, Solti/CSO or Reiner/CSO due to Gergiev's extra embellishments which did not take away from the story telling. Gergiev remained in a total control from the floor ( no platform, no stick ) but more animated than the *sock puppet* directing style you see in the above video.

The program went on pretty long and closed with up lifting another Wagner piece from Lohengrin. They certainly left me a great impression this time around at the Orchestra Hall. ( no doubt a huge dose of Matsuev helping )

Mariinsky + Matsuev will be touring next to the Carnegie next week with the same program albeit they are substituting Strauss piece with Scriabin Symphony 3.

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It's been a busy week for concerts:

Tuesday evening - Oysterband at Leeds City Varieties - 40th Anniversary Tour.    I've seen them on many occasions and they always put on a great show - and the City Varieties is a special venue.  Their tour continues in the UK.

http://www.oysterband.co.uk/

Change of pace and genre for Wednesday night.   Last minute decision for my first and long overdue trip to see Marillion live.  This time on the other side of the Pennines at Manchester Academy  for their last concert of 2017.  There's a special bond between band and audience.  Fantastic show.

http://getreadytorock.me.uk/bl...emy-8-november-2017/

And finally, back to Leeds (The Wardrobe) on Friday night to see Emily Barker.  Stunning voice and musician, supported by a superb band.  Soulful and foot tapping... 

Still touring in UK for a couple of weeks - well worth catching.

http://www.emilybarker.com/

Just got home from watching....

The Cadillac Three at The Students Union, Grand Hall, Cardiff.

What a great band and a great set, the place was rocking.

Good times 

kuma posted:

Honeck/Steinbacher/CSO:

Program

Bach, Orch. Webern Ricercar No. 2 from The Musical Offering
Berg Violin Concerto
Schubert Symphony No. 9 (Great)

The program was originally scheduled with Dohnányi but he fell ill.  Honeck's Schubert 9 was rather dull for my taste ( my friend loved it however ). It's a magnificent piece regardless but I would have liked a bit more soul in it.

The most interesting program of the evening for me was Berg's Violin Concerto. Altho, Steinbacher's 1917 "Booth" Strad ( loaned by the Nippon Music Foundation ) sounded a tad dry, melancholic 12 notes melody was delivered with a lovely delicacy with a touch of sadness. This is an interesting tune Berg wrote last dedicated to Alma Mahler's daughter Manon after she passed at the age of 18. Sadly, like Schubert's 9 Berg did not get to listen to the score as he unexpectedly died soon after completing it.

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Will see her this season as well with an all Mozart program.

Great Bart.

What Mozart piece is she playing?

kuma posted:

Great Bart.

What Mozart piece is she playing?

Arabella Steinbacher | Violine
Nils Mönkemeyer | Viola
Constantinos Carydis | Dirigent

Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg

Mozart, Symphonie Nr. 34 C-Dur KV 338
Mozart, Sinfonia concertante für Violine, Viola und
Orchester Es-dur KV 364 (320d)
Mozart, Symphonie Nr. 40 g-Moll KV 550

Thanks Bart.

I think CSO is also playing the same program ( Sinfonia Concertante ) next year.

On Friday night we went to the Royal College of Music for a programme of Howells' Elegy played by Ana Teresa de Braga e Alves on Viola accompanied by the Marmen Quartet.  This was then followed by Arina Lazgiian playing Saint Saens Piano Concerto No.2 with the RCM symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Rosewell.  After an intermission the evening then reached its climax with Mozart's Requiem with soloists Josephine Goddard, Beth Moxon, Joel Williams, and Timothy Edlin.

The Saint Saens was just a little disappointing in that some parts came across as a bit too rushed and there were one or two errors and, being sat right at the front, practically under the piano, I could hear a touch of the "Glenn Goulds" which was a little off-putting.  

However, the Howells was a revelation.  Not a piece I know particularly well, although I do recall that I have a nice Lyrita LP of the piece that I should try to dig out.  The playing on the night, particularly by Ana Teresa de Braga e Alves was as fabulous as her name. 

The Mozart was what I expected - fabulous in parts.  The treat of hearing it live in the presence of full orchestra and choir, is a rare one.  We all felt very lucky to have enjoyed such a lovely evening.

I saw Nerina Pallot at Hoxton Hall in Shoreditch, London last night. This venue was new to me. Standing on a narrow ground floor and two seated galleries above. Intimate and atmospheric. The stage was commensurately small so I was pretty impressed when Nerina managed to squeeze on behind her an eight-piece band, including a string section.
She opened with the first song, Juno, off her new album, Stay Lucky. Not many artists can provoke goosebumps from their first song but Nerina managed it. She unashamedly performed the whole of Stay Lucky, explaining that the band with her was the one that laid down the album in the studio. And mighty good it was. She also played stuff from her previous album, The Sound and the Fury, and some favourites from her Fires album, including Idaho, Geek Love and Sophia, the last two saved for a fabulous and emotional encore.
This was the third time I’ve see her perform and the polish of the performance had increased but not at the expense of the interaction with the audience. A super evening. Nerina is a very talented musician and a wonderful performer live. I would thoroughly seeing her if you get the chance. Another tour is coming in Spring 18 when I hope to catch her again.