26 Jan

Tygers of Pan Tang Whitley Bay Playhouse 9 November 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Shannon Pearl, Tygers of Pan Tang. Tagged: , , , , , , .

This was a massive deal for the Playhouse and for Whitley Bay. The Playhouse proudly announced the gig: “The Tygers of Pan Tang return to play their first home gig in 45 years at Playhouse Whitley Bay, on the Saturday 9th of November – in what will be an emotional, nostalgic and over all outstanding night for fans.”

But before I write about this concert, let me reminisce a little, back to the early 1980s when I first saw the Tygers perform. From my blog entries of the time: “Tygers of Pan Tang Newcastle City Hall 13th May 1981 & Newcastle Mayfair 3rd Sep 1982. The Tygers of Pan Tang were formed in Whitley Bay. For readers who are not from the north-east UK, Whitley Bay is a seaside town. close to Newcastle upon Tyne. The original Tygers line-up was Robb Weir (guitar), Rocky (bass), Jess Cox (vocals) and Brian Dick (drums). They released the single “Don’t Touch Me There” in 1979 and the album Wild Cat in 1980.

I saw the original band several times at gigs in the northeast; in particular, I recall gigs in their old stomping ground The Rex Hotel in Whitley Bay, and at the Old 29 in Sunderland [a much-missed public house which hosted many great gigs during the 1970s and 1980s before closure]. I also saw them supporting Magnum at Redcar Coatham Bowl and The Scorpions at Newcastle City Hall. [Sadly recently passed] John Sykes (later of Thin Lizzy) joined the band during 1980; soon afterwards Jess Cox left and was replaced by Jon Deverill.

The new line-up recorded their second album Spellbound and went out on a headline tour to promote it. I won a competition in a local paper and as my prize received a clutch (I think it was 6 or 8!) tickets (note the ticket stamped “COMPLIMENTARY”).  for the City Hall gig, a sweatshirt, a copy of the new Spellbound album and some badges. Result ! So I played my prize to get to know the songs ready for the gig.

A group of us met in Steels club [referring to the social club for Sunderland steelworkers, who were employed in steelworks such as that which is shown in the picture, I believe] on the night of the concert and drove through to the City Hall in a couple of cars, clutching our free tickets. Support came from Magnum (a bit of an about turn, as the Tygers had supported them just a year earlier) and Alcatraz, who I can only assume were a NWOBHM [New Wave Of British Heavy Metal] band.

The City Hall wasn’t full for the gig, but the Tygers performed a set of class metal, fronted by the powerful front trio of Jon Deverill who stood stage front open shirted, mane of long hair, confidently and powerfully screaming the vocals, John Sykes who was already a rock star in his head and you just knew it to watch him, and founder and guitar anchor Robb Weir.

They released a great version of “Love Potion No 9″ around the same time. John Sykes left shortly afterwards the tour to join Thin Lizzy, and was replaced by Fred Purser from Penetration, which is the line-up I saw at the Mayfair in 1982. The Tygers were one of the better bands to emerge from the NWOBHM genre. Robb Weir now fronts a reformed Tygers.”

Move forward 30 years or so and I am about to witness the Tygers in concert again. Yet this is quite a new band than that I saw in the Rex Hotel all those years ago. In 2000, Robb Weir reformed the band as the only original member. The other musicians are Tony Liddell (vocals), Dean Robertson (lead guitar), Brian West (bass), and Craig Ellis (drums).

Support came from the Shannon Pearl Quartet, whose ethereal sound filled the hall. Quite a contrast to the heavy rock sound of the Tygers, Shannon is a self-proclaimed White Witch who has established her own self – styled “Witch Pop”. From the Sunderland Echo: “The neo-folk artist performs both solo, using only her voice, sparse percussion and a loop station, as well as with her live band to transport audiences to another world with her spiritual sound. Last year, to coincide with the summer solstice, she released her debut album, Kiss the Ground, which earnt her praise for its “hauntingly enchanting” music.”

I really enjoyed her set. It was a refreshing change from the type of music I am used to seeing. Quite spooky, a strange mix of folk-rock, mystical sounds and theatrics with Shannon wearing a strange White Witch outfit complete with tiara. Spooky music, spooky sounds, and spooky clothing. Shannon is a true witch who entranced us with her “Witch Pop”.

The Tygers exploded onto the Playhouse stage. The lineup may be very different to that which started as a new up-and-coming band in Whitley Bay during the late 1970s, but the ethos and soul remains the same. Loud, heavy, classic rock. Lengthy guitar solos, screeching and screaming vocals, proudly making it clear that they owned that stage and were delighted to return to their homeland.

The songs were new to me, but the sound remained the same. The Tyger growled at us all. Songs which presented a soundscape painted by their very titles: “Edge of The World”, “Only The Brave”, “Fire On The Horizon” and “Hellbound”. Robb Weir was on fire and must have been so excited about returning home and playing to a home crowd who didn’t care about the lineup. For one evening this was our band returning home to play to us. They were proud and do you know what, so were we.

Finally, the very last song was the Tygers blistering version of “Love Potion Number 9”, which brought back great memories: “Love Potion No. 9” is a song written in 1959 by the greatly renowned Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally performed by the Clovers in the USA, and in the UK The Searchers recorded it in 1964. I have a copy of the song on a Searchers EP from back in the day.

“I took my troubles down to Madame Rue, You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth. She’s got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine, Sellin’ little bottles of Love Potion No. 9” (Leiber and Stoller, 1959). Great songs stand the test of time. Magical memories and happy days return. Thank you Tygers.

Many thanks also to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site. And, of course, to Wikimedia Commons for the pictures of the Rex Hotel in Whitley Bay, Southwick steelworks, and John Sykes during his time with Thin Lizzy; the remaining images are from my own collection.

Setlist: Euthanasia; Keeping Me Alive; Love Don’t Stay; Gangland; Edge of the World; Back for Good; Paris by Air; Only the Brave; Do It Good; Slave to Freedom; Fire on the Horizon; Suzie Smiled.
Encore: Don’t Stop By; A New Heartbeat.
Encore 2: Hellbound; Love Potion No. 9.

25 Jan

The Jesus and Mary Chain NX Newcastle 8 December 2024

Posted by vintagerock in The Jesus and Mary Chain. Tagged: , , , , , .

It’s been over 30 years since I first saw The Jesus and Mary Chain live, so their return to Newcastle at NX was an unmissable date in my diary. Back in 1987, I saw them at the Mayfair and vividly recall their loud, stark, and unrelenting sound—a band whose live shows were drenched in feedback, drama and attitude. Fast-forward to 2024, and their performance has evolved, but their music still feels as raw and vital as it did back then.

The NX website said: “One of the most influential bands of their generation and beyond, The Jesus and Mary Chain mark their 40th anniversary in 2024 with a new album, Glasgow Eyes.To be released on March 8th by Fuzz Club, this is the band’s first studio album since Damage And Joy (2017). 2024 promises to be a bumper year for devotees of the Reids: the brothers will also unveil their autobiography, a documentary, and a world tour starting in March.”

