Posts Tagged ‘classic rock’

25 Jan

The Jesus and Mary Chain NX Newcastle 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 Jan

The Libertines NX Newcastle 5 November 2024

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

(Written by Laura on behalf of Peter)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 Jan

The Free Convention, Cullercoats 15 and 16 November 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 Jan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 Jan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Jan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Jan

The Cult 8424 Tour Newcastle City Hall Oct 30 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

31 Dec

The Pretenders The Glasshouse Gateshead Oct 17 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

“I’m special, so special” (Brass in Pocket, The Pretenders, 1979)

and that is oh so true of the legend that is Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders are synonymous and are, in fact, one and the same today.

From The Glasshouse site: “Unmistakable. Timeless. Female fronted force. Rock icons The Pretenders are opening their 2024 UK tour here at The Glasshouse on Saturday 24 February. Off the back of their latest album Relentless, The Pretenders have been blowing away crowds with their high-energy sets. Their recent sold-out club shows were described as “iconic” (Evening Standard) and “outrageously good” (Louder Than War).

The new songs shine alongside classics in an inspiring display of longevity. With surprise Glastonbury performance featuring special guests Johnny Marr and Dave Grohl, them joining Guns N’ Roses at London’s BST Hyde Park and a spectacular UK homecoming at BBC Radio 2 In The Park in front of 35,000 fans in Victoria Park, Leicester, The Pretenders prove they still rock as hard as ever. Don’t miss the chance to see these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees bring their rebellious, crowd-rousing spirit and enduring songbook to The Glasshouse stage.” “persistently brilliant songwriting … surely how Chrissie Hynde always wanted The Pretenders to sound”. MOJO. “as sharp as ever, with new songs stealing the limelight from classic hits”. The Guardian.

I have seen The Pretenders many times before. My blog memories are below. This turns into quite a marathon tour of Pretenders concerts over the years for which I apologise. However, what the hell, I think it is important to give some context to my overall memories of an excellent sassy lady and her evolution through different versions of her band.

The Pretenders Newcastle gigs 1979 – 1981
Chrissie Hynde moved to London from the USA in 1973, finding work at the NME and at Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s clothes store. She became involved with the early punk scene, and hung around with the Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. She had a few short-lived bands and then formed the Pretenders in 1978 with Pete Farndon on bass, James Honeyman-Scott on guitar, and Martin Chambers on drums. They released a cover of The Kinks “Stop Your Sobbing” in 1979, followed by the great “Kid”. It was around the release of “Kid” when I first saw the Pretenders on 3rd August 1979 at Newcastle Mayfair.

The Mayfair was a big heavy metal haunt, and the audience would give punk and new waves bands a hard time. The Pretenders were no exception, and they faced an onslaught of beer glasses. If I remember right, Chrissie Hynde put on a brave front arguing with the hecklers, but they eventually abandoned the gig, soaked with beer. Nonetheless, they played a great set and left me wanting to see them again. In January of 1980, the Pretenders hit No 1 in the UK charts with “Brass in Pocket”. On 8th February 1980 I saw them play to a packed, sold out, Newcastle Polytechnic.

They gave a storming performance, and Chrissie was simply amazing. This remains the best time I have seen them in concert, and a gig that sticks in my mind as something pretty special. It was one of those nights where you felt that you were seeing a band on the verge of the big time, they knew it, we knew it and the atmosphere was electric; I think they may have been No 1 the week of the gig. From there on the next couple of visits to Newcastle were to the City Hall; on 6th October 1980 with (Swords of 1000 men) Ten Pole Tudor as support and again on 30th November 1981. The Pretenders were a great live act; Chrissie all swagger, tunes with great hooks, and a sense of their ’60s pop roots blended with punk and new wave. By the end of 1982 both Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott had died from drug overdoses, and it seemed that the band would be no more. However they were to regroup in 1983 and were back at the City Hall in 1984.

