Posts Tagged ‘blues’
17
Dec
Posted by vintagerock in Slade. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, punk, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Slade at Koko in London December 18th 2011
I spent some great nights in the company of Slade in the 70s and early 80s. In their heyday Slade were, without question, one of THE great live acts. Their shows were always very loud, very wild and great fun. My first Slade experiences were in Sunderland Locarno, and at the Lincoln festival in 1972 where they were one of the highlights of the weekend. I saw them in a sold out Newcastle City Hall at the peak of their success, and then in their wilderness years in a half empty City Hall and in small clubs such as Middlesbrough Rock Garden. I was also lucky enough to be at the Reading festival in 1980, where Slade were a last minute replacement for Ozzy Osbourne, and took the place by storm. That Reading set signalled a return to popularity, this time as a heavier rock band. The last couple of times I saw Slade were in the early 80s at the City Hall (sold out again) and Sunderland Polytechnic Wearmouth Hall. I must have seen them around a dozen times, including a great night at Sunderland Empire (the front row seats collapsed under the weight of the crowd), and low down the bill at one of the Donington Monsters of Rock festivals.
The current incarnation of the band features guitarist Dave Hill, drummer Don Powell and a couple of new members. No Noddy Holder or Jim Lea. To be honest I wasn’t too sure what to expect, and thought twice about whether to take the plunge and go and see them. A few things made me decide to make the trip to London for this show. Firstly, Slade shows in the UK are few and far between now; they seem to play mostly in Germany, where they retain a strong following. Secondly, this show sees them returning to the Music Machine, which (now called Koko) is a venue which they played several times in the 70s and 80s, so there was a sense of homecoming about the gig. Also this was a charity gig in support of the Lord Taverners, with all monies going to a good cause. Finally, this is the closest that I’m likely to get to seeing Slade again, Dave Hill was always a great showman, and Don Powell a great drummer, so why not? Reading the Slade forum, it seems that many members were, like me, going along to this show after a long time away from the band. It was also being filmed for DVD, which always makes things a little bit special. On balance I was looking forward to the gig as a way of returning to my memories, and saying thank you to Dave and Don. This will have to be enough for me, until a full Slade reunion happens, if it ever does. On that subject, recent reports suggest that Noddy may be coming round to the possibility (less so Jim I think), so never say never. If it ever does happen, you can count me in, for sure. And if not, well the Koko gig will just have to do for now. Reflecting further on the current line-ups of classic rock bands, I realise that in the past week I have seen Status Quo (two original members) and Uriah Heep (one original member), and that both are still great and remain true to their own rock legacies. Also, The Hollies and Yes continue with new vocalists and do pretty well, and I have enjoyed them in concert this year. So why was I so apprehensive of seeing Slade without Noddy? I guess it says something about the power that Noddy Holder had as a vocalist, and the presence that he had on stage.
On the night if the gig I took a walk from my hotel to the venue, which didn’t take me too long. I stopped off for a drink in the pub over the road from Koko, which was full of Slade fans. A Noddy lookalike was sporting a mirrored top hat and a tartan suit, and another had a Dave Hill haircut and an inflatable guitar. I made my way over to Koko, which was starting to fill up. At around 7pm DJ Mike Read took to the stage to introduce the band. He also showed a video of charity work of the Lord Taverners. A few moments later Slade took to the stage, starting off with We’ll bring the house down. The set was, as expected full of hits, all played well; it was great to hear them all again (my only gripe: I thought it could have been a bit louder). The singer did a good job, his vocals were strong and pretty true to Noddy, although he left much of the talking to Dave Hill, who has clearly become the front man. It is very clear that this is Dave and Don’s band. Dave was on great form, clearly enjoying himself, running about the stage, getting the crowd to sing along and playing some great guitar. The place was pretty full, and the crowd was really up for the occasion, giving the band a great reception. During Mama weer all crazee now Dave strapped on his Superyob guitar (is this a new one? pretty sure Marco from Adam and the Ants has the original?). The set finished with Get down and get with it, and the encores were My oh my; Cum on feel the noize; and the inevitable Merry Xmas everybody. Mike Reid came back on to close the evening wearing Dave’s old stage jacket which had just been auctioned for £250 (a bargain). It was great to see them again for old times sake, but it did make me realise how good a full reunion could be.