From my blog entry 30+ years ago: “So, the conversation went like this. Laura: “Dad, I thought you said you saw The Jesus and Mary Chain?” Me: “Yes. I’m sure I saw them at Newcastle Mayfair.” Laura: “Well it is not on your blog.” Me: “I must’ve forgotten about it. I shall add it!” Now when I wrote my blog, I took it from tickets, programmes, and my memory. And somehow, I had forgotten this one. Not surprising; my memory is not great. I went straight to eBay and what did I find, but a ticket for the show which I quickly purchased. I had no ticket so presumably must’ve handed it in on the night. I heard a lot about this band and how legendary they were.”

I read the following on their official site: “Few bands have had such a huge effect on musical culture, as The Jesus And Mary Chain. Their attitude alone, dressed in black, angry with the world, playing short sets drenched in feedback, set the benchmark in the post-Sex Pistols music scene of London. Their seminal debut album Psychocandy would go on to change the course of popular music, channelling the sneering angst and noise distortion of the live shows into hypnotic sweet melodies layered with dark lyrics that would beguile and bewilder. Released into the world, The Jesus And Mary Chain became the darlings of British press, as they searched to find the owner of the post punk crown in the mid-80’s.”

Pretty impressive! Now did my memories live up to this? It was a Wednesday night, and I had heard quite a lot about The Jesus and Mary Chain. So, I decided to go along, by myself, to the Mayfair to see what they were like. I recall stark black-and-white lighting and lots and lots of drums and noise. I would like to say I was blown away by the birth of grunge, but the truth is my memory of the concert is quite sketchy.

I remember thinking that they were different, loud, stark, very “in your face” and quite scary in a way. I wasn’t familiar with the material but enjoyed the show and came away quite impressed. I have since watched some of their material on YouTube, such as “Kill Surf City“, which completely drags the Jan and Dean classic through punk into grunge and wish I could go back and watch the gig again!

Move forward 30 years. Celebrating their 40th anniversary, this tour was in support of their latest album Glasgow Eyes. The new material felt fresh yet entirely in keeping with their legacy, slotting seamlessly alongside their classic tracks. The set opened with “Jamcod,” followed by the iconic “April Skies” and “Head On,” immediately pulling the audience into their dark, hypnotic world.

The NX was the perfect venue—intimate but buzzing with anticipation. The crowd, spanning generations, hung on every note, from the dreamy distortion of “Some Candy Talking” to the bittersweet beauty of “Just Like Honey,” which formed part of a spine-tingling encore.

What struck me most was how timeless their sound is. Songs like “Never Understand” and “Happy When It Rains” still embody that quintessential mix of sweetness and aggression, while the live renditions of “Nine Million Rainy Days” and “Reverence” left the room shaking with energy.

This was more than a gig—it was a celebration of a band that has shaped so much of alternative music. The Reid brothers remain enigmatic on stage, letting their music do the talking. As I walked out into the cold December air, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for having witnessed them again, proving they’re as important now as they were in the ‘80s.

Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs. The remainder of the images come from my own collection and Wikimedia Commons. Many thanks also to Laura for her help with the entry and Natalie for help with manipulating the site.

Setlist: Jamcod; April Skies; Head On; Happy When It Rains; All Things Pass; Chemical Animal; Some Candy Talking; Cracking Up; Nine Million Rainy Days; Pure Poor, Far Gone and Out; Venal Joy; Blues From a Gun; Sidewalking; Between Planets; In a Hole; Sometimes Always; Darklands; Never Understand.
Encore: Just Like Honey; Taste of Cindy; Reverence.

24 Jan

The Libertines NX Newcastle 5 November 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Libertines. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

(Written by Laura on behalf of Peter)

Attending The Libertines with my Dad at Newcastle’s NX felt somewhat like stepping into a time machine. Ten years ago, we’d seen their much-anticipated reunion gig at Alexandra Palace, a chaotic, electrifying affair that reignited my teenage obsession with their music. Now, a decade later, it felt fitting to revisit the band whose lyrics and mythology had so deeply resonated with my younger self.

In my teens, I’d spent countless evenings after school poring over Pete Doherty and Carl Barât’s lyrics, piecing together their tales of Arcadia and the Albion, a romanticised, whimsical world they’d created. Their friendship, brimming with both camaraderie and infamously tempestuous moments, added layers to their songs that always felt personal. Seeing them live again, I wondered if their chemistry would still hold the same magic.

The NX crowd was buzzing long before the band took to the stage. A lively local band opened the evening, followed by a wonderfully eccentric woman armed with an acoustic guitar. Her quirky short set featured a song about aging, as well as a spirited cover of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” which had everyone singing along. Between acts, a compère kept the energy up, hyping us for the main event.

Eventually, the lights dimmed and Lindisfarne’s “Fog on the Tyne” began to play. The crowd sang along, the volume reaching a peak as the Libertines burst onto the stage. When The Libertines finally emerged, the room exploded with cheers. Pete and Carl, trading sly grins and familiar banter, launched into an energetic set that sent waves of nostalgia through the crowd. From the first notes of “The Delaney” to the closing encore of “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun, their performance was a whirlwind of raw energy and emotion.

For me, tracks like “What Became of the Likely Lads and “Time for Heroes” were the highlights, songs that had soundtracked so many moments of my teenage years. Even now, their lyrics carried the same power, blending wit, melancholy, and rebellion in a way that felt timeless. The audience sang every word back at the band, the collective voice of fans who’d grown up with these songs and still held them close.

To my shame, I didn’t recognise much of their newer material, but their delivery made even the unfamiliar tracks feel compelling. Watching Pete and Carl interact, sharing their mike and personal space, reminded me of why I’d loved them in the first place. Their bond, for all its ups and downs, remains the beating heart of The Libertines.

As we walked out into the crisp November air, Dad and I couldn’t stop talking about the gig, comparing it to 2014 and reminiscing about the band’s enduring charm. A night with The Libertines is never just a concert—it’s a celebration of music, friendship, and the stories we carry with us.

Setlist Fog on the Tyne (intro music), The Delaney, That Became of the Likely Lads, Up the Bracket, Boys in the Band, Night of the Hunter, What Katie Did, The Good Old Days, Baron’s Claw, Vertigo, Shiver, Merry Old England, Death on the Stairs, You’re My Waterloo, Music When the Lights Go Out, Horrorshow, Run Run Run, Can’t Stand Me Now

Encore Man With the Melody, What a Waster, Gunga Din, Last Post on the Bugle,
Songs They Never Play on the Radio, Time for Heroes, Don’t Look Back Into the Sun

16 Jan

The Free Convention, Cullercoats 15 and 16 November 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Free. Tagged: , , , , .

[I am including my friend John’s blog entry about this event. John flew over from the USA especially to attend the event. I joined him on the second night which was Saturday 16 November. John attended both nights, Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November. I am including John’s great blog entry in full below. All of my entries are in square brackets below, Peter].

The Free Convention, Cullercoats, England November 15th and 16th. Déjà vu all over again as the famous expression goes. Some 20 years after hearing about this event, I finally made it last year and had such a sensational time that I decided to repeat this year, inspired by a repeat encounter with The Heartbreaker Collective and the chance to hear some Backstreet Crawler music again.

