15 Sep

Kin Festival Thornley Hall Farm Durham 10 August 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Cast, Hawkwind. Tagged: , , , , , .

Northern Kin Festival has been running for several years now. From the website:  “created by a dedicated team of live music enthusiasts, determined to bring more live music to the North East, and a festival that truly represents this wonderful area, Northern Kin is perfect for lovers of Folk, Blues, Rock, Ska, Punk, Pop, Prog, Indie, Soul and much more, with an eclectic mix of the finest live music and a few musical surprises thrown in for good measure. There’ll be more than 40 bands and artists on 3 big stages, with lots of things to see and do, all in a beautiful rural setting, that is completely secure for all campers and a friendly atmosphere, for all ages.”

I attempted to go to the festival last year, but we arrived at the site only to be told that it was very muddy, and they advised us not to try and enter as they were having to tow cars out of the mud with tractors! The organisers kindly refunded our money. This year Kin Festival moved to a new site and one of my favourite bands of all time, Hawkwind were headlining Stage Two of the event. The Waterboys, another favourite band of mine were headlining Stage One so sadly I had to choose between the two bands. I decided to follow my long-time heroes Hawkwind and head for Stage Two.

The walk from the taxi drop off point to the festival tents was quite long and bumpy, but nonetheless Jan and I soon located the tent which housed Stage Two. We had timed our arrival to catch Hawkwind. Luckily for us we were soon up on the wheelchair platform and in time to see some of Cast’s set.

Cast were formed in Liverpool in 1992 by John Power (vocals, guitar) and Peter Wilkinson (bass) after Power left The La’s and Wilkinson’s former band Shack had split. Now I regret never having seen The La’s as I love their song “There She Goes” so to catch their descendant band Cast was a bonus. Indeed, Noel Gallagher of Oasis once described watching Cast live as being like a “religious experience” (from Wikipedia). Cast sounded really good, with the obligatory Liverpool twang.

Anyway, after a short break, Hawkwind took to the stage. Now, Hawkwind were one of my favourite bands in the early 70s. I have seen them many times over the years from the days, before they hit the charts with “Silver Machine”, and Stacia danced naked with them on stage. Recent Hawkwind publicity material guides us through their complex history: “One of England’s most enduring hard rock bands, Hawkwind were formed in London during the late ’60s, just as art rock was coming into its own. Though lesser known than contemporaries like Pink Floyd, the band is widely hailed as one of space rock’s early pioneers, thanks to seminal albums like 1973’s live opus Space Ritual.

Their potent mix of psychedelia, prog, straight-ahead hard rock, and lyrics steeped in science fiction — particularly the themes and imagery of author Michael Moorcock, who also became a member at various points — and drug effects helped define Hawkwind and separate them from the competition. The group’s history has been marked by a series of confusing lineup changes, as members began an almost revolving-door relationship with the band virtually from the outset. Throughout their many decades and incarnations, founding guitarist Dave Brock has remained Hawkwind’s chief steward, while notable players like Lemmy and Ginger Baker have also enjoyed stints with the band.”

As you will have gathered from the above, the line-up has changed many, many times over the years, the one constant being bandleader Dave Brock. Well, Captain Brock led his family through a selection of Hawkwind tracks old and new including favourites:  “Spirit of the Age”, “Spirit of the Age” and “Silver Machine”. This was a very different Hawkwind to the one I witnessed only a few months earlier at Newcastle City Hall. On that occasion Dave Brock took a backseat in some of the songs and was not present for the encore (I believe it was said that he was backstage having a cup of tea). They also did not perform “Silver Machine” that night, so I was delighted to see it return to the set this time. Also, Dave Brock was very much up front leading the band through a classic Hawkwind performance, like only they can deliver at a festival. The light show was outstanding, and the choice of songs was also excellent.

Getting back to our taxi was something of an adventure. The ground had obviously been muddy earlier in the weekend and Jan and I bounced our way over bumpy terrain and rocks which made the journey across the fields somewhat scary. We even had two strong guys holding each side of my wheelchair to make sure I didn’t topple over! Nonetheless, nothing could spoil a great event with another opportunity to see one of my all-time favourite bands. Roll on Kin 2025.

Many thanks to Jan for the photographs, for braving the bumpy ride across the site with me and Chris for manipulating the site.

Hawkwind Setlist: Arrival in Utopia; Frozen in Time; Lost Chances; Underwater City; Assault and Battery; The Golden Void; Levitation; Contemplation; Psi Power; Spirit of the Age; Silver Machine

11 Sep

Inspiral Carpets The  Fire Station Parade Ground 9 August 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Inspiral Carpets, Voodoo Radio. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

This was my first experience of witnessing Inspiral Carpets live. It was also my first experience of visiting The Fire Station Parade Ground which is a superb outdoor venue at the rear of the main Fire Station building. Both the band and the venue exceeded my expectations. It was a great night with a band I have been meaning to see for some time.