The Pretenders Newcastle City Hall 1984
The Pretenders regrouped in 1983 with original members Chrissie Hynde (guitar and vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums). They were soon back in the UK charts with “Back on the Chain Gang” and “2000 miles”. By the time I saw them in concert at Newcastle Hynde and Chambers had been joined by Malcolm Foster (bass) and Robbie McIntosh (guitar). The line-up was professional, and the concert good, but I felt some of the rawness of the original band was lacking. However, Chrissie Hynde remains an engaging performer to this day. I next saw the Pretenders when they supported Rod Stewart at St James Park Newcastle in 2007. It was then 10 years before we met again. Time flies in the life of a rock ‘n’ roll concert follower.

The Pretenders Newcastle City Hall 2017
Laura, Jackie my carer and I went along to the City Hall looking forward to hearing a string of hits, some great rock ‘n’ roll, and seeing the living icon that is Chrissie Hynde. The girls sitting beside us were a little worse for wear, singing along with every song and every now and then threatening to fall on top of, and flatten, Laura. All the ingredients for a fun night out, on the town (or should I say “the toon”). And a fun night it was. The Pretenders treated us to a set of new songs, old hits, Chrissie Hynde solo tunes and more. After a couple of songs I didn’t recognise the old classics started to emerge: “Message of Love”, the exquisite “Talk of the Town” and then we were back to the start and “Kid” with images of the young Chrissie being soaked in beer thrown over her by members of the crowd at the Mayfair in the late 70s flashing through my mind.

The band may be different with only Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers remaining from the original Pretenders, but the sound and the songs remain the same. The new members bring new life and continue the soulful, edgy, rock ‘n’ roll that is The Pretenders. “Don’t Get Me Wrong” was followed by “I’ll Stand by You” and then after a few more songs my mind was flashing back again to the first time I saw the band in the Mayfair with the Kinks classic “Stop Your Sobbing”. “Back on the Chain Gang” took us towards the end.

But we knew it wasn’t really going to be the end. The encore included the classic ballad “I Go to Sleep” and finished with (of course, what else but) “Brass in Pocket” taking me back to the Friday night in Newcastle Polytechnic Students Union, the week the song was number one in the charts, standing on the tables with Marie, while the place erupted around us. It was so many years ago and yet in many ways it seems only like yesterday. The girls next to us finally fell on the floor. 

The Pretenders The Cluny Newcastle 2023
Wow! Sometimes there are gigs where everything comes into place, and you have an unforgettable evening. Well this was one such occasion. The Cluny is a tiny pub venue in Newcastle. It cannot hold more than a few hundred people. So when the Pretenders announced that they were playing some intimate gigs and one of them was the aforementioned Cluny I just had to go along. The tickets sold out in minutes, if not seconds. I was lucky enough to score one for myself and a companion, who turned out to be Elaine, and who also took some great photos. We arrived around 8:10 PM. The Pretenders were due on stage at 8:30 PM. So we were just in time to squeeze through the tiny door which gained us entry into the concert room at the back of the pub.

We came into the concert part and were faced with a jampacked room, filled with a sea of people. We couldn’t move and couldn’t see a thing. Now usually I don’t take advantage of being in a wheelchair. But this was one occasion I broke my rule and used my disability to my advantage. I slowly moved forward asking people to let me through to the front. Slowly but surely, everyone was so kind, and I reached a spot almost at the front of the crowd, one person between me and the stage. I had a wonderful view of everything. Thank you so much Cluny crowd! Elaine followed nervously behind me. I asked her to go to the bar and get me a drink and a T-shirt. “I can’t possibly move at all” she explained “and if I do get to the bar there is no way I can get back!” And she was right. We were completely crammed in and could not move at all.

The entire venue was completely full and there was no room to move anywhere. Wonderful. It felt just like the old days when I was used to being crammed down close to the front. 8:30 PM. The band come on stage. Chrissie is just in front of me and looks just great. This lady is 71 years old and looks just wonderful. She is the archetypal rock chick in thigh length black leather winklepicker boots, jeans, and a black shiny leather jacket. She sounds great and the new band she has assembled are excellent musicians.