It’s a unique opportunity so I figure it’s well worth the transatlantic trip and it’s a chance to catch up with some old friends too. Free’s journey is the classic “rags -to riches -to implosion” story that seems to haunt many rock and roll bands. Formed in 1968 as teenagers with support from Alexis Korner, the band released two albums with minor success before hitting the big time with the album Fire and Water and the single “All Right Now’ which reached No.2 in the UK charts (unbelievably kept out by Clive Dunn’s “Grandad”), and number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US , as well as charting all around the world. Indeed, it was to chart again in the UK when released in 1973 and then again in 1991 with the much- maligned Bob Clearmountain mix.

Unfortunately, the follow up album Highway faired poorly by comparison and the sensational single “The Stealer” inexplicably also failed to chart. The band disbanded for the first time in 1971, before reforming in an effort to save Koss from his growing substance dependencies. Which resulted in another (excellent) album Free at Last released later that year. Original bass player Andy Frase left in mid 1972, but the band struggled on, augmented by Japanese bass player Tetsu Yamauchi and John ‘Rabbit” Bundrock who had worked with band members during the first split and recorded their final album, the much underrated, Heartbreaker. [Note from Peter. I saw this final line – up of Free at Sunderland Locarno and they were pretty good actually]

The ailing Koss was replaced by ex- Osibisa guitarist Wendel Richarson for a US tour in 1973 but shortly thereafter the band split for good, playing their final gig in Florida in February 1973. However, for vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, global success was just around the corner via their next venture Bad Company. For other founding members there would not be such a happy ending with Fraser finding limited success with The Andy Fraser Band and then Sharks. [I saw both the Andy Fraser band and Sharks at Sunderland Locarno and they were also good]. Koss would produce a brilliant solo album called Back Street Crawler, followed by a second release The Band Plays On, under the name Back Street Crawler. Unfortunately, Koss would succumb to his substance abuse and tragically died in March 1976 at the age of 25.

I was fortunate to see Free three times in 1970 and 71 (one of which was my first ever gig) and then Peace (Paul Rogers short lived solo project) in 1972, Andy Fraser’s bands and finally Back Street Crawler in Sunderland in May 1975. [I saw Andy Fraser and Backstreet Crawler but sadly was not at the early Free concerts]. So while Bad Company rocketed to success in 1974 ( I saw them three times that year), [I was with John on these occasions to see Bad Company] success eluded the other original members. While Free were popular around the world, the connection with Sunderland was very strong, driven by the efforts of local promotor Geoff Docherty and a fanatical local support.

So, these two nights are a bit special. It’s a thrill for me to hear Free music live, and The Heartbreaker Collective were so great last year that I had to see them again, but Saturday night also features Terry Slesser of Beckett and Backstreet Crawler Fame. One of Sunderland’s own, well South Shields anyway, who played many times in the area with Beckett in smaller venues and supported major artists like Argent, Mott the Hoople, Thin Lizzy, Medicine Head and even featuring at the Reading Festival in 1974 before joining up with Kossoff. [I saw Beckett many times, including the Reading Festival in 1974].

The first show on Friday features three bands, opening act The Stealer, followed by The Heartbreaker Collective – the stars of last years event- and finally Absolute Free. The Stealer plays a set of Bad Company songs selected from across their total career. They are competent musicians, particularly guitarist Joss “Koss” Shaw (who would show his real prowess the following night) and the evening gets off to a solid start.

Next up are the Hearbreaker Collectve fronted by Jonnie Hodson on vocals, he of the sensational hair and expert Paul Rodgers moves, whose day job is with the promising touring band Silverroller. Now this band really get it and capture the spirit and understated power of Free. The bands set covers the entitre Free catalogue, without focusing on the obvious. No “All Right Now” or “Wishing Well”, “Fire and Water” or even “The Hunter” but the band do close with a fanastic version of “Mr Big” (as they did last year). While the overall musicianship is just great , even allowing for some technical problems with the guitar sound, the bass player is just wonderful and he does justice to the melodic solo in this classic live version. I am joined tonight by my friend Steve from Stockton and we both have a great time.

But its not over yet.The following night we get to do it all over again. This time with my old mate Pete from Sunderland, a true road warrior and a regular gigger for over 50 years, with whom I have had my adventures over the years. Saturday kicks off with The Stealer, this time playing a Free set. And they do a great job. For me much better than the Bad Company set the previous night with Joss “Koss” Shaw really showing his mastery of the Koss style vibrato and precise, subtle playing. Sounds easy, but I seen some many players just butcher these wonderful songs with over the top speed and volume. [Lovely picture of John and me on the Saturday night].

Next up is an interesting one. Billed as Kossoff….The Band Plays On presents Terry Slesser and John Buckton’s Back Street Crawler. Quite a mouthful, but the band feature Terry Slesser on vocals and John Buckton on guitar. Terry being the original vocalist in Back Street Crawler with John Buckton ex Freeway (a Free tribute band) on guitar. The band played some UK dates last year and hopefully they will continue. Their set is a mixture of Free and Back Street Crawler tracks augmented with some wondeful anecdotes from Terry, They open with “I’m a Mover” from Tons of Sobs, which Terry says they tried to play in Beckett but found it so difficult that they switched to 21st Century Schitzoid Man instead…..

Then its “The Train Song” from The Band Play On, followed by “Be My Friend” which Terry dedicates to Koss’s girlfriend Sandhe Chard Givens who is in the audience tonight and also attended Fridays show. Then its probably my favorite Back Street Crawler track “It’s a Long Way Down to the Top” which is captured in all its glory on the Back Street Crawler Live in Croydon album from 1975. After “I’ll be Creepin”, it’s the fabulous “Molten Gold”. Often billed as “the best song Free never recorded”, the music and words were writen by Koss and he took it for his solo release , although an early version called “Burnin” does exist as a bonus track on a reissue of Free at Last. A classic number, masterfully delivered by the band.Terry then announces “the drugs are starting to kick in now – that’s Ibuprofen and Immodium” and we get “All the Girls Are Crazee” another Back Street Crawler song which Terry dedicates to “all the people who used to go to the Locarno and the Mayfair” which gets a big cheer from the crowd.

The set then moves through a series of Free tracks “Songs of Yesterday”, “Sail On”, “Trouble on Double
Time”, “The Stealer”, “My Brother Jake”, “Wishing Well” and then a well deserved encore “Little Bit Of Love”. A great set which brings back lots of happy memories and its wondeful to hear those Back Street Crawler songs again.

Before the final set, we have a charity raffle, all the procceds from tonight go to Newcastle Hospital Trust, and my friend Pete picks up a copy of Axis Bold as Love, from Koss’s personal collection. Nice!! [Yes, that was me buying a great momento of the event and a lovely keepsake from Paul’s own collection]. Closing tonight are the magnificant Heartbteaker Collective. However, they are following two great sets and can they deliver? After all they only play these songs once a year at this event. No need to worry, fronted by the ever confident Johnny Hodson, the band deliver a great set and the crowd adores them.

They walk us through the Free back catalogue with great competence and style. Opening with “ Catch a Train”, the set moves through “Be My Friend”, “I Love You So”, “Woman”, “Oh I Wept”, “Songs of Yesterday”, Broad Daylight”, I’m a Mover”, “ Trouble on Double Time”, before closing with their sensational extended version of “Mr Big”. Jonnie quips “I used to sing these songs in my bedroom along to the record and its geat to be able to sing them for you tonight”. And its great for us to hear them too. The band come back for an encore starting with “The Hunter”, followed by “All Right Now” and they are persuaded to come back one more time with “Walk in My Shadow”. Just wonderful.