The Fire Station website: “After a successful sell out 19-date run with fellow Madchester icons Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets are delighted to announce further live shows in 2024 including The Fire Station’s Parade Ground. These shows will be “a celebration of the music we created, which has brought so much joy to people over the last 35 years,” the band say. A vital component of the infamous ‘Madchester’ movement, Inspiral Carpets formed in Oldham in 1980.

Known for hit singles such as ‘This Is How It Feels’, ‘Saturn 5’ and ‘She Comes in the Fall’, they remain much-loved not only in Manchester but across the UK. These shows follow an eight-year break since Inspiral Carpets last took to the stage in 2015 following the tragic loss of their close friend and drummer, Craig Gill. A year later, they went on an indefinite hiatus.”

“Craig’s death had a profound effect on many people. The outpouring of love from around the world at the time gave some comfort to his family and friends as we all tried to come to terms with what had happened.”

On the reformation, the band are keen to emphasise the celebratory nature of the forthcoming live shows, giving fans a chance to sing along to their favourite hits and commemorate the life of Craig. “We know this will be an emotional journey for a lot of people, not least Craig’s family. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate some of the music we created, and which has brought so much joy to people over the last 35 years.”

“We have never played in Sunderland before, so we are massively looking forward to the show. See you down the front.” – Stephen Holt. “We gigged all last year and after a successful run with our friends Happy Mondays, we’re back on the road. It will be fantastic to play for the people of Sunderland. We can’t wait.” – Clint Boon.

Jackie and I ventured out on a cool evening to see a very cool band (pun intended) at an increasingly becoming very cool venue and the place to go for music in Sunderland. The Parade Ground was full when we arrived. We had missed support band Voodoo Radio (unintentionally, I must emphasise) who are led by a crazy lady drummer and her father on guitar. Chris and I saw them a few weeks ago at Stockton Georgian Theatre and really enjoyed them. They were supporting The Wedding Present, and I reported on them in that blog entry.

We arrived just as Inspiral Carpets took to the stage. I was pleasantly surprised by their performance. The singer Stephen Holt is a great front man with strong vocals, cool hair, and very cool mod/psychedelic clothes. The lineup has changed many times over the years and the current touring band is Graham Lambert lead guitarist (1980–1995, 2003–2016, 2022–present), Stephen Holt vocalist (1983–1989, 2011–2016, 2022–present), Clint Boon on keyboards and backing vocals (1987–1995, 2003–2016, 2022–present), Kev Clark drummer (2022–present) and Oscar Boon bassist (2023–present).

They are all very dapper in their mod/psychedelic clothing and their music is a mixture of 60s/80s poppy tunes led by swirling Farfisa organ and strong, loud vocals. Magic. “Cool as f**k. The return of the Madchester legends. Currently touring UK & Europe.” proclaims their website. And it ain’t far wrong. I don’t know any of the songs but in a strange way they all sound familiar. The set list below is drawn from recent shows.

I am not sure if the encore really did include “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians but that song almost sums up the sound of the band: organ – led, punkish vocals and early psychedelia. It doesn’t get much better for a cool (in both senses of the word) evening of music in the open-air.

Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and Chris for navigating the site. Bring back the 1960s, mod, psychedelia, and rave culture.

Setlist (something like): Generations; Weakness; Butterfly; Move; She Comes in the Fall; Directing Traffik; Two Worlds Collide; How It Should Be; Let You Down; Find Out Why; Uniform; Sackville; This Is How It Feels; Keep the Circle Around; I Want You; Commercial Rain; Dragging Me Down. Encore: Joe; 96 Tears; Saturn 5.

8 Sep

Sons of Cream The Exchange 1856  North Shields 7 August 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Cream, Sons of Cream. Tagged: , , , , .

From the Exchange website: “The band Cream were one of the first supergroups, blending their beloved blues with powerful rock licks and rhythms. Now, nearly 60 years after the trio of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce burst onto the scene, North Tyneside welcomes the new generation – Sons of Cream. Kofi Baker and Malcolm Bruce both have deep roots going back to the birth of the 60’s British Blues R&B Rock Explosion. Here they honour the incredible legacy of their fathers Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce alongside their bandmate Eric Clapton in an exciting show featuring the music of Cream and beyond through their project Sons of Cream.”

“But this isn’t your typical tribute act, these men have a strange multidimensional pedigree. It is purely second nature as they dive inside the music, bringing it alive, like a living organism, like a second skin, all constantly morphing into something new. They have big shoes to fill. And through some kind of genetic imprint, and intuitive sense, they arrive at the true heart of what Cream’s music stands for and are truly making it their own. Together they are bringing to light the spirit and pure energy and audacity of the music of their fathers.”