Setlist: We’ll bring the house down; Take me bak ‘ome; Lock up your daughters; Far far away; Everyday; Look wot you dun; Red hot; Coz I luv you; Run runaway; M’Hat M’Coat (Dave Hill guitar solo); I hear ya calling; Gudbuy t’Jane; The bangin’ man; Mama weer all crazee now (with drum solo); Get down and get with it
Encore: My oh my; Cum on feel the noize ; Merry Xmas everybody
I hate printed tickets
17
Dec
Posted by vintagerock in KIm Wilde, Roy Wood, Status Quo. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, R&B, rock, rock n roll. 3 comments
Status Quo, Roy Wood and Kim Wilde Newcastle Arena Dec 16 2011
Quo at Xmas has become an annual event for me. This year’s end of year tour is entitled QuoFestive and sees the guys heading a three band bill alongside Roy Wood and Kim Wilde. They have also reduced the number of gigs on the tour and moved from a mix of theatres and arenas to a smaller number of arena gigs. This is going to be the pattern for the future, so instead of visiting the City Hall, Quo are at Newcastle Metro Arena.
I arrived around 8pm, which meant I missed Kim Wilde and Roy Wood had just started. I am a big fan of Roy and the Move, and saw him support Quo in Sheffield a couple if years ago. His set was good, and he got the crowd going, finishing with that Xmas song.
Quo came on stage around 9pm and played their usual set, with a few small changes from last year. The sound was clear and loud, and Francis was on good form, with the usual cheeky comments to the crowd. The show was usual Quo; good solid rock played perfectly. I enjoyed it more than I expected, but much prefer the City Hall as a venue. The encore saw the guys joined by Roy Wood and Kim Wilde for Winter Wonderland and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Good stuff. I must have seen Quo around 30 times now, and to be honest it is getting a little samey, but hey ho they are what they are, and they do it well. So will I go again next year? Of course I will.
Setlist: Caroline; Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like; The Wanderer; Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ You; Rain; Mean Girl; Beginning Of The End; Medley (What You’re Proposin’/Down The Dustpipe/Little Lady/Red Sky/Dear John); Big Fat Mama;
Two Way Traffic; The Oriental; Let’s Rock; Paper Plane; Living On An Island; In The Army Now; Drum Solo/The Killer; Roll Over Lay Down; Down Down; Whatever You Want; Rockin’ All Over The World
Encore: Burning Bridges; Walking In A Winter Wonderland; Santa Clause Is Coming To Town
I hate printed tickets
programme
12
Dec
Posted by vintagerock in Uriah Heep. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Uriah Heep Newcastle Academy Dec 12th 2011
Just got back. My ears are still ringing. Heep were LOUD, and on great form. Mick Box’s shape throwing is getting more bizarre. More later. Off to bed now.
I can’t remember the last time that Uriah Heep played in Newcastle but I’m pretty sure that it was a long time ago. It was great to see them returning here; the north east was always a stronghold for heavy rock in general, and for Uriah Heep in particular. I remember very well attending some great shows at the City Hall during the David Byron and John Lawton eras of the band. All of that is so so long ago; and looking around at the audience in the Academy, I would bet that many of the crowd were also present on those wonderful nights in the 70s.
I arrived just before the band took to the stage. The respectably sized crowd gave the band a warm reception; you could sense that people had been waiting a long time to see these guys again. The set was pretty similar to the one that I saw them play at Workington earlier in the year; with the addition of a few songs from the new album Into the Wild, replacing songs from their last album Wake the Sleeper. All the classics are still in the set: Gypsy, Julie Morning, Return to Fantasy, Stealin’, and Woman in Black. The encore was Bird of Prey (I haven’t seen them play that for some time) and Easy Livin ‘. The only favourite that was (for me) missing was Sunrise. A new addition to the show was getting some of the crowd up onstage to rock with the band on one of the songs.
I was stood right at the front near the speakers and it was LOUD. These guys are true professionals, and always deliver. This was no different, they were really great. I hope they don’t leave it as long next time. The band seemed to enjoy the show and the crowd reaction, so maybe we will see them back in the north east on their next tour.
Setlist: I’m Ready; Return to Fantasy; Stealin’; Rainbow Demon; Money Talk; Nail on the Head; The Wizard; Into the Wild; Gypsy; Look At Yourself; July Morning; Lady In Black
Encore: Free ‘n’ Easy; Bird of Prey; Easy Livin’
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27
Nov
Posted by vintagerock in Cheap Trick, Deep Purple. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gigs, heavy metal, music, pop, prog rock, punk, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Deep Purple (with 38 piece orchestra) and Cheap Trick Glasgow SECC 26 Nov 2011
Norm and I drove up for this great gig last night. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen Deep Purple. They haven’t visited the north east on the last couple of tours, and for one reason or another I wasn’t able to travel to see them. This tour was however especially tempting with the double attraction of Cheap Trick as special guest, and the 38 piece orchestra which was accompanying Deep Purple. I waited until the last minute to decide whether or not to go, however, because I was little unsure about the weather at this time of year. As the weather was ok we decided to go.