As we leave the we can see the joy on the largely ageing audience , fueled by a combination of nostalgia, great music and alcohol as we all try to capute our youth, even if only for a fleeting moment. A good time was had by all. [Yes indeed it was John. Thank you for a great blog entry. And a special thank you for the organiser for both events, pictured here to the left. Well done for another excellent event my friend]

13 Jan

Saving Grace featuring Robert Plant & Suzi Dian Stockton Globe 6 November 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Robert Plant, Saving Grace. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Why is the rock legend, rock god, who is Robert Plant playing small venues such as Middlesbrough Town Hall and not singing many Led Zeppelin songs? After all he could reform Led Zeppelin, as many promoters and ex-bandmate Jimmy Page would apparently like him to do and earn megabucks. Yet he chooses not to. And why do so many people turn out to see Robert Plant sing with a relatively unknown female vocalist, Suzi Dian (who has an exquisite voice by the way), and perform a set of mostly obscure songs which the majority of the audience would not be familiar with? Yet why did I come away from the concert feeling so fulfilled, elated, and exhilarated?

I have seen Saving Grace twice before. Looking back may help me answer the questions above. Some of my recollections of those two concerts are below: Robert Plant and Saving Grace Middlesbrough Town Hall 25 April 2022. Saving Grace is very much a band. Of course people had turned out to see the main man, Robert Plant. But Robert is simply a singer in the band along with Suzi. The rest of Saving Grace comprises two guitarists and a percussionist: all excellent musicians in their own right and also providing some backing vocals. The set comprised songs which Robert, unashamedly, has chosen because they have influenced him and touched him over the years.

So there were the traditional such as “The Cuckoo” and “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down”, old blues songs and classic progressive/psychedelic tracks including “It’s a Beautiful Day Today” by Moby Grape and (one of my all-time favourite songs) “Season of the Witch” by Robert’s old friend Donovan. The stage setup was quite basic with a simple curtain backdrop naming the band and unobtrusive lighting. But the music was exquisite, challenging, soulful and beautiful. Robert shared the vocals with Suzi and, in many cases, took us through the story of the song and what it meant to him. “Season of the Witch “, led by Suzi, transformed into “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield at one point, another reference point to Robert’s roots. The final song was an old Richard and Linda Thompson track, again taking us back to the late 60s/early 70s.

Robert Plant and Saving Grace The Glasshouse Gateshead 20 November 2023. The rock legend, rock god, who is Robert Plant continues to follow his muse and play intimate venues such as The Glasshouse when he could be filling arenas or stadiums if he were to sing more Led Zeppelin songs. He has now established himself as part of the band Saving Grace and retains a strong faithful fan base. His fans continue to go to see Robert Plant sing with a relatively unknown female vocalist, Suzi Dian (who has an exquisite voice), and perform a set of quite obscure folk/world/country songs which the majority are not familiar with. I am glad that he does so.

The set comprised songs which Robert, unashamedly, has chosen because they have influenced him and touched him over the years. The set has changed since I last saw this band. There were several more unfamiliar songs, but some have been retained from last time I witnessed them in concert at Middlesbrough Town Hall including the traditional ballad “The Cuckoo” and classic progressive/psychedelic tracks which have influenced Robert including “It’s a Beautiful Day Today” by Moby Grape. This time some Led Zeppelin classics have crept back into the set including “Friends” and “The Rain Song”. And wonderful renditions they were. Lovely. For the encore we were treated to the Richard Thompson song “House of Cards”, a return to Led Zeppelin and a wonderful rendition of “Gallows Pole”. The final song was performed a cappella with the band all coming together at the front, arms entwined, singing the beautiful “And We Bid You Good Night”.

Saving Grace featuring Robert Plant & Suzi Dian Stockton Globe 6 November 2024
This year the tour was announced: “Robert Plant’s Saving Grace, the co-operative featuring Suzi Dian (vocals), Oli Jefferson (percussion), Tony Kelsey (mandolin, baritone, acoustic guitar), and Matt Worley (banjo, acoustic, baritone guitars, cuatro) have announced a full UK tour in November 2023, touring some of the UK’s most striking theatres.”

“Since forming in 2019, Saving Grace have received numerous acclaims for their live shows with Bob Harris describing it as ‘One of the best gigs I’ve seen in years’ and Toni Woodward, Americana UK providing a perfect summary: “…These five musicians have produced a supreme ninety minutes of music with considered interpretations of others’ compositions, ensuring they present an innovative exploration of the songs whilst maintaining their true essence. Furthermore, this odyssey has been undertaken in the spirit of appreciation, musicianship, and exultation: they truly are a band of joy!””

The set was similar to those which I have witnessed previously. They started with the beautiful “The Cuckoo “. There were many songs I did not recognise. One song in particular stuck in my mind: “She Cried”, originally by Jay and the Americans. Listen to the original if you can; it is absolutely beautiful and tearjerking. As for Led Zeppelin songs we were treated to lovely renditions of “Friends” and the closing song “Gallows Pole”.

Returning to my questions which I can now sort of answer. Why is Robert playing intimate venues with a set of semi-obscure songs? The answer lies in the man that is Robert Plant. He sings because he wants to, and he has to; singing lies deep within his soul. And he chooses to share with us some of the songs which are important to him, hoping in doing so that we will enjoy the concert experience and learn a little more about the man and his music. And why do we all turn out to see Robert Plant? Because somewhere over the years his music has touched each and every one of us in a different place, and a different time. For me it lies in important memories of seeing Led Zeppelin in 1971 at Newcastle City Hall and Sunderland Locarno; in Earls Court in 1975; Knebworth in 1979; more recently at the O2 Arena in 2007 and solo many other times. There is a magical quality about Robert Plant. Long may he invite us to share evenings of his songs and memories.

Led Zeppelin are about to release a movie Becoming Led Zeppelin, a film of some very early performances. I am waiting for the movie to come to the north-east. In the meantime I treated myself to a poster advertising the movie. (See image). I don’t know where I will put all of the posters I am buying. I just can’t resist. Thanks to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site.

Setlist: The Cuckoo; Four Sticks; Higher Rock; The May Queen; Move Along Train; Orphan Girl; She Cried; Two Coats; Everybody’s Song; As I Roved Out; For the Turnstiles; Friends.
Encore: I Never Will Marry; Gallows Pole

7 Jan

Leo Sayer Still Just A Boy Tour The Fire Station 25 October 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Leo Sayer. Tagged: , , , , .

The Fire Station website tempted me: “British music legend Leo Sayer will be touring the UK, and he still feels like dancing! Leo has spent over five decades as an iconic singer and songwriter. 2024 will also see the release of his upcoming autobiography, Just A Boy. With this performance, Leo and his band bring boundless energy, exuberance, and a hit packed show to some of his favourite venues across the country.”

“Known the world over for his army of hits which include Thunder In My Heart, Moonlighting, One Man Band, I Can’t Stop Loving You, More Than I Can Say, Have You Ever Been in Love, The Show Must Go On and the transatlantic number ones, When I Need You, and of course, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing. This is a hit packed, high energy evening not to miss.”