Malcolm Bruce, son of Jack Bruce, said: “We are excited to be coming to North Shields and The Exchange 1856 to play the music of Cream. It’s a new venue for us. I have great formative memories of visiting Chas Chandler in the general area as I grew up with his son Steffan…..We are comfortable playing the music as we have been playing together for a while, but also because we are not approaching this as a tribute act per se. As we are all actually related to the original band members and grew up performing with our dads, we are essentially an extension of the whole thing. Although of course we play all the songs that people know and love, we understand and approach the music from the point of view that it is based on improvisation, so it is fresh and new every time we perform.”

“So, we go off on a musical journey with the material in an organic way. This is what the original band did and how we understand it ourselves. And this gives us the freedom to let ourselves discover our own way of playing, and that to some degree takes the pressure off! We are not pretending to be Jack, Ginger, and Eric, that would be impossible anyway. So, we use the material as a vehicle for self-expression rather than simply playing it note for note. All the songs get a great reaction depending on the night, of course the best known songs like ‘White Room’ and ‘Sunshine of your Love’ are crowd favourites but also less well known songs such as ‘We’re Going Wrong’ are a joy to play because they are so direct and expressive and go off into uncharted territory every time we play them. It’s all about the journey for us.”

So, would the sons do their fathers justice? I was really looking forward to this concert as I was lucky enough to see Cream at their reunion concert at The Royal Albert Hall London in 2005 which was a big gig for me. I’d watched the Cream farewell concert on TV in the late 60s and was just mesmerised by Clapton. His hair, the psychedelic painted SG, the “woman” tone he described in the film, it all seemed just sensational to me, as a kid at the time. I so wished that I’d had the chance to see Cream. I remember older boys at school talking about seeing them at a gig in Newcastle and saying how great they were. I was so jealous of them. I bought Goodbye Cream and played it repeatedly. I saw Clapton many times in the 70s and 80s, and Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker with their solo projects. But to see Cream was a great dream, an ambition.

So, when the rumours of a reunion came to fruition, and it was announced that the three legends would come together for a series of shows in London I was determined to go. I was nervous about getting tickets and stressed about it for days before they went on sale. On the morning that they did go on sale I had two phones and a computer to hand and got straight through to the Albert Hall box office on one of the phones, managing to my joy to buy tickets some ten rows from the stage. I then waited in anticipation for the gig. Would it be as good as I hoped?

Marie came with me, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Judging by the American accents in evidence, the Albert Hall was full of fans who had travelled a long way for the honour of seeing this legendary band play for one more time. The atmosphere was strange, everyone was quiet in anticipation. It was as if the crowd couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Quiet, almost religious. The set covered everything I could have wished for with a selection from all of the albums. Clapton was God again; Jack sang beautifully, and Ginger pounded away on his drums.

The crowd stayed in their seats until almost the end. For “Sunshine of Your Love”, which was the encore, we were all up and we managed to get right to the front. Marie was leaning on the stage directly in front of Jack Bruce and I was just behind her. You can even see us on the DVD if you look closely. A night that I will remember for ever. Sometimes your dreams do come true, and sometimes they are as good as you dreamed, they would be. Happy days.

Back to today and The Exchange. The songs of the 60s resonated through the hall. Jackie, Norm, and I really enjoyed the concert. As the set list shows, the band chose an eclectic mixture of tracks from Cream’s back catalogue, including some I had forgotten, such as the wonderful “We’re Going Wrong”. They even threw in a magnificent attempt at “Toad”, the Ginger Baker drum solo, and a couple of Blind Faith songs which were no longer familiar to me. The performance was note perfect, including the understated opener “NSU” and the magnificent “White Room”. These guys are immersed in the music of their parents, who I am sure would approve. “Sunshine of your Love” Happy days are here again! Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site as usual. The last picture of the band is from the Exchange website

Set 1:N.S.U.; Politician; Outside Woman Blues; Sleepy Time Time; Can’t Find My Way Home; Pressed Rat and Warthog; Tales of Brave Ulysses; Toad.

Set 2: I’m So Glad; Cross Road Blues; Sitting on Top of the World; Had to Cry Today; Sunshine of Your Love; We’re Going Wrong; White Room; Sweet Wine.

Encore: Spoonful.

3 Sep

Love with Johnny Echols Gosforth Civic Theatre 24 July 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Johnny Echols, Love. Tagged: , , , , , .

A story of two kind gentleman: one a legend of rock and roll.

Now Forever Changes is an absolute classic, often rated as one of the best albums of all time. And I can’t disagree. Neither would the crowd in Gosforth Civic Theatre. The place was packed and almost everyone sang along to every song. To my shame I can’t claim to know every song by Love, but many sounded familiar. Original guitarist Johnny Echols looks so cool, quite the part for an original psychedelic electric guitar hero complete with woolly hat, straight out of the late 1960s. He co-founded the band with Arthur Lee back in 1965. Respect.

Jackie and I had already seen this incarnation of Love at The Cluny, Newcastle around one year ago. Many years ago, I was lucky enough to witness the late, great Arthur Lee, the leader of Love, at the Tyne Theatre with my late wife Marie. On each occasion, Baby Lemonade were the backing band for Arthur Lee/Johnny Echols. Baby Lemonade are a Love tribute band.