We arrived at the SECC at around 6.30pm, and managed to score a couple of tickets from a guy outside of the venue for £60 for a pair, which was a snip as face value would have been £90, plus the dreaded booking fees. The seats were pretty good too,l in the centre block about 12 rows back.
It’s a long time since we last saw Cheap Trick at Newcastle Mayfair in the 70s. I’d forgotten just how good there are and how many great catchy tunes they have. Rick Nielson is still as crazy as ever and Robin Zander still looks great. They were on stage around one hour and the set included: Stop This Game (Mind Choir): Dream Police; Need Your Love; California Man (The Move song); If You Want My Love; I Want You to Want Me; Surrender; Good Night. I managed to get one of the many plectrums that Rick threw out into the crowd. Rick’s vibe neck guitar looks pretty cool.
I hadn’t been sure about how the big orchestra would work alongside Deep Purple’s rock classics. I needn’t have worried; it was absolutely great. Great set, some long solos but the two hours that they were on stage seemed to pass in no time at all. They started with Highway Star, and the set include some of my favourites: Lazy, Strange Kind of Woman, When a Blind Man Cries, Woman from Tokyo. They finished with Smoke on the Water, and the encores were Hush, and Black Night. Ian Gillan looks really fit, and he was singing well although he clearly finds it difficult to get some of the high notes and can’t scream like he used to. Roger Glover always looks like he is having great fun. Don Airey seems to fit perfectly with the others now, and played excellently. Its good to see a local Sunderland lad doing so well. In fact all of the band seemed to be really enjoying themselves. It was great to see them again, and the classics sounded fresh, with the orchestra adding new depth to the arrangements. This was the best time I’ve see them play for many many years. Great stuff.
The drive back was pretty tricky but uneventful, through torrential rain and high winds. We got home around 2.15am.
Deep Purple setlist: Highway Star; Hard Lovin’ Man; Maybe I’m a Leo; Strange Kind of Woman; Rapture of the Deep;Woman From Tokyo; Contact Lost (Guitar Solo); When a Blind Man Cries; The Well Dressed Guitar; Knocking at Your Back Door; Lazy; No One Came; Perfect Strangers; Space Truckin’; Smoke on the Water
Encores: Hush; Black Night
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Rick Neilson plectrum (thanks Rick)
16
Nov
Posted by vintagerock in Frank Zappa, Zappa plays Zappa. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Zappa plays Zappa Sage Gateshead 18 November 2011
Went to see Dweezil play his dad’s work Apostrophe on Friday at the Sage with my mate Norman. The musicianship was as it always is; faultless. Dweezil is a credit to his old man, and his guitar playing just gets better and better. This time we had the added bonus of Frank himself on video on a couple of tracks. This was very well done, with Dweezil playing alongside his dad. This time we got the Apostrophe album in it’s entirity. I’m not that familiar with that particular album, but do know a few of the tracks. The only request I would have would be for Dweezil and co to play a few more older tracks from the Mothers and Hot Rats days. Last night we got Gumbo Vatiatiosn which was good and Ugliest part of the body. A couple more from We’re only in it for the money, Uncle Meat or Freak Out would be great. Also the set is quite a long one, and for me an interval would be welcome.
Setlist: Gumbo Variations; Yellow Snow; Nanook Rubs It; St Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast; Father ‘Oblivion; Cosmik Debris; Exentrifugal Forz; Apostrophe; Uncle Remus; Stinkfoot; What’s The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?; Chungas revenge; City Of Tiny Lites; Inca Roads; People; Fifty Fifty; Cheepnis; Honey Don’t You Want A Man Like Me; Rollo
Encore: Dancin’ Fool; Baby Snakes; Muffin Man
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5
Nov
Posted by vintagerock in Jimmy Page, Roy Harper. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, rock, rock n roll. 4 comments
Roy Harper Royal Festival Hall London 5 Nov 2011
Roy summed it up well as a wonderful emotional evening. He explained to us that at times the emotion was almost too much for him and he almost broke down at a couple of points in the evening. Thats the sort of evening it was. A coming together of a group of people, who had travelled from across England and further including the USA and other parts of the world, all wishing to share in a celebration of the life and work to date of a unique and special individual. Yes we were all there to hear some songs, but and perhaps more importantly, we were there because Roy has shared our life journeys with us, as we have shared his, and he means something to all of us. The little stories, the Roy philosophy, the passion, the love songs and the unique interactions with the audience are all part of the Roy that we had come to see. And when we all spontaneously sang Happy Birthday for him it felt right, even if Roy himself admitted that he “hated it when people did that to him”.