The Fire Station is a great Sunderland venue, which is pulling way above its weight in attracting class acts to the city. Everyone who plays at The Fire Station always comments how great venue it is, which is of course true. And Sunderland is fast becoming a true Music City.

But first before I go any further let me reminisce a little. Leo and I go back a long, long way (50 years to be precise) as some of my previous blog entries remind me. It is not long since I saw him at Whitley Bay Playhouse on his 50th anniversary tour. But before I get to recent years, I will return to some of my previous blog entries below.

Leo Sayer Newcastle City Hall 11th September 1974
This might seem a guilty pleasure today, but trust me, it seemed far from it “back in the day”. Leo Sayer was a pretty cool guy, with a hot debut album Silverbird. He first came into the public eye as the guy who appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test dressed as a clown (or in a Pierrot style costume, to be precise), co-wrote songs (with David Courtney) for Roger Daltrey’s solo lp including the hit single “Giving it All Away” and was managed by Adam Faith (another cool guy). Leo’s second single “The Show Must Go On” was of course, a massive hit.

From Leo Sayer’s bio on his website: “the B.B.C. offered Leo a slot on their T.V. rock show, “The Old Grey Whistle Test”. Leo came on the show dressed as the Pierrot and such was the reaction to his performance, the entire business noted that a new star was born.” I had the Silverbird album and played in endlessly, my favourite tracks being the rocky “Drop Back”, “Slow Motion” and the very dark, moody, almost scary “Dancer”. Listen to the album, and don’t be put off by Sayer’s later poppier and disco material, it’s classic stuff, he was a great singer-songwriter when he emerged.

I first got to see Leo Sayer when he toured in September 1974, calling at Newcastle City Hall. By then the clown outfit had gone, Leo, his songs and his excellent band were strong enough to stand in their own right. The tour came just before the release of his second album Just a Boy. I was hooked, particularly on seeing him perform “Dancer”. Support for the UK tour came from Wally, a progressive rock band from Harrogate, who were presumably named after the festival chant. [Does anyone remember shouting “Where’s Wally?” during the middle of the night to the annoyance of many people trying to sleep?]

Sputnik music says of the Silverbird album: “The first – and, in this reviewer’s opinion, only worthwhile – album from British artist Leo Sayer. Few people know that before Leo Sayer became the white Afro sporting King of Disco, he was an artist……Silverbird is very dark and depressing at its heart. It’s a concept album, in that the themes of isolation and sadness weave each of the songs together. I would give this album a 4 out of 5. This is a side of Sayer we only see briefly in his follow up album Just A Boy, and then it dies, replaced by a bad disco singer who sold out.”

Leo Sayer Newcastle Odeon 16th October 1975
It’s funny how certain songs stick in your mind. I loved “Moonlighting” when it was released in 1975. The catchy tune, the story of star-crossed lovers. OK cool it certainly wasn’t but there was just something about the song that hooked me and still does. I just couldn’t get it out of my head. We would call it an “ear worm” today.

“He sees her at the same time every night, at the Mexican discotheque. She gives him French kisses; he gives her French cigarettes. They sit at the same table every time, the lights are low, but their eyes shine, just digging the music from those sweet soul bands. She keeps him outta fights, holds on to his hand. He whispers slowly “Tonight’s the night”. Months of planning so it’s gotta be right. Under the table her bag is bursting at the seams. She made sure to bring everything. Moonlighting, they’re leaving everything. Moonlighting, they’re losing all their friends. Moonlighting, it’s the only way. It’s frightening, but it means they’ll stay, together. They’re gonna make it together………. We’re only ten miles to Gretna, they’re three hundred behind….Moonlighting.” (Leo Sayer, 1975)

Looking at the lyrics it really isn’t cool. No excuses, and I have no way of explaining my taste at the time….
“Moonlighting” was Leo Sayer’s fourth UK top ten single, reaching No 2 in the charts in September 1975. He went out on tour to promote his third album Another Year, calling at Newcastle Odeon this time. Leo still played “The Dancer”, which remained by favourite Leo Sayer song and made the concert worthwhile for me, even if I couldn’t get “Moonlighting” out of my head.

Leo Sayer Newcastle City Hall 23rd April 1976 and 5th October 1977
I saw Leo Sayer on two further occasions before I started to lose faith. The first was on 23rd April 1976 at Newcastle City Hall. Sayer was becoming increasingly popular, both in the UK and the USA, and was starting to transform into a middle of the road family entertainer. He was soon to have a massive No 1 hit which would take his career in a new direction and would enable Leo to front his own TV show on BBC every Friday night, guest on The Muppet Show, sing a duet with Miss Piggy, and appear with his idol, Fred Astaire on TV in Hollywood. There was no new album or single to promote for Leo’s Spring 1976 tour; he released his fourth album Endless Flight later in 1976. Endless Flight featured two US No. 1 hit singles, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and “When I Need You”.

My final Leo Sayer experience took place at Newcastle City Hall on 5th October 1977. Leo’s 1977 UK tour came after massive No 1 success with the single “When I Need You” which was written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager, and first appeared as the title track of Hammond’s 1976 album. Leo Sayer’s version was a big hit worldwide, reaching No 1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in February 1977. Leo Sayer performed it on the second show of the third season of The Muppet Show, and his transformation to a successful middle of the road artist was complete. Leo’s 1977 tour was hugely popular and sold out very quickly. A whole new audience were clammering to see Leo perform “When I Need You”. I went along to the concert with a mate, and we both knew that we had lost the singer-songwriter who created the wonderful Silverbird album. The tour was to promote Leo’s fifth album Thunder in My Heart, which featured the hit single of the same name.

We saw a different, new Leo Sayer at the City Hall that night in 1977. The transformation had been coming about for some time, but it became very apparent at that concert. Gone were the serious, dark, moody early songs, replaced by singalong hits. Leo had become a song and dance man. Just look at the covers of his albums and you can see how his persona has changed. The sold-out audience was also different. Gone were the rock fans who had followed him in the early days, replaced by a crowd who came to sing along to “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and “When I Need You”.

At that point I stopped going to see Leo Sayer for many years. Big mistake on reflection. However he soon dropped out of the charts and disappeared for quite a long time. He reappeared recently and I was so pleased to see him again at Whitley Bay Playhouse a couple of years ago.

Move forward to the present-day:
Leo Sayer is a very underrated songwriter, singer, and artist. I remember seeing him in the early days at Newcastle City Hall during the 1970s, several times. I began to lose faith in him, and started to view him (quite wrongly, on reflection) as a middle-of-the-road artist. But he was always much more than that. I used to play and play his first album Silverbird which contained such classic tracks as “The Dancer” and “Drop Back”. And then, of course, he wrote a lot of songs which were taken up by Roger Daltrey on his self-titled album, including “Giving It All Away”. His performance as the Pierrot for “The Show Must Go on” is for ever etched in everyone’s mind. And I love the song “Moonlighting”. The guy was a great storyteller back in the day.

Over the years Leo has suffered financial difficulties as a result of mismanagement by the late great Adam Faith (now there’s someone I would have loved to see in concert) and now lives in Australia. But he is back, here in the UK, touring smaller venues on his 50+ years anniversary tour (is it really more than 50 years?); back where he belongs, on stage singing those songs. And sing them he does. He looks great, particularly for his 76 years, and his voice is really strong.

The concert comprised two sets with an interval. He starts off going back to the beginning with “Giving It All Away” followed by more classic hits: “Moonlighting” and “One Man Band”. Then he does a mix of songs; some containing great blues harmonica and other classic Leo hits. You forget how many chart hits this man had. Set 2 includes “Thunder in My Heart” and also other hit songs such as “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and “Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)”. The encore takes us right back to the start and “The Show Must Go On”. Fantastic and thank you Leo.

Leo came down into the crowd and shook hands with some very grateful fans. A great concert by a great artist who deserves much more recognition. Perhaps his time will return. I hope so. I remain a fan, and I am proud to say so. Images from my own collection and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

I bought myself a signed poster (see image). Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site.

Setlist: (something like this)
Set 1: Giving It All Away; Endless Flight; More Than I Can Say; Train; Stormy Weather; Moonlighting; One Man Band; Raining in My Heart; When I Need You.

Set 2: Wonderworld; Thunder in My Heart; Orchard Road; You Make Me Feel Like Dancing; Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance); How Much Love.
Encore: Bells of St Mary’s; Have You Ever Been in Love; The Show Must Go On; I Can’t Stop Loving You (Though I Try).

6 Jan

Maxïmo Park The Boiler Shop 27 October 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Maximo Park. Tagged: , , , , .

I have seen Maxïmo Park several times in the past. In fact it is only a couple months since I saw them perform at my local venue The Fire Station in Sunderland. I guess I have become a fan of this band, so I could not resist going to see them again at The Boiler Shop in Newcastle. This time the concert was all standing and I was seated on a viewing platform, high above the crowd, with my carer for the evening, Elaine.

Now, I can’t claim to know many of their songs, but I always enjoy their performance. They are entertaining, full of rocky energy and singer Paul Smith is the consummate front man, resplendent in bowler hat (or something similar) and leaping all over the stage. Musically, they lie somewhere on the boundaries between indie rock, pop and post – punk. Their music is infectious, loud and comprises catchy songs with great hooks. Lots of fun, in other words.

The Boiler Shop website proclaimed: “Maxïmo Park have been on an evolutionary journey since the release of their debut album A Certain Trigger (2005), a multi-platinum selling, Mercury-nominated breakthrough in every sense. As a pop band, Maxïmo Park aim to produce songs that are hooky, melodic, and memorable, and are constantly influenced by a plethora of diverse genres.

The overarching goal for them is to achieve genuine connection with their listeners which they accomplish time and time again. The band tour year-on-year to thousands of adoring fans across the globe and continue to release groundbreaking emotional music.”

Once again Maxïmo Park did not let me down. The Boiler Shop was absolutely jam packed for this home coming concert. Elaine and I had a great view from the wheelchair platform.  These local legends are massively popular in the North-East, coming originally from Newcastle. Soon after forming the band recruited Paul Smith from Stockton on Tees as singer: “When he first joined, we didn’t know if he could [sing]; just that he was a lunatic jumping around in a suit, it felt like the last piece of the jigsaw”. (From Wikipedia). He has certainly done them proud and has become the focal point for their live performances.

Paul remains as always. Full of energy, singing a set of songs that were, once again, very familiar to the audience. Everyone was singing along and knew every word! Even I am starting to recognise several of their songs. An impressive performance by a magnificent local band. Many thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site. Bought myself a signed CD (see the first image).

Setlist: Your Own Worst Enemy; Postcard of a Painting; Dormant ’til Explosion; Calm; The End Can Be as Good as the Start; Armchair View; The National Health; I Knew That You’d Say That; Versions of You; Doppelgänger Eyes; Drinking Martinis; Our Velocity; What Did We Do to You to Deserve This?; Favourite Songs; Books From Boxes; Apply Some Pressure.
Encore: No Such Thing as a Society; Graffiti; Going Missing.

Chris just discovered a signed poster which I must have purchased at this concert or the previous one at the Fire Station. Thought I would add it here. Cheers and happy days Peter update just read the poster and I can see the Boiler Shop concert listed. In fact I can now see that they played two nights there! These guys are mega-popular in the North-East.

4 Jan

The Sensational 60’s Experience Whitley Bay Playhouse 8 October 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Mike d'Abo, The Fortunes, The Trems, Vanity Fare. Tagged: , , , , , .

The Playhouse website announced the concert thus: “THE SENSATIONAL 60’S EXPERIENCE. SEE MIKE D’ABO ON HIS FAREWELL TOUR. Join us for the musical phenomenon of 2024 with this festival of nostalgia. The show with the definite feelgood factor will transport you back to that magical decade that was the 1960’s. Whether you come to relive your childhood memories or you just simply want to see what your parents have been raving about for all these years this is the show to see. These legends of the 60’s will deliver to you a night never to be forgotten. You will find it impossible to remain in your seat as these incredible artistes fill your venue with nostalgic memories performing hit after hit.”

“Starring Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich, The Trems (Featuring Jeff Brown former member of The Tremeloes), The Fortunes, Mike d’Abo (Lead singer with Manfred Mann) and Vanity Fare. Full of timeless classics, hits include The Legend Of Xanadu, Silence is Golden, Storm In A Teacup, Mighty Quinn, Hitchin A Ride, plus many more. Step back in time to when pop music was at its very best”. Of course, I have seen a very similar 60s show at the same venue not so long ago. However, I really enjoy my trip back to the 1960s, plus this concert had the added attraction of witnessing Mike d’Abo (someone I have never seen before) on his farewell tour. I couldn’t resist. Mike was of course, the voice of the later incarnation of Manfred Mann, having replaced Paul Jones.

I return to my usual question at such concerts “When is a band no longer a band ?” Many of these bands contain no original members. So can they really call themselves by the original band name? Do they deserve to do so? I shall use some of the tour publicity material to help me answer my question.

First onstage was Vanity Fare. “Formed in 1966 (often misspelled Vanity Fair, due to the similarity of the novel and magazine title) are a British pop/rock group famously known for such hits as, I Live For The Sun, Early In The Morning and the worldwide classic, “Hitchin A Ride” which scored the band a number one on the Billboard 100 in the USA. The harmonies of Vanity Fare are renowned throughout the sixties scene which makes them one of the best vocal groups still touring today.” No original members here, but excellent renditions of “I Live For The Sun”, “Hitchin’ A ride” and “Sun, Sun, Sun, Sun”. Great start.

They were soon joined by the aforementioned Mike d’Abo who performed excellent renditions of the later Manfred Mann hits including “Mighty Quinn” and “Semi Detached Suburban Mr James”. He looked fantastic for an 80 years young guy and also his voice was strong and clear. A welcome addition to the normal programme. No question about authenticity here! This was the real guy through and through.
Next was The Fortunes. “Hailing from Birmingham England, the band first came into prominence in 1964 with their hit single Caroline, which was used as the signature tune for the influential Pirate Radio Station of the same name. Other classics include Storm In A Teacup, You’ve Got Your Troubles, Freedom Come Freedom Go. The Fortunes still continue to tour the world with shows in Australia, New Zealand and The USA incorporating a weeklong residency in the Fabulous Las Vegas.” I have seen this band a few times over the years, and they used to include original lead vocalist Rod Allen. After his sad passing, current singer Eddie Mooney took on the role of fronting the band and he does an excellent job too. So, no original members here. But a great job of some great songs: “You’ve Got Your Troubles”, “Freedom Come Freedom Go”, “Storm in a Teacup” and my favourite “Here It Comes Again”. Very enjoyable set.