This was my first visit to the latest incarnation of Gosforth Civic Theatre. I have happy memories of going to see Adam and the Ants and, on another occasion, Buster Blood Vessel with his band Bad Manners at the original Civic Theatre, which is now a supermarket. The completely new venue is exactly that, spanking brand-new and a very pleasant setting for the concert.

The website for the Civic Theatre announced the concert thus: “LOVE with Johnny Echols sees Arthur Lee’s longest serving band return to the UK to perform classic songs from Love’s first three albums Love, Da Capo, Four Sail and of course Forever Changes as well as some special deep cuts.”

“Following their farewell tour in 2019 the band hadn’t anticipated a return, but in 2022 the band did just that, as founding member and guitarist Johnny Echols explained, “the unprecedented times in which we found ourselves made us realise more than ever that what the world needs now is LOVE. How could we turn down the opportunity to come back and do it again? We have missed playing for our fans in the UK whom we dearly love.”

Johnny continues: “I so look forward to our trips across the pond and performing LOVE’s extraordinary music for our friends in the UK. We will, of course, be performing much of Forever Changes, as well as favourites from our extensive catalogue… as well as a few surprises. Don’t miss the LOVE-Boat!”

Back to the concert. Burt Bacharach’s “Little Red Book” sounded as fresh as ever and “Alone Again or” is undoubtedly one of the best songs of all time. A great show by the latest version of a classic band. It doesn’t get much better. But there was more to come. We were seated down towards the front of the stage throughout the performance, facing the band. I was purposely trying to smile at Johnny Echols, and it seemed to me that he was smiling back at me. Sure enough, at the end of the concert he beckoned towards my carer Jackie and handed her his plectrum, saying “that’s for your friend” and signifying that the plectrum was intended for me. I smiled at him and mouthed the words “Thank You”.

And then another wonderful thing happened. Someone on the stage gave their printed set list to someone in the crowd. They handed it onward to me. “No, that’s yours” I said, but the guy insisted that he wanted me to have it. Many thanks to you, my friend. Two lovely presents in one evening!

Thanks to Jackie for the photos, to Johnny Echols for the plectrum (see image), to the guy down the front beside me for the set list (also see image) and to Chris for manipulating the site.

25 Aug

The Monument Festival Herrington Country Park 20 July 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Black Grape, Jake Bugg, Shaun Ryder, The Coral. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

So, Jan and I went along to the Monument Festival, which was in Herrington Park, just opposite the iconic Penshaw Monument, a landmark which sits high above Sunderland and is visible from all around the area.

The venue had hosted the Kubix! Festival the previous week which featured boy bands and was unfortunately on a very rainy evening, and the site was apparently very muddy. We were lucky in that the evening was dry, and the muddy ground had dried up. Winner!

The publicity told us: “Monument Festival is a brand-new music festival that replaces Kubix Rock! The same great day you know and love, just under a brand-new name giving it it’s own identity! A packed day of rock, indie and alternative music, and much more, is heading to Herrington Park……. With a host of brilliant bands and amazing artists, across two stages, this will be one of THE festivals of the Summer in the North East.”

We went along for the evening performance to see the Coral, Jake Bugg, and the Kooks. Unfortunately, for some reason (I think it may have been the mud from the previous week) the Kooks did not show up and we saw the Coral, Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape, and Jake Bugg, in that order. Still, it was an entertaining and interesting evening. The event had two stages, each in its own tent, and we were in the main stage for the evening.

First up was The Coral, a band I have seen several times; firstly, supporting The Who at the Royal Albert Hall, and then supporting Radiohead (I think) at Manchester Cricket Ground. They have some great songs all performed with a strong Liverpool twang. Songs I recognised included “Pass It On”, “In the Morning” and the final track “Dreaming of You”. All quite 60s oriented, yet with their own style. Lots of fun and a great starter for the evening.

The Coral Setlist: Bill McCai; Pass It On; Simon Diamond; Faceless Angel; Lover discovered; Watch You Disappear; People Are Strange; That’s Where She Belongs;    Jacqueline; In the Morning; Holy Revelation; Dreaming of You

Next up was Shaun Ryder and Black Grape, the band that Shaun Ryder formed after the breakup of Happy Mondays. We were not familiar with any of their songs which sort of mash rap with Shaun’s inimitable style. Quite enjoyable for a first visit to the Black Grape world.

Black Grape Setlist: (something like) In the Name of the Father; Tramazi Parti; Nine Lives; Pimp Wars; Yeah Yeah Brother; Set the Grass on Fire; Reverend Black Grape; Dirt; A Big Day in the North; Milk; Kelly’s Heroes

Finally, the new headliner was none other than Jake Bugg, someone I have seen several times before; headlining at Newcastle Academy when he was a young and upcoming artist, supporting someone in Hyde Park (either The Rolling Stones or The Who) and a couple of other times.