As we entered the hall we we all given a typed sheet of A4. On one side Roy explained how he had adopted November 5th as his official birthday, how he was looking forward to the evening; the message was positive, of someone who was very much looking to the future as much as back. On the other side of the page was his favourite poem “To Autumn” by Keats: “I first read this poem when I was ten. It had an enormous effect on me. I found myself. I became a poet in that moment”.
The concert opened with a few songs by an American guy called John (I must look him up) which set the tone for the evening. After around 30 minutes John left the stage for Roy, who introduced Highway Blues as a road song. He was soon joined by a small string and brass section, which he christened
the Bedford Strings, after the late David Bedford who would have been joining him for the concert. Roy talked movingly about the recent passing of his friends David and Bert Jansch. His son Nick joined him for Me and my Woman, which was the last song in the first set.
After a short interval the concert resumed. The string section added another dimension to the songs. I haven’t heard such a full sound at a Roy concert since the 70s when he toured with a band, or the wonderful concert that Will and I went to in Hyde Park all those years ago. Roy’s voice was amazingly strong and filled the hall. The interactions with the crowd were, as always, amusing with the usual hecklers haranguing him, and being dealt with in the usual Roy way. He sang the songs we expected : I hate the White man, when an old cricketer leaves the crease. For Another Day he was joined by Joanna Newsom who sang in her Kate Bush like way. And for the encore his old friend Jimmy Page accompanied him and showed he can still play guitar in a way that others can only dream of.
But the evening was Roy’s and ours. At the end he told us that he would see us again and that he wasn’t ready to leave this yet.
David and I walked back through London to our hotel, the evening was warm.
Looking forward to the next time Roy. Thanks for a great evening. Hope to see you soon.
Setlist: Highway Blues; Frozen Moment; North Country Girl; I’ll See You Again (with Nick Harper); Me And My Woman (with Nick Harper); interval; Hallucinating Light; Commune; Twelve Hours Of Sunset; I Hate The White Man (two verses); Another Day (with Joanna Newsom); When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
Encores: The Same Old Rock (with Jimmy Page);The Green Man
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Note. The first concert I ever went to was The Bonzo Dog doo dah band at the Sunderland Empire in 1969. The support acts were Roy Harper and Yes. As it happens I am planning to go and see Yes next Sunday in Manchester Apollo. It’s funny how things keep coming around.
Prior to the concert we had a walk down to St. Pauls to see the protest community, which was fascinating. Walked past Smithfield Market where they are setting up for filming part of the new James Bond movie. Lots of extras waiting around but not much going on.
30
Oct
Posted by vintagerock in Albert Lee, Bill Wyman's Rhythm KIngs, Georgie Fame, Mary Wilson, Rolling Stones, The Supremes. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings with special guest Mary Wilson from the Supremes
The Sage Gateshead 29 Oct 2011
Will and I went to see Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings at the Sage last night. We were upstairs in the cheap seats looking down directly onto the stage; its quite high up there, but you still have a great view. It was my first experience of the Rhythm Kings; the last time I saw Bill Wyman was with the Rolling Stones. Bill’s current band consists of, among others, jazz/r&b/pop stalwart Georgie Fame and veteran ace country-rock guitar picker Albert Lee. For this tour they are joined by Mary Wilson of the Supremes. These are all truly experienced pros, and they delivered what you would expect, an evening of polished, well-played classics.
The set was split into two, and Mary Wilson joined the band for a few songs in each set. The evening started with a laid back Bill Wyman strolling onto the stage and introducing the band one by one. Then they were straight into a collection of r&b, blues, rock n roll and skiffle. The songs were classics including tracks by the Everly Brothers, Ray Charles, the Coasters, Lonnie Donegan, Howling Wolf, and Chuck Berry. Will and I were expecting some songs made famous by the band members, perhaps in a similar manner to the way in which Ringo Starr’s band operates, but that was not to be. So no Bonnie and Clyde or Yeh Yeh from Georgie Fame, and no Country Boy from Albert Lee. This was a Rhythm Kings show and what we got was an evening of great rhythm and blues.
