A Stream of Memories: please bear with for this blog entry. The afternoon and the brought back lots of memories. I will ramble through them here.
The Beatles. We started the afternoon by playing old Beatles albums. I used to have a stack of the original LPs. In the 1980s I would go to car boot fairs. Every Saturday and Sunday morning I would get up around 5 AM and drive to a car boot fair to get there really early, in the dark with a torch, to pick up bargains. I would alternate which fair to attend: Sedgefield Racecourse, Redcar Racecourse, Stockton Racecourse, Blaydon Rugby club, Wetherby Racecourse; and many others, I visited them all; sometimes more than one in a morning. I could pick up Beatles albums for 50p or £1.
I would buy every one I saw and I ended up with multiple copies of each album. So I had 5 copies of Sergeant Pepper, 7 copies of Please Please Me, 6 copies of The White Album, and so on. I gave family members full collections of all the albums and singles. I sold some on eBay. I am busy collecting a full set again on eBay, so that I have a set downstairs to play on my retro record player. I have sets upstairs but I can’t get to them in my wheelchair so I leave them intact and I start again!
I know this is crazy, but it is the madness of being a hoarder. Anyway, to get the point, Jan my carer and I were playing two albums: Hard Days Night and Beatles For Sale before leaving for the concert. I started thinking; without the Beatles where would we be? Would they be any pop and rock as we know it? Would there be any Waterboys? Anyway we left for the concert with “Babies in Black” and “I’ll Cry Instead” ringing through my head. Magic.
Newcastle City Hall. Returning to a magic place that I used to frequent throughout the 1970s. I remember seeing the Rolling Stones, David Bowie as Ziggy, Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zeppelin, T Rex, Queen, Mott the Hoople and many others there. Happy days. Great to be back in the old venue. A sentiment I will return to later.
Newcastle Tiffany’s. The last time I saw the Waterboys was around 1985, when “Whole of the Moon” was in the charts. It was at Newcastle Tiffany’s, an old Mecca nightclub which was a great venue where I witnessed many great concerts: Altered Images when “Happy Birthday” was number 1 in the charts, Cocteau Twins, and many others. Happy days, lots of memories.
Limerick. My friend Ciaran, who I collaborate with at the University of Limerick, reminded me how great the Waterboys are live and encouraged me to go and see them. I have great memories of visiting the University of Limerick and drunken nights with too much Guinness and Irish whiskey at Durty Nellys public house (which I think may be the oldest pub in Ireland?) next to Bunratty Castle. Happy hazy memories.
The Waterboys. Re-familiarising myself with a classic rock band. I had forgotten how great Mike Scott and his band were and are. They were simply magic. Mike Scott is the consummate front rock man. Cowboy hat, tight jeans and winklepicker boots. So cool. And the influences are clear. Celtic tunes from his home country Scotland. Mythology and songs about his life. The Stones, Bob Dylan, Springsteen and many other classic rockers. Yet Scott draws together all of these influences to produce his own Celtic rock ‘n’ roll. The City Hall was packed, almost full, and everyone was up for it. The show was in two sets, each set was high-energy rock. Scott has changed the lineup of the Waterboys many times over the years. The current line– up is: Mike Scott (Vocals, Guitar, Piano); Brother Paul (Keyboards); James Hallawell (Keyboards); Aongus Ralston (Bass) and Eamon Ferris (Drums).
Surprisingly, for me anyway, the current band does not include violin which was central to the sound of many of the Waterboys better known songs. Instead, the Waterboys now comprise two keyboard players, who take the lead on many of the songs. One guy to the left of the stage is dressed in tight crushed velvet plum coloured flares (which he changes into tight white/black striped trousers during the interval), with a long coat and long flowing white hair to match. He plays a swirling 1960s style Hammond organ, pushing it backwards and forwards and running his fingers up and down the keyboard. He also comes to front of stage and plays a guitar keyboard (the same sort as Edgar Winter uses). He is a real showman and a great asset to the band. The other keyboard player is dressed in very smart mod gear with a natty hat to match. He concentrates on playing excellent electric piano. And Mike is front stage snarling, spitting out the songs and playing great see-through Perspex guitar, acoustic guitar and a selection of wonderful instruments.