He is a solo artist with a clutch of great songs, an acoustic guitar and the charisma and power to engage with any crowd, anywhere. My favourite song, and his best known, which came towards the end of the set is “Lightning Bolt”. Listen to it; it’s very catchy and an excellent singalong (which everyone did).

A very enjoyable evening, if not quite what was expected in terms of the lineup, in a local festival near a local landmark. Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.

Jake Bug Setlist: (something like) Simple as This; Trouble Town; Messed Up Kids;  Zombieland; Seen It All ; Broken; Taste It; All Kinds of People; Two Fingers; Lightning Bolt; What Doesn’t Kill You; Simple Pleasures; All I Need

24 Aug

Ian Macdonald “Fixing Time”  Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens 19 July 2024 4:30pm – 5:30pm

Posted by vintagerock in Ian Macdonald. Tagged: , .

Well, this is not quite rock ‘n’ roll, but I thought it was worth including a short entry to mark my visit to this interesting exhibition at my local museum. I was attracted to the exhibition by the invitation I received from the museum which explain that: ““Fixing Time” is a retrospective exhibition exploring 50 years of work by renowned British artist and photographer Ian Macdonald. … Macdonald boasts a rich and prolific career spanning five decades behind the lens. His photographic journey has been dedicated to documenting life, the evolution of working-class communities, and the rise and fall of industry in Teesside and Cleveland.”

“Distinctive in his approach, Macdonald developed a unique style using traditional black-and-white film and print-making techniques. This distinctive aesthetic not only reflects his artistic prowess but also signifies his growing confidence in employing photography as a tool to address the pressing issues observed and lived during that transformative era. The exhibition at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens spotlights key photographic series such as “Heavy Industry,” “Smith’s Dock Shipyard,” “Redcar Blast Furnace,” and “School Portraits.”

This sounded very interesting and relevant to my own background in Sunderland. So, Chris and I walked down to the museum on the appointed afternoon to see the exhibition. We waited in a short queue for Ian Macdonald to arrive and escort us around the exhibition, which consisted of a series of enlarged black-and-white photographs of shipyards, heavy industry in the north-east and industrial workers. Ian talked us through each photograph, explaining its relevance to him and his family. He clearly found this a highly emotional experience as he had to stop at various points and take a long breath before proceeding.

The short discussion of his photographs deepened my understanding of north-east heavy industry and of Ian’s photographic methods, centred upon black-and-white photography to deepen the authenticity of his images. No sooner had it started, the exhibition was over. I really enjoyed the experience and felt that I had gained a deep understanding of the man and his work. He kindly signed a copy of the book which accompanied the exhibition (see images; no other photography was allowed).

Many thanks to Elaine for getting my book signed, Chris for the photography and Jan for manipulating the site. Thanks to Wikimedia Commons for the photograph of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens Back to some real vintage rock next time.

 

 

21 Aug

AC/DC POWER UP TOUR Wembley Stadium 3 July 2024

Posted by vintagerock in AC/DC, The Pretty Reckless. Tagged: , , , , .

I first saw AC/DC in 1976 when they came over from Australia and played the Reading festival, and small venues such as Newcastle University Students Union, and Middlesbrough Town Hall. This was, of course, in the days when the original singer Bon Scott led the band alongside brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. They had just released their first album High Voltage which featured classic tracks such as “The Jack”, “TNT”, “It’s a Long Way to the Top… If You Want to Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “She’s Got B**ls”. Not very PC. But this band were lots of fun.

Angus would wear his school uniform complete with cap and satchel and ride on the shoulders of Bon through the audience. I remember touching the pair of them as they wandered through Middlesbrough Town Hall and watching poor Angus get soaked in beer as some idiot decided to throw his pint on the two of them at Newcastle University. Crazy days.

The Young brothers were originally from Glasgow and moved to Australia when they were young, and the UK had a deal whereby you could emigrate to Australia for something like £5. I remember some of my friends going to Australia, never to be seen again. Others decided to return and reappeared many years later. So, AC/DC are usually seen as an Australian band, but their roots lay in the East End of Glasgow. Angus would front the band on lead guitar with, by his side, brother Malcolm on rhythm guitar. Angus was the crazy, manic schoolboy.

The band became a massive favourite at Newcastle Mayfair. They would pack the venue for several nights in a row. I went every time they appeared and saw them there many times. One night, with def Leppard as support, there was a fire in the venue and the concert was cancelled and rescheduled. Again, these were crazy nights. AC/DC were a massive draw yet chose to continue headlining the Mayfair rather than moving on to the larger venues such as the City Hall or Newcastle Odeon. They clearly enjoyed the intimacy, drinking culture and madness of the crowd. Happy days.

And then poor Bon was no more. His hard drinking caught up with him. “Scott died of alcohol poisoning and the other members considered disbanding. However, at the request of Scott’s parents, they continued together.” (From Wikipedia) Then came a surprise. Local lad (local to me, that is) Brian Johnson was announced as the new singer.

I had seen Brian perform many times in local band Geordie at workingman’s clubs and, later, at Sunderland Locarno when they hit the charts with songs such as “Don’t Do That” and “All Because of You”. He had a similar raucous voice to that of Bon’s so you could sort of imagine the logic behind choosing him to replace the irreplaceable.

And thus, I was sitting in Newcastle City Hall in 1980 for the Back in Black tour to promote the album of the same (very appropriate) name. “Their first album with Johnson, Back in Black (1980), was dedicated to Scott’s memory. It became the second best-selling album of all time.” But for me the big question remained. How will Brian cut it live? Could he fill the large shoes left by Bon? As soon as AC/DC took to the stage the answer was clear. I need not have worried. AC/DC were back and as powerful as ever. Brian screamed and screeched those vocals out and was simply tremendous.

AC/DC went on to become international megastars. The introduction of Brian Johnson heralded a new chapter in the career of AC/DC. From then on, I saw AC/DC many times, usually headlining rock festivals, particularly the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park. The bell came along for “Hells Bells” and became an integral part of the show. Brian, Angus (still a schoolboy) and Malcolm went on to success after success. The last time I saw them perform was at Manchester Arena some time ago with my son, David. They were tremendous and I was hungry to see them again.

Sadly, things changed along the way. “Malcolm Young left AC/DC in mid-2014 to receive treatment for dementia. In September 2014, the band’s management announced that he would be retiring permanently. He died from the effects of dementia on 18 November 2017” (from Wikipedia). A sad loss. To complicate things further, Brian Johnson left the band only to return.

When I saw “Rock legends AC/DC return to Wembley Stadium this summer for two epic concerts with special guests The Pretty Reckless.” I could not wait to buy tickets. In fact, to ensure I secured my place in the crowd I invested in a gold package. Jan, Jackie, and I travelled down to Wembley on the train staying at our usual friendly Premier Inn. Soon we were in the Bobby Moore suite enjoying complimentary food and drink and a magnificent view of the stage. I treated myself to a few drinks and a T-shirt and programme.

The AC/DC site: “We are thrilled to finally announce the ‘POWER UP’ European Tour. Angus, Brian, Stevie, and Matt will be joined by Chris Chaney to carry the torch for Cliff. The tour will see us play shows across Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, England, Slovakia, Belgium, France & Ireland this Summer. We can’t wait to see you all out there.”

I saw a little of support act the Pretty Reckless but was tempted away by the lure of the hospitality. They sounded good, and my friend John who has seen them in their home USA told me just how great they are and admonished me for missing out on them. Soon AC/DC took to the stage, we took our seats which gave us a great view of the proceedings, and away we went on a rollercoaster of classic songs: “Back in Black”, “Hells Bells”, back to the start with “High Voltage” and other familiar territory such as “Highway to Hell” and “Whole lotta Rosie”. They were fantastic and the Brian/Angus pairing was on top form.

But this was very much the Angus Young show. Angus, still dressed as a schoolboy, stole the show with extensive, epic guitar solos. Fantastic. The encore took us back to the start again with “TNT” and then closer “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”. We filed out of the stadium, down Wembley Way, and waited what seemed to be ages for a taxi back to our hotel. Before I knew it, we were on our way home on the train the next day. AC/DC are still magnificent.

Many thanks to Jan and Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site.

Setlist: If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It); Back in Black; Demon Fire; Shot Down in Flames;    Thunderstruck; Have a Drink on Me; Hells Bells; Shot in the Dark; Stiff Upper Lip; Shoot to Thrill; Sin City; Rock ‘n’ Roll Train; Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap; High Voltage; Riff Raff; You Shook Me All Night Long; Highway to Hell; Whole Lotta Rosie; Let There Be Rock.

Encore: T.N.T.; For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

19 Aug

Madness Newcastle Racecourse 28 Jun 2024

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

I first saw Madness on the legendary Two-Tone tour which called at Newcastle Mayfair on November 9th, 1979. This tour brought Ska to the masses, coming off the back of the punk revolution, and featured the combined talents of headliners The Specials, Madness and The Selecter. The tour sold out everywhere, and was a complete success, but sadly the main reason it made the press was because of some violent outbreaks caused by a minority of troublemakers in some venues. The National Front and the British National Party were out recruiting at the shows, even though the bands who were performing on the tour openly distanced themselves from racism. It was a strange paradox, here we had fans dancing to multi-racial bands and singing along with songs whose lyrics preached racial unity, and yet the far-right was trying to sell politics which came from the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

As I recall, there was quite a bit of trouble at the Mayfair gig, with fights breaking out throughout the night; and being one of a small number of people in the crowd with long hair, I did feel quite unsafe at times. None the less I survived, and it was a great night, featuring three excellent bands, and one of several nights I would spend with Madness over the next few years. By the time the Two-Tone tour visited our towns, Madness were already hitting the charts and bringing their nutty humour and perfect pop tunes into our living rooms on Top of the Pops. In 1979 “The Prince”, “My Girl” and “One Step Beyond” had all been chart hits in the UK.