Mary Wilson treated us to some Supremes and Motown (Baby Love, Can’t Hurry Love, Stop in the Name of Love, and Dancing in the Streets). She looks great; in fact they all do (she is 67, and Bill is 75!). Other stand outs were Three Cool Cats, Stormy Weather (a duet by Mary and Georgie) and Its a Mans World (sung by vocalist Beverley Skeete). The last song was Honky Tonk Women sung (quite well) by Bill. Great stuff. Will and I both enjoyed it; perhaps the old ones are still the best. Next week I go to see Roy Harper at his 70th Birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall; everyone I go to see now is getting pretty old….(and so am I…)
Bill Wyman website
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22
Oct
Posted by vintagerock in Wishbone Ash. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, prog rock, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Wishbone Ash Newcastle Academy 22 Oct 2011
Will and I had a good 70s rock night last night seeing Wishbone Ash at Newcastle Academy. Saturday gigs at the Academy are early affairs, as Saturday night is club night and as a result gigs have to be be finished by around 10pm so that the place can be cleared for the clubbers. So we got to the venue quite early, just before 8pm, which was well-timed as the band came on shortly after. Andy Powell seemed in a particularly good mood, and treated us to some great twin guitar with new guitarist Muddy. Andy thanked us all for coming out to see the band, and recalled the great nights that we all had at the City Hall in the 70s. Judging by the cheer this got, and the age of some of the crowd, quite a few people could remember those days. The set was a mix of old and new, and the old favourites were played as well as I heard them for a long time. Stand outs were The King will come, The Pilgrim, a great version of Phoenix and Jailbait. The curfew meant that that the encore was limited to one song, Blowin’ Free as expected.
Setlist (something like): Real guitars have wings; You see red; Open road; Cant go it alone; Invisible thread; The king will come; Sometime world; Persephone; Front page news; Faith hope and love; The pilgrim; Reason to believe; Jailbait; Phoenix
Encore: Blowin free
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9
Oct
Posted by vintagerock in Crosby and Nash. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Crosby and Nash Sage Gateshead 9 Oct 2011
A great show, exquisite vocals, lovely harmonies and some excellent and loud rock guitar from a pair of legends. A long set with all the favourites: Eight Miles High, Wooden Ships, Our House, Marrakesh Express, Military Madness. Plus the Hollies’ Bus Stop which is one of my all time favourites songs. The encore was Teach Your Children. A great end to a great weekend, Dylan and Crosby and Nash in two days can’t be bad!
Setlist: Eight Miles High; I Used to Be a King; Long Time Gone; Marrakesh Express; Lay Me Down; Old Soldier; Just A Song Before I Go; Slice Of Time; Don’t Dig Here; Critical Mass; Wind On The Water; Almost Cut My Hair; Bus Stop; Our House; Guinnevere; In Your Name; Homeward Through the Haze; What Are Their Names?; They Want It All; Taken at All; Orleans; Cathedral; Deja Vu; Military Madness; Wooden Ships
Encore: Teach Your Children
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9
Oct
Posted by vintagerock in Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, music, pop, R&B, rock, rock n roll. Leave a comment
Bob Dylan (and Mark Knopfler) Braehead Arena Glasgow 8 Oct 2011
This was a great great show. Dylan was much better, in manner and voice, than I’ve seen him for years. For the early songs he stood centre stage with a hand mike, grinning and doing little leg moves. He looked great with a big black hand a moustache. He was really enjoying it, in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen; certainly not for a long long time. And his voice was very strong. Gone are the days where I thought he was just going through the motions and everyone around me was asking what song it was, and saying how bad he was singing. Last night everyone I saw thought he was great. At last I saw Dylan being true to his legend and getting the best out of his songs. I’d given up hope that he could ever be this good on stage again. Highlights for me were It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue; Tangled Up In Blue; The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll; and A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.
Special guest Mark Knopfler is clearly a great guitarist, but has never been my cup of tea. This was the first time that I’ve seen Mark since Dire Straits. I used to love Sultans of Swing, but tired of them in their later years. I’d set off late and had a cup of coffee in a service station, purposely trying to miss Mark’s set, as I knew I wouldn’t enjoy it. I arrived at around 8pm and Mark was on stage. It was red hot in the arena, difficult to breathe, so I went outside for some fresh air. I came back in around 8.40pm only to find that Mark was still onstage and that the crowd gave him an encore. What I saw seemed OK, but to be honest pretty dull for me. As a result of Mark’s long(ish) set Dylan was late on stage at around 9.20pm or later, and finished close to 11pm. The drive home was foggy through pouring rain; I got back around 2am.
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat; It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue; Things Have Changed; Tangled Up In Blue; Honest With Me; The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll; Summer Days; A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall; Highway 61 Revisited; Tryin’ To Get To Heaven; Thunder On The Mountain; Ballad Of A Thin Man
Encore; Like A Rolling Stone; All Along The Watchtower
I hate printed tickets
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