The advertising for the show told us that there would be no hits. But as I said, sometimes magic does happen and four songs in we get “Kid”. A meltdown moment. Tears in my eyes. And a mix of great rock ‘n’ roll and hits follows. But the evening gets better. Chrissie Hynde spots me and asks the people in front of me to move aside so I can see. “Are you okay? Can you see?” She says to me. I told you it was one of those evenings. Chrissie Hynde talking directly to me. I tried to mouth back “do you remember playing the Mayfair?” But she can’t hear me.

So we get “Back on the Chain Gang”, “Talk of the Town” and “Don’t get me Wrong”. All played at full volume, with great raspy vocals from Chrissie. At one point she asks, “did any of you see the New York Dolls?” A big cheer. “And Johnny Thunders. He’s dead now. But so is everyone these days.” Says Chrissie. “We could play arenas if we wanted to, but we want to come back and play little venues. We are losing a f***ing fortune!” Chrissie also talks about the Grammys: “what happened to real music and great rock ‘n’ roll?” More rock ‘n’ roll follows. And then they are gone.

They play three encores. It is 9:50 PM. A member of the crew gives me a set list. Everyone is so kind. Thank you, Chrissie, for a wonderful evening. Special things happen every now and then. This was one of them. We wander out of the venue not quite believing what we have just witnessed. Elaine loved it and so did I. Proper rock ‘n’ roll in a small venue. And so close to the band. And Chrissie spoke to me and looked after me! As I said magic does happen now and then.

And so have we are in 2024, in the much staider venue of the majestic Glasshouse, only a year after being crammed into that magical night at the Cluny. Chrissie looks just great, a little older, but very much the same sassy lady that I first witnessed all those years ago. The set comprises old and new, but the old ones are, at least for me, the best. So, after a few unfamiliar tunes, the years rolled back to “Talk of the Town” and, yes, right back to the very start (I’m in the Mayfair again) and “Kid” still as jangly and soulful as ever.
A few songs on and we get “Back On the Chain Gang” and “Don’t Get Me Wrong”. Both magic.

Then a surprise, Chrissie does her own take of Grace Jones’ “Private Life” and pretty good it is too. The first encore starts off with the sublime “I Go to Sleep”. Finally the evening closes with (what else but) “Brass in Pocket”. Chrissie still has “it” (whatever “it” is) in droves. Thank you for coming with me on my short tour of Pretenders gigs over the past 45 years. “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” (Sandy Denny, 1966). Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site. Images come from my own collection and Wikimedia Commons.

The 2024 Setlist: Losing My Sense of Taste; A Love; Accountant Daddy; Talk of the Town; Kid; Hate for Sale; The Buzz; My City Was Gone; The Losing; You Can’t Hurt a Fool; Back on the Chain Gang; Don’t Get Me Wrong; Private Life; I Think About You Daily; Biker; Thumbelina; Night in My Veins; Time the Avenger; Junkie Walk; Let the Sun Come In.
Encore: I Go to Sleep; Precious; Middle of the Road.
Encore 2: Brass in Pocket.

29 Dec

Paul Weller The City Hall Newcastle 24 October 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Jam, Liam Bailey, Paul Weller, Style Council. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Paul Weller, the Modfather himself, brought his unrelenting energy and trademark swagger to Newcastle City Hall. The night was a masterclass in blending rock, postpunk and acoustic brilliance and was a testament to his legendary career.

I first experienced Weller way back in the days of The Jam. My blog entry of the time jogs my Memory (At Least A Little): “The Jam 1977 And 1978. When We Think Of Late 70s Punk Rock, We have a certain image of safety pins, spitting, the pogo, and fast furious rebellious rock. In reality the punk scene was a pretty broad church, which drew from a wide range of influences.