The next time I saw Madness was at Sunderland Mecca, which by then was also called the Mayfair (just to confuse things), on April 30th, 1980. The place was packed, and a hot sweaty fun night had by all. I remember being right down the front in the pit, getting knocked and pushed all over the ballroom floor. I then saw them at concerts at Newcastle City Hall in December 1980, October 1981, and February 1983. I also saw Madness headline the first night of the Dock Rock Festival, which took place down at Hartlepool docks in the summer of 1986. Going to a Madness gig meant a guaranteed night of fun. By the mid-80s there was no stopping these guys; and they hit the UK single charts over 20 times, assembling a catalogue of tremendous pop tunes to draw from including “Baggy Trousers”, “Our House” and “House of Fun”.

Madness split shortly after the Dock Rock Festival in 1986 and reformed some years later to give us many more years of fun! They would often headline Newcastle Arena, and I went along and saw the nutty boys on several more occasions, each one bringing the audience a guaranteed night of chart hits, dancing and singing along. I enjoyed every time and so I was delighted to read that: “Following the success of their No 1 album ‘C’Est La Vie’ this week, get your baggy trousers ready as we are thrilled to announce MADNESS are to perform at Newcastle Racecourse on Friday 28th June 2024!

Theatre of the Absurd presents: Madness – C’Est La Vie “The lights go down on some dark theatre in London / For the cruellest comedy…” Read the headlines and it’s hard not to conclude that the world has gone mad. Mad enough, in fact, to give North London’s finest twelve-legged quorum of Nutty Boys a run for their money. According to keyboard-wrangler Mike ‘Barso’ Barson, the title track to Madness’s lucky thirteenth full-length C’Est La Vie is “about these crazy times we’re living in, and how I just want to stay on my boat and not be a part of All this madness. But of course, I’m a member of a group called Madness. Perhaps we should have called ourselves ‘Sanity’…” If this latest opus is any indication, when the going gets mad, the Mad only get sharper, wilder, and more succinct.”

“C’Est La Vie combines the widescreen ambition of masterpieces like The Liberty of Norton Folgate and The Rise & Fall and the allkiller- no-filler tune factory instincts of classics like Absolutely, 7 and Can’t Touch Us Now. It’s a 14-song suite packed with lunatic hooks and neon choruses, eerie spaceska and sophisticated pop genius – a giddy gambol across a bouncy castle soundscape that finds time for moments of righteous anger, powerful empathy and the kind of plain-spoken wisdom that’s always operated beneath the group’s nutty veneer. Vintage Madness, in other words.”

How could I resist? Well, the answer was of course, I couldn’t’ t, could I!? The last time I went to a similar event was to see the Beach Boys at York races, which was lots of fun. So, Jackie, Harvey and I elected to go to the races. I decided to pay for the Premier Enclosure which placed the three of us in a nice part of the racecourse to place our bets before the nutty boys took to the stage. We did quite well actually, coming out with £20 profit overall to share between us. We won on every race! Wish we had done an accumulator. We had a nice drink and then wandered down to see Madness.

We bumped along over the grass and got so far down into the crowd. We couldn’t get right to the front because the closer we got to the stage the fuller and crazier it became. Hence, we got the closest we could and watched Madness perform a set of greatest hits. I had forgotten just how many hits these guys have had. They came one after the other: “One Step Beyond”, “My Girl”, “House of Fun”, “Baggy Trousers” and “Our House”. Everyone singing along and dancing crazily. Great fun. The final encore was, as always, complete with fez’s “Night Boat to Cairo”. We all meandered out towards our taxi home. A good time had by all. Happy days.

Many thanks to Jackie for pictures and helping me navigate the site.

Setlist: One Step Beyond; Embarrassment; The Prince; C’est la vie; NW5; My Girl; The Sun and the Rain; Hour of Need; Wings of a Dove; Lovestruck; Run for Your Life; Bed and Breakfast Man; Shut Up;     Round We Go; Mr. Apples; Livin’ on a Prayer; House of Fun; Baggy Trousers; Our House; It Must Be Love

Encore: Madness; Night Boat to Cairo.

11 Aug

Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets The Glasshouse June 22 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets. Tagged: , , , , , .

This was my second Nick Mason experience, having previously seen Nick and his band Saucerful of Secrets at Newcastle City Hall a couple of years earlier. Nick is, of course, drummer of Pink Floyd fame, and has assembled a band of fine musicians to go out on the road and play a wonderful set of early Pink Floyd classic songs, many from the Syd Barrett era. This time the tour was entitled the Set the Controls Tour, indicating that the band had moved forward from the Syd Barrett era, from which they previously drew their repertoire.

“Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets are an English rock band formed in 2018 to perform the early music of Pink Floyd. The band comprises Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason, bassist Guy Pratt, guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harris, and keyboardist Dom Beken. As many fans had discovered Pink Floyd with their bestselling 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon, Mason wanted to bring their earlier material to a wider audience.” (From Wikipedia). Bassist Guy Pratt was a member of a later incarnation of Pink Floyd and Gary Karen was, of course, a founder member of 1980s band Spandau Ballet.

As before, the stage was set out with Nick Mason in the centre (very much the star of the show and the evening), surrounded by his band of musicians. Behind, and around them, was a very appropriate backdrop of psychedelic liquid lens images, setting the scene for an evening of early psychedelic rock.

The first half opened by taking us right back to the start with the classic guitar-based tune “Astronomy Domine”, one of my favourite early Pink Floyd tracks. We were then treated to more Syd Barrett era songs including my favourite “See Emily Play”. I loved that tune so much in the early 1970s when it was played constantly at Sunderland Locarno (with everyone running onto the dancefloor, except me, to do crazy hippy dances). “Remember a Day” is also a favourite song of mine.

The closing song of the first set was, as promised by the tour title “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” a song written by Roger Waters, taking lyrics from a Chinese poetry book, and features a wonderful drum part by Nick Mason played with timpani mallets. “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” is a standout track from A Saucerful of Secrets, the Floyd’s second studio album, released in1968. The mental health of Syd Barrett deteriorated during recording, so guitarist David Gilmour was recruited. Barrett left the band before the album’s completion.

During the interval I purchased a T-shirt and a pint of Guinness. Soon it was time for the second set which returned to Barrett era songs: “The Scarecrow” and “Lucifer Sam”. The concert ended with “Echoes” a lengthy haunting tune which comprises the entire second side from later period Floyd album Meddle.

 

But that is not the end. The audience gave the band a standing ovation and they return to play “One of These Days”, a throbbing, rhythmic classic song which opens the afore mentioned Meddle. The final song is the title track from A Saucerful of Secrets. Many of these songs feature the drums of Mason at the heart of their rhythmic structure.

So, we have been treated to a mix of early Pink Floyd music, performed by the drummer whose percussion, use of timpani and gongs lay at the heart of their rhythm.

Happy days. Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.

Setlist: Set One: Astronomy Domine; Arnold Layne; See Emily Play; Remember Me; Obscured by Clouds; When You’re In; Remember a Day; If; Atom Heart Mother; If (Reprise); The Nile Song;  Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.

Set Two: The Scarecrow; Fearless; Childhood’s End; Lucifer Sam; Echoes.

Encore: One of These Days; A Saucerful of Secrets.

5 Aug

Sunderland Music City Roots The Firestation 21 June 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Celadore, Lottie Willis, Mcxxne, Red Remedy, Ruby Kelly, Sunderland Music City. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Another fabulous night at The Fire Station, my local venue. This special event was scheduled for World Music Day, celebrating the launch of Sunderland Music City with a showcase of the North East’s leading emerging talent. This special event featured performances from rising stars who are being supported by artist development programmes based in Sunderland and the wider region. This event was hosted by Marty Longstaff and Frankie Francis. Marty Longstaff is also known as the Lake Poets, and Frankie is better known as Frankie from Frankie and the Heartstrings

In the first half we were treated to excellent performances by Red Remedy, Fabz and Mcxxne, and Ruby Kelly. Red Remedy hail from Sunderland College, and are a five-piece alternative pop rock quintet from the North East known for their powerful and infectious music. Led by Maddy Storey’s mesmerizing vocals, the band’s sound combines alternative rock, indie and punk elements.

Next up were Fabz and Mcxxne led by Newcastle-based singer/songwriter Mcxxne. Mcxxne has been supported across platforms such as BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Introducing, and DMY. Fabz is a rising MC coming through the Northern Roots mentoring scheme. Straight out of NAME (The Northern Academy of Music Education) was singer Ruby Kelly. Ruby Kelly is a Welsh folk singer/songwriter who is influenced by some of my favourite artists such as The Kinks, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, her songs were brutally honest accounts, from her own life experiences of moving away from her hometown at the age of 18.

During the interval I treated myself to a pint of Guinness and from there we moved into the second half which featured once again excellent performances from Lottie Willis, Jodie Nicholson and Celadore. Lottie Willis kickstarted her musical career by joining the Young Musicians Project at the age of 14 and now at just 19-years-old she has grown her audience across the North East with support from BBC Introducing as well as performing shows for the likes of Summer Streets, Waves festival and Tracks. She was followed by Jodie Nicholson a Teeside-based writer and producer who was the first artist to play at The Fire Station.

Last, but by no means least, was a performance by Celadore, the alias of Sunderland born-and-raised musician Rachael Small. Rachael has surrounded herself with a band of like-minded and talented folk with the aim of bringing to life the piano ballads she has been rehearsing and recording at The Bunker, a legendary pioneering artist development organisation in Sunderland

By this time I was too knackered to stay for the after-party hosted by DJ Frankie Francis. Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and Chris for navigating the site.

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