Next came: The Trems (former members of The Tremeloes). This band features the remaining members of what was once the Tremoloes. Now containing no original members the band has shortened its name to the Trems. “Starting out as an English beat group founded in Dagenham Essex in 1958, originally called Brian Poole And The Tremeloes. The Tremeloes toured the world from 1963 through 1974. The Trems are still a massive draw in Europe as well as the UK today as much as they’ve ever been. They have the fantastic reputation as one of the most entertaining bands on tour today. Hits include, Even The Bad Times Are Good, Do You Love Me, Call Me Number One and their world-wide number one hit Silence Is Golden.”

This band could just as easily have called themselves the Tremoloes, as I remember seeing the singer/bass player Jeff Brown fronting the Tremoloes about 20 years ago when they still featured original drummer Dave Munden and guitarist Alan Blakley. I am pretty sure that Jeff Brown has been in the band since then. But then I have seen another version of the Tremoloes, Chesney Hawkes’ Tremoloes, having inherited the band from his dad Chip. I have subsequently discovered that there is also a further version of the Tremoloes featuring no original members, including former member Chip Hawkes’ son on drums and directed by Chip himself. Band heritage does get confusing, doesn’t it? Once again, they sounded great and played, from memory, “Even the Bad Times Are Good”, “Do You Love Me?”, “My Little Lady” and finished with their classic massive hit “Silence Is Golden”, all four members joining together at the front to sing the song a cappella. Wonderful.

Closing the show were: Dozy Beaky Mick & Titch. “Originally called Dave Dee And The Bostons formed in 1961. Changing their name to Dave Dee, Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich in 1964. In 1966 the band were in the charts for 50 weeks out of 52. In Germany alone in 1967, record sales outsold The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Hits include Bend It, Zabadak and The Legend Of Xanadu plus many more. This fast-moving energetic set from DBMT will have you dancing and singing in the isles performing hit after hit after hit.” Well, when is a band no longer a band? In this case, lead singer and main man Dave Dee is sadly no longer with us and the only original member is Beaky. Do you know what, I am past caring! Bring on the great music. According to my very poor memory they performed “Zabadak”, “The Legend of Xanadu” (complete with whip),” Hold Tight” and finished with “Bend it”. They didn’t play my particular favourite “Last Night in Soho”. Their sound of the 60s was pretty authentic and they deserved their spot as headliners.

3 Jan

Martin McAloon (Prefab Sprout) High Forest Community Centre Sinderhope Northumberland 30 November 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Martin McAloon, Prefab Sprout. Tagged: , , , , .

Another adventure into the wilds of Northumberland. Jan, my taxi driver and I set off early in the evening for a 50+ miles ride up to see none other than Martin McAloon, of Prefab Sprout. The route has become familiar. Up towards Hexham, along a winding road up to Allendale and then a few miles further to Sinderhope where we easily found the High Forest Community Centre a small building set on its own surrounded by lovely fields and wildlife (see picture below from website). We arrived in plenty of time, around 7 PM (the start time was 7:30 PM).

The staff on the door were as helpful as last time we visited. Once again they had been expecting us and made sure I safely entered the building. They directed us to a space right down the front of the small hall. To those of you who are not familiar with this guy, Martin McAloon was the bass player and a founding member of Prefab Sprout. Prefab Sprout were a three piece band led by Martin’s brother Paddy McAloon and Wendy Smith. As they are not performing any more, Martin has decided to go out on the road and sing those timeless pop tunes to us.

The advertisement for the concert told us: “Martin will be performing a 2-hour show featuring a large selection of Prefab Sprout songs from their 40 years in the music industry, stripped back to the bare necessities, the raw elements of how they were first performed when originally written by his brother Paddy – before the bells, whistles and budget were added. Expect all the hits; Cars and Girls, When Love Breaks Down & The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and much, much more!”

“Following a fall during the pandemic that broke one wrist and a car accident that damaged the other arm, Martin used the guitar and the songs as a form of rehabilitation. Martin has been involved in the music industry since he was a teenager releasing the early Sprout records on his own label Candle Records, he’s lectured on music and art at colleges and universities and was instrumental in setting up the UKs leading music development agency, Generator Northeast. Martin is also a visual artist who exhibits under the pseudonym Feliks Culpa whose work is in collections worldwide and has exhibited at the Royal Academy and ICA London, Liverpool Museum of Popular Music, and Manchester Contemporary.” [Mental note to myself: Have a look at some of his artwork]

“These songs are the DNA that runs through me – the writing is pristine and it’s an honour to be able to play them in a live environment once again.” Martin McAloon

I have been fortunate enough to see Prefab Sprout perform on two occasions. The first was when an early incarnation of the band played at one of the legendary Durham Dome festivals. These events took place in the 1970s and early 1980s along the riverside at Durham. The stage was literally a dome structure, on which local bands performed, during some lovely sunny Saturday afternoons.

The second time I saw them was when they performed a short set as part of the Red Wedge tour which, organised and led by Billy Bragg, visited Newcastle City Hall. They had some great catchy pop songs and I was really looking forward to watching Martin perform those hits again. To say I wasn’t let down is an understatement. Martin played only a few feet away from us, performing those songs stripped down, just a man and his guitar. I imagine that this was how the songs first emerged with his brother Paddy, it was tremendous to see and hear such an authentic performance by one of the original members of the three piece band.

I had forgotten how many hits Prefab Sprout had amassed during their short career. I immediately recognised “When Love Breaks down”, “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Cars and Girls”. Martin had two setlists in front of him. One was his own preprepared list of songs. The other was one on which the audience wrote their requests. Martin moved seamlessly from one list to the other; trying his best to recall some of the more obscure Prefab Sprout songs that members of the audience had written on the list. This was a crowd who were clearly fans familiar with the band’s back catalogue. Some had probably travelled many miles to witness this performance.

Many thanks to Martin for performing those songs for us in such an intimate venue. Thank you Martin for signing my ticket (see first image). Thanks also to Jan for the photographs and to Atlanta for manipulating the site. Jan and I were soon out in the cool Northumberland air, and on our way through the winding roads and back home. A lovely evening, spent with a great performer with a clutch of wonderful songs. It don’t get much better. Happy days.

Setlist (something like this based on previous concerts): Moving the River; Faron Young; Cowboy Dreams; Looking for Atlantis; Nightingales; Don’t Sing; Carnival 2000; Hallelujah; When Love Breaks Down; Electric Guitars; I Remember That; The Sound of Crying; Cruel; Here on the Eerie; Never Play Basketball Now; Cue Fanfare; Horsin’ Around; Nancy (Let Your Hair Down for Me); Appetite; The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll; Bonny; Goodbye Lucille #1; Life of Surprises; Cars and Girls

1 Jan

The Cult 8424 Tour Newcastle City Hall Oct 30 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Death Cult, Jonathan Hultén, The Cult. Tagged: , , , , , .

It is some time since I saw The Cult live. In fact it is almost 40 years! How time flies and it does not seem that long ago. The NE1 site said of the concert: “Commemorating their 40th anniversary, The Cult arrive at Newcastle’s O2 City Hall with the ‘8424 Tour’! Expect to hear tunes from their 11-album discography with this celebration of their groundbreaking music and undeniable influence in the industry.” 11 albums. Wow!

The announcement was made thus: “The Cult have announced details of a UK tour, which will celebrate their 40th year as a band. Announced today, the shows are set for later this year and will see the iconic ‘80s rock group perform in 10 cities across the country. The dates come in celebration of a huge milestone for Ian Astbury and co., as this year marks four decades since the band formed as we recognise them today – swapping their name from the original title ‘Death Cult’ into ‘The Cult’.” But first, let me reminisce.

I have seen The Cult twice before. The first was at Redcar Coatham Bowl when the band were morphing from Southern Death Cult to the cult, the band at the time were known as Death Cult. The second time was when they had fully morphed into The Cult as a full electric band. I also saw Ian Astbury “playing” the part of Jim Morrison in a later incarnation of The Doors. Sadly, at the time I was not writing a lot on each concert and running one into another. This was because I was trying to catch up and record all of my past concerts . It took me five years, getting up one hour early before work every day and doing one entry each morning.

My blog entry of the time says: Death Cult Redcar 1983 and The Cult Newcastle 1985.
Ian Astbury is an interesting and impressive guy. He was born in Liverpool, lived for some time in Canada, and discovered music through The Doors, punk and Crass. I first became aware of him in Southern Death Cult, first saw him live in Death Cult, and then in the later incarnation of the band, The Cult. My first encounter with Ian Astbury was in the Death Cult, at Redcar Coatham Bowl in 1983. Ian was sporting a painted face and bandanna, strutting his stuff to the goth / new wave music of this post-punk supergroup, which he had formed with Billy Duffy from Theatre of Hate. Pretty impressive stuff, but just a taste of the rock splendour that was to follow a couple of years later.

The next time I saw The Cult in concert, they had transformed into a fully-fledged rock band and were touring to support the Love album. “She Sells Sanctuary” had been high in the charts for a number of weeks, and their new single “Rain” had just been released. Ian was now very much the heavy rock god. I remember being particularly impressed by Ian’s performance and by Billy Duffy’s guitar playing that night. I had a seat pretty close to the front and recall that the gig was very LOUD; my ears were ringing for some time after. “Love” and the follow-up “Electric” are both great albums, the former more psychedelic rock, and the latter much more hard-rock oriented. The City Hall concert was pretty electric, and the band went on to tour the USA to new phenomenal success.

The next time I saw Ian he was fronting The Doors (of the 21st Century) at Manchester Arena in 2004. The line-up of this incarnation of The Doors was Ray Manzarek – keyboards, vocals; Robby Krieger – guitar, vocals; Ian Astbury – lead vocals; Ty Dennis – drums, percussion; Angelo Barbera – bass guitar. Drummer John Densmore declined to take part in the project and sued the other band members over their use of the name. I had mixed views about going to the gig. The last time I saw the band (1972) Ray and Robby took vocal duties and the set was largely new material. The picture, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, shows the line-up of The Doors that I witnessed in 1972.

This time it was clear that the set would be classic Doors and Ian was almost mimicking Jim Morrison. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about that, and how appropriate it was. However we (I and my son David) did attend, out of interest as much as anything. The 20,000-capacity venue was nowhere near full, I would say it was a quarter full if that. We had great seats a few rows from the front. There was no support act, and the band were onstage for a couple of hours, the set consisting of a selection of Doors classics. One disappointment for me was that they didn’t play “Riders on the Storm”. Picture of Jim courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

But putting that aside, this was a great gig, which Ian carried off well. He looked like Jim, was dressed like him, and must have studied videos of his movements. As a massive Jim Morrison fan, Ian must have been in his element. We had many of the old songs, a psychedelic light show, and a band with two original members. It was just great and made me realise how amazing The Doors must have been in the day.

And so we move to the current day and The Cult 8424 Tour at Newcastle City Hall 2024
The support act was very weird. He was a guy called Jonathan Hultén, who was the original guitarist of the Swedish death metal band Tribulation. He was dressed with some very strange sort of cone above his head. At times he disappeared into a bizarre looking tent. This is the best I can describe it (have a look at the images). His website read: “Building on the haunting beauty of his 2020 debut album Chants From Another Place, Swedish songwriter Jonathan Hultén returns today with news of his highly-anticipated follow up Eyes Of The Living Night, set for release on 31st January 2025.”

“While going through this trial, you also discover hidden treasures along the way—important emotions and insights—that help guide you on your path through the seemingly endless night. When you finally reach the burning candle at the heart of the labyrinth, you realize that all along you were on a quest to find all those hidden treasures, and that they actually were things you had once lost—namely, parts of yourself.” It was clear that the guy was trying to take us on some sort of spiritual journey, but more of that later. I found him strange, intriguing, entertaining in terms of his performance art and his music. A great introduction to another spiritual journey.

Guitarist Billy Duffy said of the new tour: “Following up from the great energy of Death Cult 8323 shows, I’m looking forward to bringing that sense of celebration of the band’s music, and the communion with our fans, to Cult 8424. CFFC. Let the ceremony commence!”

And ceremony was the right term to describe the event. This was a coming together of the electric and Goth tribes, to a ceremony which celebrated the life of an iconic band. I did not realise just how much The Cult fans idolised this band until this concert. The City Hall was absolutely crammed, and Jackie and I were perched high above the crowd looking over the proceedings. It seemed that everyone was dressed in black, and the majority appeared to be what, one would term, Goths.

And, it seemed like Ian Astbury had morphed back into their Death Cult days. Ian was wearing a bandanna and black tunic which was almost like a Gothic dress with a short skirt. See the pictures and you will see what I mean. Billy Duffy remains the consummate electric guitarist. These two original members swirled through their back catalogue. The lighting was dark, sometimes red, sometimes blue. This had become a spiritual gathering of the clans and a celebration of the music of The Cult from 1984 to 2024, hence 8424, spanning 40 years and matching the period since I last saw the band. The crowd went crazy.

To be honest, many of the songs were unfamiliar to me. “Sweet Soul Sister” was familiar and reminded me of the 1984 tour when I saw glimpses of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin coming through the performance. If you look at the titles of some of the other tracks that they played you can see the sort of vibe that this band carries with them: “The Witch”, “Lucifer”. Say no more. By the time The Cult reached the encore we were back on familiar territory. The closing song just had to be “She Sells Sanctuary”. The crowd went absolutely crazy. Nuts. This band is magical and crosses the territory between pure Goth and electric heavy rock.

By the way does anyone who reads this blog know what Billie Duffy means by “CFFC” which he uses in the quote above? This keeps bugging me! Many thanks to Jackie for the photos, and Chris for manipulating the site. Oh, and I treated myself to a signed poster (see image) which was rather expensive as I recall, perhaps £75? What the hell. Well worth every penny.

Setlist: In the Clouds; Rise; Wild Flower; Star; Mirror; The Witch; The Phoenix; Resurrection Joe; Edie (Ciao Baby); Sweet Soul Sister; Lucifer; Fire Woman; Rain; Spiritwalker; Love Removal Machine.
Encore: Brother Wolf, Sister Moon; She Sells Sanctuary.

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