The Jam burst onto the scene in 1977, blending mod, sharp suits, with attitude, arrogance, and great catchy pop songs. They had obviously been influenced by, soul, R&B, The Who and Small Faces and you could tell that lead singer and guitarist Paul Weller was a huge fan of Steve Marriott and Pete Townshend.

I attended a few early Jam concerts in the Northeast, at Newcastle Mayfair and at Sunderland Seaburn Hall. These gigs were pretty wild affairs with Weller and the guys having to dodge a hail of glasses (and they were real glass in those days, not plastic) and waves of spit.

The Seaburn Hall gig (see postcard of Seaburn which I recently purchased on eBay, Seaburn Hall is top left) was particularly ferocious; it was attended by a group of skinheads (“We hate punks”) who were looking for trouble and there were several scuffles. The Jam set in those days drew from their first album, their early singles, and a nifty cover of the Batman them closed the show. They were a breath of fresh air, and it was evident even at those early gigs, that this was a band that stood above the rest and would ultimately transcend the punk movement.

By 1978 The Jam had graduated to playing Newcastle City Hall (see ticket above), a venue that would be host to some great Jam gigs over the next few years. I also saw them headline the Friday night of the Reading festival in the same year. Sample Jam setlist from 1978: The Modern World; London Traffic; I Need You (For Someone); The Combine; Aunties & Aunts; Standards; Here Comes the Weekend; Sounds From the Street; News of the World; London Girl; In the Street, Today; Bricks and Mortar; In the City; In the Midnight Hour; Carnaby Street; All Around the World.” Thanks to Wikimedia Commons for the picture of the Jam in concert at Newcastle City Hall in 1982, a concert which I almost certainly attended.

I saw Paul many times after those early performances including further Jam concerts at Newcastle City Hall, their farewell tour at Whitley Bay Ice Rink (the first concert at that cavernous, cold venue), and when he formed The Style Council (see my recent purchase of the single “Ever-Changing Moods” by the Style Council) including momentous performances at Live Aid and as part of Red Wedge, which Paul founded with Billy Bragg.

The tour was to mark the release of Paul’s latest album 66 which is his 17th solo album and was released on Polydor Records on 24 May 2024. The artwork was by Sir Peter Blake, who designed The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s LP all those years ago, again demonstrating Paul’s 60s influences. 66 is named partly for his age at release and partly, he claims, for 1966 – the year that produced much of the music that fired him up in the first place. (From Newcastle University website).

Such memories swirl around my head as I go to see Paul Weller again. It has been some years since I’d last seen Weller live; his arena tour in 2009 to be precise. So, I figured it was about time to see him again. Supporting Paul was Liam Bailey an English singer-songwriter from Nottingham. Liam is noted for his soul, reggae, and blues-influenced vocal style. He was an excellent opening act, warming the crowd up for the main man. Paul Weller kicked off the evening with “Cosmic Fringes”, and “That Pleasure”, Weller wasted no time, igniting the crowd and reminding us all what a great performer he still is.

Backed by his excellent band, he smoothly moved through an eclectic mix of music from his solo work, Style Council hits and even provided a nod to his Jam days. The audience erupted during “Start” and “Shout to the Top”, songs that remain as anthemic as ever! Midway Weller softened the pace with poignant renditions of “Broken Stones” and, later “Wild Wood”; his voice strong, filling the hall with warmth. The audience were captivated as they were taken through the depth and breadth of his career.

During the encore, the energy reached an all-time high. “That’s Entertainment” and “Town Called Malice” had the entire hall on their feet, singing every word as one. I was reminded of all the times I’d seen The Jam, and, for a moment, it felt like no time had passed since those days. Indeed, leaving Newcastle City Hall that evening, it was clear to me that Weller continues to be a great live performer and remains a true rock ‘n’ roll legend.

He is a world class act through and through. In many ways he carries his mod colours loud and proud; the 60s, Small Faces, The Who and my own particular hero Steve Marriott resonate throughout his every move and sinew. Class indeed. Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs, along with Laura for helping complete the entry and Jan and Chris for navigating the site.