I said I would return to the subject of loving Newcastle City Hall as a great venue. Mike Scott: “it is great to be back at the old City Hall. I have played the Sage many times, and it is a lovely venue, but it is a long time since I played the City Hall. It is good to be back here and to say “hello Newcastle” (big cheer) again” (or something like that). I don’t know many of the songs, “Fisherman’s Blues” stands out and is fantastic. “Ladbroke Grove” tells the story of Mike’s early years living in London, “It Was Over” relates the tale of an early schoolboy crush, “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” is a spoken word extract from Wind in the Willows and sounds quite mystical, appropriate and magical. Springsteen’s/Patti Smith’s “Because the Night” is mixed with a Scott song “The Pan Within”.
They return for an encore and finish with “The Whole Of the Moon” and everyone is up on their feet, singing and dancing. Mental note: go and see the Waterboys every time I can in the future. Thank you so much Ciaran for tempting me to go. It was great advice. Happy days. Thanks to Jan for the photos. I bought a lovely signed poster on the way out.
Setlist (something like this): Set 1: Where the Action Is; Glastonbury Song; How Long Will I Love You; Ladbroke Grove; A Girl Called Johnny; This Is the Sea; All Souls Hill; When Ye Go Away; Blackberry Girl; Because the Night / The Pan Within.
Set 2: A Rock in the Weary Land; Fisherman’s Blues; And a Bang on the Ear; It Was Over; Medicine Bow; Be My Enemy; Piper at the Gates of Dawn; Long Strange Golden Road.
Encore: Medicine Jack; The Whole of the Moon.
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Posted by ciarant1step on October 8, 2023 at 9:49 pm
Hi Peter,
Thanks for the mention and delighted that you enjoyed the Waterboys and at such a nice venue. I’ve always been a big Waterboys fan and this line up is one of the best I’ve seen – you’re right: Brother Paul is such a great showman and adds so much to the band. But the whole band is so good, and Mike Scott is in great form.
The setlist is similar but not quite the same as the one they played in Dublin last July. I loved the combination of ‘Because the Night’ and the ‘Pan Within’ and the Galstonbury Song is another great favourite – but there are so many good ones.
Thanks for the memories of Durty Nellys too!
Posted by vintagerock on October 9, 2023 at 11:27 am
You are very welcome Ciaran and thank you so much for reminding me of the Waterboys I had forgotten how great they are
I thought Mike Scott was class and 100% rock ‘n’ roll A great night Aha I spelt Durty Nellys Incorrectly. Will correct. Happy days Peter
Posted by John on October 9, 2023 at 9:29 am
Smashing review. I can see you;ve beenrather busy of late. I’m seeing them on Thursday in York and very much looking forward to it. I last saw them almost exactly two years ago at my first post-Covid show after over 18 gigless months. They were superb. Mike is a great showman oozing passion and style. You should check out the highlights for their last few albums, rather good.
Posted by vintagerock on October 9, 2023 at 11:13 am
Thanks John I am pleased you liked my review. Yes I was totally knocked out by Mike Scott. I had forgotten how great the Waterboys are. Enjoy the show in York. Happy days Peter
Posted by John on October 15, 2023 at 6:56 am
Hi Peter,
“Babies in Black” and “I’ll Cry Instead” two great tracks from two of the Beatles best albums, can’t be a better way to start the evening! I was given Revolver in Mono for a birthday and then a few years later gave it and Rubber Soul also in Mono to a friend. I still think Revolver in Mono is better than the stereo version! I like the idea of a retro record player too. Great review I like the idea of hoarding all those LPs. All the best, John
Posted by vintagerock on October 15, 2023 at 11:33 am
Many thanks John. You still can’t beat original yellow Parlophone Beatles LPs complete with clicks (but no jumps). I only need the White album to complete my latest downstairs collection 🙂 happy Peter