Robin Trower South Shields Customs House 17th April 2005
Roll forward 25 years, and I was seeing Robin Trower again. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and had all but forgotten many of the songs because, although I have a few of his albums on vinyl, the only one I played was “Bridge of Sighs” and to be truthful, I hadn’t played that for a long time. I needed have worried. Trower walked on stage, waved at the audience, and launched straight into “Too Rolling Stoned”. I immediately recognised the riff, and the years melted away. The guitar playing was as excellent as ever, with the familiar heavy use of wah-wah, and the usual twisting of the face, as Robin squeezed the notes out of his strat.
The singer was Davey Pattison, who I’d seen before many years ago in Ronnie Montrose’s band Gamma, and he did a great job, sticking closely to the original vocal. He has a soulful voice, which matched somewhat the original vocals of the late and very under-rated James Dewar. The mix was a little murky at the start of the set, with the vocals lost in the mix, but things improved as the set progressed. Trower and his band were great, playing a mix of tracks from throughout his career. It was great to see him again.
The gig was reviewed Rahul Shrivastava for the BBC website: “There are no gimmicks, no light show, just four men playing great, bluesy rock ‘n’ roll….there was no denying the passion with which he played his instrument.” The review sparked a few comments from others who attended the gig: “It’s over 25 yrs since I saw Robin at Hammersmith Odeon; always wanted to do so again. So good was this gig that both me and my wife were lost for words… Awesome” (SteV1Da).
“To experience Robin Trower is to be a witness to the mastery of true artistry created on the electric guitar. How rich in talent Robin, and a great few are part of an incredible music history…” (Michael Gibbs). “They used to say that this guy was a ‘Hendrix clone’ Well all I can say is that if Hendrix could play like that he must have been some guitarist! The control and pure artistry were a delight and I hope that this is the first of many returns to the North East.” (Chas Thomason).
Setlist: Too Rolling Stoned; Sweet Angel; What’s Your Name; Rise Up Like The Sun; Daydream; Living Out Of Time; Breathless; Day Of The Eagle; Bridge Of Sighs; Close Every Door; I Want You To Love Me; Please Tell Me; Another Time, Another Place; Little Bit of Sympathy
Encore: Come To Me; Secret Place
Thanks to John for the poster image and for the photo which he got signed for me at a Trower gig in the States.
I’ve seen Trower once more since, and have already written about that gig.
Posts Tagged ‘blues’
7 Oct
Robin Trower South Shields Customs House 17th April 2005
6 Oct
Robin Trower Newcastle City Hall 12th February 1980
Robin Trower Newcastle City Hall 12th February 1980
In 1980 Robin Trower released his seventh studio album “Victims of the Fury”, and went out on tour to promote it. Support for the tour was NWOBHM band Samson. I saw the tour was it called at Newcastle City Hall. It was a few years since I’d seen Robin Trower in concert and I was really looking forward to seeing him again. It was the last night of the tour and the band were on their usual amazing form.
It is unfair to draw too many comparisons between Trower and Hendrix. Although Trower has undoubtedly been influenced by the master, and has said so himself on several occasions, he has his own unique guitar style, and is himself a true master of the guitar. Sadly whenever conversation turns to classic guitar greats the names of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Richie Blackmore, Alvin Lee and Peter Green will be mentioned, but it isn’t that often that Trower gets a mention. That’s a shame because his playing stands up their with those greats.
Robert Fripp, another guitar great, recognises this and says so in the liner notes on the reissues of one of Robin’s solo albums (1996): “Robin Trower is one of the very few English guitarists that have mastered bends and wobbles. Not only has he got inside them, with an instinctive knowing of their affective power, but they went to live inside his hands. It is the rare English guitarist who has been able to stand alongside American guitarists and play with an equal authority to someone grounded in a fundamentally American tradition. Trower has been widely criticised for his influences. This has never bothered me. I toured America in 1974 with Ten Years After top of the bill, King Crimson second, and Robin Trower bottom. The chart positions were the opposite….. Nearly every night I went out to listen to him. This was a man who hung himself on the details: the quality of sound, nuances of each inflection and tearing bend, and abandonment to the feel of the moment. He saved my life. Later, in England, he gave me guitar lessons.”
Back to the City Hall concert. It was classic Trower drawing for throughout his solo career and starting with the beautiful “Lady Love”. They also played my favourites “Bridge Of Sighs” and “Too Rolling Stoned”. Great stuff.
I found a review of the concert on Robin Trower’s official site, by Alan Howard, who drove with his friend from London especially to see the last night of the tour, having already seen the show at Hammersmith a few days before: “The good people of Toon town just went absolutely mental, so delighted they were to see the band. What a great start! So it continued. For some reason, this audience were much more appreciative and vocal than their southern counterparts….It was a great show featuring once again the ‘Victims’ lightshow visuals with their distinctive neon barbed wire icon, as featured on the album cover.”
Set List: Lady Love; The Ring; Day Of The Eagle; Bridge Of Sighs; Jack And Jill; Too Rolling Stoned; The Shout/Hannah; Daydream; Victims Of The Fury; Only Time; Madhouse; Little Bit Of Sympathy.
Encores: Messin The Blues; Rock Me Baby.
Thanks to John for the image of his Trower “flash”.
Tomorrow I’ll roll forward and write about a more recent Trower gig.
5 Oct
Robin Trower Newcastle City Hall 22nd Feb 1976
Robin Trower Newcastle City Hall 22nd Feb 1976
Come 1976 and Robin Trower was one of the most popular acts in the country. He toured the UK in February and March calling at the City Hall for two nights this time, and closing the tour by playing to 8,000 fans at Wembley Empire Pool. Support for the tour was local north east pop rock act John Miles. I remember driving through to the City Hall to buy tickets the day they went on sale. It had been snowing heavily and the roads were quite treacherous. My mate and I watched in horror as the car in front of us slid off the road and into the trees at the side of the carriageway. We made our way safely to the box office and bought tickets for the first night.
The concert was excellent, with Trower on top form, his feet surrounded by an array of effects pedals which enabled him to create some unbelievable sounds with his trusty Fender Strat. 
The Trower band had changed slightly with a new drummer Bill Lordan playing alongside Trower and Dewar. They were tight and loud, and delighted the City Hall crowd with classics like “Bridge of Sighs”, “Lady Love” and my fave “Too Rolling Stoned”, tracks from their current, third, album “For Earth Below” and a couple of new songs which would feature on the fourth album “Long Misty Days”. Brian Harrigan reviewed the Wembley gig for Melody Maker: “There ain’t nothing like Robin Trower at full blast……in the 
cavernous Wembley Empire Pool, they thundered like a three-man blitzkrieg.”
Typical 1976 setlist: Day of the Eagle; Bridge of Sighs; Sailing; Lady Love; Long Misty Days; The Fool and Me; Too Rolling Stoned; Daydream; Same Rain Falls; I Can’t Wait Much Longer; Alethea; Little Bit of Sympathy; Rock Me Baby; S.M.O.
Many thanks to Mitch for his photo of Trower which was taken at this concert and to John for his image of the poster for the concert the following night.
4 Oct
Robin Trower live 1973, Newcastle City Hall 11th Feb 1975, and Reading 1975
Robin Trower live 1973, Newcastle City Hall 11th Feb 1975, and Reading 1975
I first became aware of Robin Trower in Procol Harum and then when he played Sunderland Poly’s Wearmouth Hall in the band Jude. Jude also featured Frankie Miller, ex Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker and bassist Jimmy Dewar who had just left Stone The Crows. I have very vague recollections of that gig, and can’t be certain I was present or whether I simply heard about it from mates, but I’m pretty sure that it happened. Jude didn’t last long, and Trower soon formed his own band, retaining Dewar as his bassist and lead vocalist, and drummer Reg Isidore. The first time I can definitely recall seeing Trower live was when he supported Nazareth at Sunderland Locarno in June 1973. My mates and I were big Nazareth fans and went to see the tour at Newcastle Mayfair a couple of weeks later, and saw Trower again. We watched Trower on both occasions; this was at the time of his first album “Twice Removed from Yesterday”. I was impressed by his Hendrix-like guitar playing and the faces which he pulled, which looked like he was in pain, as he squeezed riffs out of his Stratocaster. You could tell that the guy was playing from the heart. 
Trower speaking to Steven Rosen (Los Angeles Free Press, November 1973): “It’s not just a trio, it’s the right trio with Reggie and Jimmy. It’s not just because I’m the lead guitarist that it’s gonna happen; I mean I’m not just into guitar, I’m into making good music . . . great music. And I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think it was a lot better than what I’d done before……I’m very influenced by Hendrix, and I’m the first to admit it; everything I do is inevitable and I can’t not be influenced by him. Anybody who’s got any ears and plays the guitar or who’s got any musical sense at all could not but be influenced by Hendrix. It’s like you can’t write unless you learn A-B-C. Everybody else was just f***ing about. He made real music on guitar and not just licks on top of somebody else’s music.” Robin Trower took Hendrix’s music and moved in to the next level. He blended Hendrix’ guitar style and technique with moody blues-rock and a little funkiness. It was as if we were witnessing the music that Hendrix might have played if he hadn’t passed away so early. And Jimmy Dewar had a great soulful voice. Trower’s most famous album is, of course, Bridge of Sighs, which he released in 1974, and the title track is a classic of atmospheric rock. 
The next time I saw Trower live in concert he was headlining at Newcastle City Hall and it was February 1975. This was classic Robin Trower, the guy was at his best during this period, and the set will have included “Day of the Eagle” (often the opening song, and a track that features in his live sets to this day), the excellent rocker “Too Rolling Stoned” (another great live classic), “Lady Love” and of course “Bridge of Sighs”. My unofficial programme contains a flyer for Rainbow Cottage, so I suspect they may have been the support act for the City Hall concert.
John’s memories of the City Hall gig: “Even though I only saw Robin Trower once in the 70’s I was fortunate to witness a fantastic gig with Robin at the height of his prowess and playing the Bridge of Sighs material with passion and power. 
I was siting downstairs fairly near the stage and was overwhelmed by the material and his talent. The set opened with Day of the Eagle, featured Bridge of Sighs, Too Rolling Stoned, Lady Love and Little Bit of Sympathy which I think closed the set. While I am less certain I think he also played Rock Me Baby and a slower blues number which might have been I Cant Wait Much Longer. I also remember that he wore a green jumpsuit with the pants tucked into some fringed brown suede boots which I was not sure was too cool at the time. James Dewar’s vocals were also a highlight and the show and his performance on About to Begin remains one of my favorites to this day.”
I saw Trower again at the Reading festival in August 1975, where he delivered a blistering set and was called back for several encores.
Typical Trower setlist from 1975: Day of the Eagle; Bridge of Sighs; Gonna Be More Suspicious; Fine Day; Lady Love; Spellbound; Too Rolling Stoned; I Can’t Wait Much Longer; Alethea; Little Bit of Sympathy
Many thanks to Mitch for his photo of Trower onstage at the City Hall on 22nd February 1976, and to John for the image of his poster from the period.
27 Sep
Julie Tippetts (Julie Driscoll) The Argus Butterfly Peterlee March 1976
Julie Tippetts (Julie Driscoll) The Argus Butterfly Peterlee March 1976
I’m going to start my meander through acts beginning with the letter “T” with a gig that was strange, musically scary, and unique. And it is also one that I am so glad I attended. But first I’ll think back to when I was a kid in the ’60s.
The image of Julie Driscoll on TV, with her wide made-up eyes and scary hair, singing “Wheels on Fire”, remains forever etched in my memory. I would have loved to see her perform during that period; her work with Brian Auger is simply incredible, and I watch her quite often on YouTube. The first chance that I got to see her live was when she came, with her band Butterfly, to perform at the Argus Butterfly pub in Peterlee. By then she had married, become Julie Tippetts, and had undergone a radical change in vocal style and musical direction. The Argus was, of course, a legendary venue (see below for a picture of the pub) having hosted many bands in the late 60s, when it was the home of the Peterlee Jazz and Folk Club, including an early show by Led Zeppelin, and gigs by Family, Jethro Tull, Free, Deep Purple, Man and others. It was a sparse crowd that gathered to see Tippetts that night in 1976, which was a shame, because what we witnessed was something simply astounding. Tippetts had released the album “Sunset Glow” the year before.
Miles explained in the NME (1975): “In 1970 Julie Driscoll married Keith Tippett, the modern composer, and entered the mysterious other world of contemporary music….She began training her voice and got more involved with experimental work”. All Music Guide says: “After her soul, pop, and R&B beginnings, Tippetts redeveloped her voice… began to extend its reach in improvisation, breath control, and uncommon phrasing. She is one of the most compelling and original singers in recorded music’s history. Sunset Glow is a curious recording, one that walks the razor’s edge of composition and improvisation….strange song structures, varying dynamics”.
Her performance that night was truly way out there in left field. This was vocal improvisation and strange curious songs, and timings. 
Unlike anything I had heard before. Her band was Brian Godding (guitar), Harry Miller (bass), Mark Charig (cornet) all of who were with Julie in Centipede in 1973, and a “new” guy John Mitchell (percussion) who used to be with Arthur Brown. Julie accompanied herself on piano. One song ‘Mongezi Feza’ consisted entirely of Julie singing the name over and over again, improvising and playing with the sounds. To call the music avant garde jazz does it a disservice; this was experiments in sound, using the voice as an instrument and seeing how far she could take it. It was mind blowing stuff. Sometimes so strange I wanted to laugh, yet compelling and so challenging and moving. Marie and I sat near the front, wondering what on earth we were experiencing.
The gig sticks in my mind today, and I keep promising myself that one day I will go and see Julie perform again. She performs rarely these days, usually with her husband on piano, and in London or the south-west. I really must try and see her again.
20 Sep
Simply Red Gateshead Stadium 25th July 1992
Simply Red Gateshead Stadium 25th July 1992
In January 1992 Simply Red set off on a massive world tour. They had just released their 4th album “Stars.” The tour lasted 14 months, taking in 131 shows to 1.5 million people. In the UK Simply Red played concerts in arenas and massive stadiums, including Wembley Stadium. I caught the tour when it called at Gateshead Stadium in 1992. Support came from Des’ree. This is the only time I saw Simply Red.
The programme contains a welcome from Mick Hucknall: “Firstly let me welcome you to this “event”. I can’t call it just a show because the scale of these concerts defies that description. This is a special day for me because these “events” are a celebration of your enjoyment of the music that I and other musicians have made since the debut in 1985″, and discusses the band’s recent success, making it very clear this it had become very much Mick’s show: “Mick Hucknall’s latest album, Stars, has out-sold all the competition, including Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. His current British tour is such a hot ticket that even the touts are said to be out of stock. Simply Red – the band which for seven years has been mainly him plus helpers – is now the most popular group in the land.” 
The programme goes on: “Democracy is not a word that crops up when the talk turns to that seven-member organisation known as Simply Red. A fairly benign dictatorship is what it really is…Hucknall “I’m not a control freak..I’m like an old bandleader, providing a springboard for musicians who can come and go…””
This was a very classy show, with Mick performing the hits faultlessly to a crowd of adoring fans.
Setlist (something like): Sad Old Red; More; Jericho; A New Flame; It’s Only Love; Band Introductions; Your Mirror; Holding Back The Years; Enough; Model; I Wish; Let Me Have It All; Freedom; Thrill Me; Come To My Aid; I Won’t Feel Bad; Money’s Too Tight (To Mention); If You Don’t Know Me By Now; Stars; The Right Thing; For Your Babies; Something Got Me Started
15 Sep
Mungo Jerry @ Darlington Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival 14th Sep 2014
Darlington Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival, Mungo Jerry 14th Sep 2014
Ray Dorset is Mr Boogie; a one man rhythm machine who has been rockin’ and rollin’ for over 40 years. Yesterday he brought his brand of rhythm ‘n’ blues to Darlington, where his band Mungo Jerry headlined the Darlington Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival.
The annual Darlo event takes place in venues across the town, with a main stage in the market square. Previous headliners have included The Pretty Things and Andy Fairweather-Low. The music runs from 1pm until 11pm and is organised in by Darlington Borough Council, Darlington Rhythm n Blues Club and Gasto Promotions.
I arrived in time to catch the Marcus Malone band who were playing some fine blues rock, and warmed the crowd up for the main event. The square was packed; everyone was in good spirits and enjoying the music on a chilly, but dry Sunday afternoon.
Just after 5 o’clock Ray Dorset walked on stage, strapped on his guitar, stamped his foot, and showed us all how he can still command a big crowd at an open air show, 44 years after he stole the show at the Hollywood music festival.
It’s 42 years since I saw Mungo Jerry rock the Friday night of the Reading festival, and I was looking forward to reliving some of the memories of that event and of Mungo gigs in the mid 70s at Sunderland Locarno. Today Mungo Jerry is Ray Dorset (of course, and as it always has been) on guitar, mouth harp and vocals, Jon Playle (bass), Mark David (drums) and Toby Hounsham (keyboards).
The set was a mix of blues, Mungo Jerry hits, and “Feels like I’m in love”, which was written by Ray Dorset and a big hit for Kelly Marie in 1980 (I’d forgotten that he’d written that one).They went down well with the audience in the market square; Ray was as energetic and funny as ever, getting the crowd to join in and sing along, which everyone did, particularly during “In the Summertime”. Great stuff. A good show from a real trouper, and it was great to see that him still rocking.
Setlist: Rock Me Baby, Rolling and Tumbling, Long Legged Woman Dressed in Black, You Don’t Have to be in the Army to Fight in the War, Lady Rose, The blues has got you?, Open up, Feels like I’m in love, In the Summertime.
25 Aug
Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival Colne 24th August 2014 Eric Burdon, Roy Young & Jim Diamond
Great British Blues Festival Colne 24th August 2014 Eric Burdon, Roy Young & Jim Diamond
This year The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The festival takes place each year in the village of Colne, Lancashire and this year featured another set of great blues and R&B atcs including Eric Burdon, Lucky Peterson, Eric Sardinas, Otis Grand, Mike Sanchez, Andy Fairweather Low, The Yardbirds and Dr Feelgood. I went over last night to see Eric Burdon, who is a hero of mine and doesn’t play that often in the UK these days.
I arrived in time to catch Jim Diamond, who played an acoustic set on the international stage, which is in Colne Municipal Hall. Jim was accompanied by guitarist Gareth Mouton, and sang a set of great soul covers, and his own songs including “I Won’t Let You Down” and “Hi Ho Silver”. He went down well with the crowd, and seemed genuinely bowled over by the reception.
The Muni was packed by the time Eric Burdon came on stage. Everyone wanted to see Burdon, and rightly so. There was a short delay while the band sound-checked, and the crowd were starting to get restless, with a few slow hand claps. The sound was soon sorted and Eric took to the stage, looking and sounding great. Burdon has become one of our great legendary bluesmen, still playing some 50 years since he first started singing the blues. His American band are hot and tight and have an excellent ’60s psych/beat feel to them.
And they were very loud; I was standing right next to the speaker stack to the left of the stage, and my ears are still ringing this morning as I write this. Eric’s set was a mix of classics from his times with the Animals, War and solo material. Great versions of “Don’t Bring Me Down”, which was the opener, and “It’s My Life”. They closed with, of course, “House of the Rising Sun” and were called back for one more, which was John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom”.
I stayed to watch some of Roy Young’s set, but left before the end (it was close to midnight when he started his set, and I had a two hour drive home). Roy is a true legend, and has only recently returned to playing UK concerts. He started singing and playing rock’n’roll piano in the late ’50s, and performed in Hamburg with the Beatles in the early ’60s. He then joined Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, formed his own band, and went on to record with David Bowie, playing piano on “Young Americans” and “Low”. I remember seeing the Roy Young Band on the Old Grey Whistle Test in the early ’70s and planned to go and see him at Peterlee Argus Butterfly, but never made it, for some reason. His style is very much in the mould of Jerry Lee Lewis and he plays fine authentic rock’n’roll, they started with “Slow Down” and had the crowd dancing and jiving.
Eric Burdon Setlist: Don’t Bring Me Down: When I Was Young; Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; Water; Spill the Wine; Black Dog; Before You Accuse Me; I Believe To My Soul; Bo Diddley Special; We Gotta Get Out of This Place / River Is Rising; It’s My Life; House of the Rising Sun
Encore: Boom Boom
27 Jul
Bruce Springsteen Dublin The Point The Seeger Sessions tour 19th Nov 2006
Bruce Springsteen Dublin The Point The Seeger Sessions tour 19th Nov 2006
In 2006 I was travelling to Dublin on a regular basis and often tried to arrange my trips around concerts. This didn’t usually work out, but this was one of the few occasions when it did. At the time, I’d lost touch with Bruce Springsteen, but my interest in his music was reignited when I heard the Seeger sessions CD. I read the very positive reviews of the album, and I liked the concept: Bruce returning to the roots music which inspired him, and those who influenced him. I missed the tour when it first visited the UK, and kicked myself when I read the rave reviews of the concerts. When Bruce added further dates including a three night stint at the Point, Dublin, I decided to try and get tickets and arrange my next trip to the city around the concert. My plan worked, and I flew over to Dublin on the Sunday morning, attended the concert on the Sunday evening, and went to meetings on Monday, returning home Monday evening.
The Point was a concert venue on the site of an old train depot along the dockland, off O’Connell Street. It operated during the period 1988 to 2007, and played host to the world’s top acts. In 2007 it was redeveloped as an O2 arena with a capacity of 14,000 (the old Point held 8,000). Several bands recorded live albums at the Point, including two which I attended: this series of concerts by Springsteen, and a two night stay by David Bowie.
This was a truly amazing and joyous concert. How could it be anything else? Springsteen singing those simple class gems of Americana with his Seeger sessions band in a lovely, relatively small, venue in Dublin; a city whose people are renowned for song and singing and for taking acts to their hearts. I just knew that this was going to be a special evening. From the minute I entered the Point, I could feel the atmosphere, and the cameras and mikes all over the auditorium made doubly sure that the Dublin crowd was going to give Bruce a reception like no other. From the minute that Springsteen came on stage, held his acoustic guitar high while strumming away at it, standing in line with his massed group of players, the whole hall was singing along as one, and the power and atmosphere continued at full pelt for a couple of hours. There were smiles on all of the band members’ faces, you could see that they were all enjoying the experience and the reaction from the Dublin crowd.
There was a sense of a mass party, a celebration, and a religious, gospel gathering, all rolled into one. It was unlike any other performance I have been to, and easily matched the previous Springsteen shows I had been to. At the end of the show, the band brought all of their families, kids and the crew on to the stage, and the whole crowd gave the performer, all their people, and themselves, an ovation that seemed to go on for ever. As we all wandered out into the cold Dublin air, and made our way back along the road to O’Connell Street, we knew we had all been part of something special. I have the DVD, which was drawn from selections across the three nights at the Point, and it captures the excitement and joyous mood of the evening. I was a Springsteen fan again, and have seen him four time since, at concerts in Hampden Park Glasgow, The O2 London, Stadium of Light Sunderland and Leeds Arena.
Setlist: Atlantic City; John Henry; Old Dan Tucker; The Ghost of Tom Joad; Mary Don’t You Weep; Jesse James; Further On (Up the Road); Erie Canal; For You; My Oklahoma Home; If I Should Fall Behind; Mrs. McGrath; How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?; Jacob’s Ladder; Long Time Comin’; Jesus Was an Only Son; Open All Night; Pay Me My Money Down; We Shall Overcome; Blinded by the Light; When the Saints Go Marching In; This Little Light of Mine; American Land
Band (this was a bog band!): Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Sam Bardfeld (violin, vocals); Art Baron (sousaphone, trombone, mandolin, penny whistle, euphonium); Frank Bruno (acoustic guitar, vocals, field drum); Jeremy Chatzky (bass guitar, double bass; Larry Eagle (drums, percussion); Clark Gayton (trombone, vocals, percussion); Charles Giordano (accordion, piano, Hammond organ, vocals); Curtis King Jr. (vocals, percussion); Greg Leisz (banjo, vocals); Lisa Lowell (vocals, percussion); Ed Manion (tenor and baritone saxophones, vocals, percussion); Cindy Mizelle (vocals, percussion); Curt Ramm (trumpet, vocals, percussion); Marty Rifkin (steel guitar, dobro, mandolin); Patti Scialfa (acoustic guitar, vocals); Marc Anthony Thompson (acoustic guitar, vocals); Soozie Tyrell (violin, vocals).
18 Jul
Johnny Winter New Victoria Theatre London 26th October 1974
Johnny Winter New Victoria Theatre London 26th October 1974
I was very sad to hear of the passing yesterday of the great Johnny Winter.
Johnny Winter was an incredible blues guitarist, an amazing performer, and a spectacular rock’n’roll star. He looked great, played and sang impeccable electric blues, and his performance was like being caught in a whirlwind.
The first time I saw Johnny Winter live was at a concert at the New Victoria Theatre, London in 1974. I went with my friend John, and it seemed quite an adventure travelling all the way to London for a concert. I’d been to a few festivals and one day events, but I think this was the first time I had travelled to the capital for a single artist concert in a theatre. Support came from Elf, who were fronted by Ronnie James Dio, but it was Winter we had gone to see. The concert was sold out and we had seats up in the circle, looking down on the stage. I recall that Johnny Winter was late coming on stage, but boy was he worth waiting for. This was Johnny the young rock’n’roll bundle of energy and fire (he will have been 30 at the time, but he still looked young and sharp to us). He wore a flash cowboy shirt shirt with long tassels flowing from the arms, and he twisted, twirled and ran around the stage, his incredibly long white hair swirling around him under his cowboy hat, while he shot fire-fast riffs from his trademark Gibson Firebird. 
Winter was every inch pure rock’n’roll energy; the renegade electric cowboy, playing dark and fast music from the delta. Flanked by fellow ace guitarist Floyd Radford, Johnny Winter and his band rocked through a set of blues, his own tracks including the ace “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” (written by Derringer), great covers of the Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Women”, Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven, and Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally”. He was simply stunning and we were blown away.
Philip Norman wrote in The Times of the concert at the time: “Johnny Winter has long white hair and sleeves with red streamers like abandoned conjuring-tricks; his legs are as slim as the caddis-fly’s and, like that nervous insect, he lives in electric storms…effect is not calculated by mere voltage; there was something breathtaking …in this unrepentant chaos”
John’s memories of the concert: “I first got into Johnny Winter after listening to one of the many great lives albums from the early 70’s Johnny Winter and Live. As I recall he did not tour the UK much and certainly not out in the provinces, so when we saw the date in London, we decided to go. The tour was to promote the recently released Still Alive and Well which was recorded after one of his many periods of ill health. The setlist included the title track and I think “Silver Train” (the B side from “Angie”? by the Stones). He did a lot of covers and seemed to especially like the Stones. But the stand out track was his own blues tour de force “Mean Town Blues”, which remains one of my favorite live cuts from that period to this day.”
Thanks to John for his image of the album of the time and for the photo of his poster which he bought at the concert that night in 1974.
RIP Johnny Winter.
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