Setlist: Cosmic Fringes; That Pleasure; Soul Wandering; My Ever-Changing Moods; Have You Ever Had It Blue; All the Pictures on the Wall; Headstart for Happiness; Above the Clouds; More; Stanley Road; Glad Times; Village; Hung Up; Shout to the Top!; Start!; Broken Stones; Nothing; Jumble Queen; Out of the Sinking; Into Tomorrow; Peacock Suit.

Encore: The Changingman; Porcelain Gods; You Do Something to Me; Wild Wood.
Encore 2: That’s Entertainment; Town Called Malice.

27 Dec

Maximo Park The Fire Station Parade Ground Sunderland 31 August 2024

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

I have seen Maximo Park several times in the past. Although I can’t claim to know many of their songs, I always enjoy their performance. They are entertaining, full of rocky energy and Paul Smith is the consummate front man, resplendent in bowler hat (or something similar) and leaping all over the stage.

It was great to see them again in my local venue The Fire Station, outside in the Parade Ground when I recently saw Inspiral Carpets. When I arrived, with Jan, The Fire Station had very kindly reserved a table for us with a splendid view of the stage. Thank you very much, lovely treatment from my favourite local venue.

 

The Fire Station announced the show: “We’re delighted to host indie rock icons Maximo Park for a very special show in The Parade Ground as part of The Fire Station’s Summer Parties season. Like their friends and neighbours, The Futureheads and Field Music, Mercury Prize-nominated Maximo Park craft smart, sharply catchy songs inspired by post-punk and new wave legends like The Jam, XTC, Wire, and The Smiths.”

Once again Maximo Park did not let me down. It was great seeing them outside on a lovely late summer evening. As referred to above, these local legends are massively popular in the north-east, coming originally from Newcastle. They soon recruited Paul Smith from Stockton on Tees as singer: “When he first joined, we didn’t know if he could [sing]; just that he was a lunatic jumping around in a suit, it felt like the last piece of the jigsaw”. (From Wikipedia). He has certainly done them proud and has become the focal point for their live performances.

This was another important, and ultimately triumphant, concert for the band. The first time that I saw them at such an important concert was when they played at Newcastle City Hall, a large venue and a right of passage for any local band entering the “big time”. I wrote the following about that concert.

This concert was a big deal for Maximo Park. Their Facebook page proudly declared “everyone has played Newcastle City Hall: Bob Dylan, the Beatles; and now we are playing there”. The concert had sold out quickly: a hometown show with the added attraction that the band were showcasing their excellent debut album “A Certain Trigger” in full was bound to be a big draw. Laura was really excited about going but sadly came down with flu on the night of the concert, so along I went to the City Hall on my own.

Maximo Park exploded onto the stage to a big loud and friendly roar from the home crowd. The set was one of two halves, opening with 11 tracks drawing from across their career, starting with “Girls who play guitar”. This was followed by a performance of all 13 tracks from “A Certain Trigger”. Ten years on the songs from the first album sound as fresh and modern as ever. The crowd loved it, and you could see how much the band enjoyed the night, and how keen they had been to grace the City Hall stage.  A great performance from a local band who maintain a loyal and strong following.

Roll on to 2024. Paul remains as always. Full of energy, singing a set of songs that were very familiar to the audience. Everyone was singing along and appeared to know every word! An impressive performance by a magnificent local band. I bought a signed album (pictured). Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and Atlanta for manipulating the site.

Setlist: The Coast Is Always Changing; Girls Who Play Guitars; The End Can Be as Good as the Start; All of Me; Leave This Island; Hips and Lips; Quiz Show Clue; Questing, Not Coasting; I Want You to Stay; The National Health; The Kids Are Sick Again; Going Missing; Risk to Exist; By the Monument; What Equals Love?; Favourite Song; Our Velocity.
Encore: Versions of You; Books From Boxes; Apply Some Pressure.

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »