Posts Tagged ‘classic rock’

28 Oct

Martin Turner The Cluny Newcastle 21 September 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Martin Turner, Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash, Wishbone Ash. Tagged: , , , , .

The Cluny was pretty full, but not as full as last year’s sold-out performance at the same venue, for this show by Martin Turner, founding member of Wishbone Ash. I must say that I don’t particularly like to swear allegiance to either version of Wishbone Ash. I enjoy seeing Wishbone Ash with Andy Powell; a band I have seen many times over the years and Andy is to be applauded for keeping the Wishbone Ash flag flying high. Martin, on the other hand, has put together a band of excellent musicians to recreate the original sound of Wishbone Ash as close to the albums as possible.

So, I am happy for both bands to coexist and to have the opportunity of experiencing two different views of Wishbone Ash. Andy has kept the band going and transformed them into a rockier, louder format. Martin, on the other hand, attempts to recreate the original sound.

This tour is billed as selections of songs from the Live Dates 2 album (1980) along with tracks from the original Live Dates album (1973). I am pretty sure that some of the Live Dates album was recorded at Newcastle City Hall, a concert which I attended. I remember well how they announced that they were recording the concert for a future live album.

There were microphones situated around the venue to record the sound from various vantage points. At the time we will very excited that we were going to be on a live album. Of course, I bought the album and still have a copy to this day. Sadly, I sold my record collection some years ago in foolishness. I have since rebuilt it all via car boot fairs, charity shops, vintage vinyl fairs and eBay.

Jan, my carer for the evening, and I were led through a little hatch into the auditorium which holds 300 people and was pretty full. At 8 PM sharp, Martin Turner and his band took the stage. We were immediately transported back to the 1970s and the classic Argos album with “The King Will Come” (one of my favourites), followed by some later Wishbone Ash favourites as featured on the Live Dates 2 album including several I recognised immediately: “Lady Jay”; “F.U.B.B” (Fu**ed up Beyond Belief); “Persephone” and “Way Of The World”.

After a short interval Martin was back, this time focusing upon older tracks as featured on the original Live Dates album. Now we were on the home stretch with songs that were true classics and favourites of mine. These included the wonderful “Time Was”; the equally excellent Laurie Wisefield song “Goodbye Baby, Hello Friend”; the Ted Turner song “Rock ‘n Roll Widow” written about a wishbone Ash concert in the USA during which someone shot his wife’s lover!.

The perennial favourite “Blowin’ Free” follows and finally closing the show, one song that continues to grow on me, (I started off thinking it was too self-indulgent, but now I absolutely love this one), it is, of course, “Phoenix”. Magnificent. “Phoenix rise, raise your head to the sky” (Wishbone Ash, 1970). According to guitarist Ted Turner in the band’s official biography Blowin’ Free, “It was just an elongated, structured jam, but our masterpiece”.

I must mention that, once again, I was very impressed by Martin who looked well and was dressed in incredibly bright and flashy gear as always! And of course, he was playing his usual Gibson Thunderbird bass, standing stage centre, clearly leading the proceedings, flanked on either side by two excellent guitarists who reproduced the twin guitar melodies of Wishbone Ash down to a T. Some great guitar duelling throughout the evening.

The encore was another favourite song “Living Proof” followed by the final song, as it always used to be, “Jail Bait” with its twisting, twirling discordant guitar, taking me back to seeing the original band at Sunderland Locarno. An excellent close to a wonderful concert reminding me just how great Wishbone Ash were, and continue to be through Martin and his band, and Andy Powell and his version of the Ash. At one point during the concert, a guy shouted up “why don’t you reunite with Andy Powell and reform the original Wishbone Ash?” Martin soon squashed the idea. Don’t think this will ever happen.

It was great to catch up with an old friend. I also treated myself to a signed copy of Martin’s book. Thanks to Jan for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.

Setlist:(something like this, derived from recent set lists and memory): Set 1: The King Will Come; Helpless; Lady Jay; F.U.B.B; Persephone; Lorelei; Runaway; Way Of The World (Part. I & II)

Set 2: (In All My Dreams) You Rescue Me; Time Was; Goodbye Baby, Hello Friend; Rock ‘n Roll Widow; Doctor; Blowin’ Free; Phoenix.

Encore: Living Proof; Jail Bait.

14 Oct

Marc Almond The Glasshouse Gateshead 15 September 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Alex Lipinski, Marc Almond. Tagged: , , , , , .

I first saw Marc as part of the duo Soft Cell at Kirklevington Country Club in 1982. Kirklevington Country Club (The Kirk) was a legendary venue in North Yorkshire which played host to Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, Joe Cocker, and many other bands in the late 60s. By the early 80s it was a very trendy night club. I went a couple of times, once to see Soft Cell and another to see Geno Washington.

The Soft Cell gig was great, coming not long after their number one hit with “Tainted Love”. The gig was sold out, but I went down with a couple of mates, and managed to blag our way in, can’t quite remember how. The place was ram packed and Soft Cell were excellent. You could sense then what a talent in the making Marc was. They had just released coach “Say Hello Wave Goodbye”. Their set was short, but spot on, wonderful atmosphere, and Marc was every bit a star. I remember manager Stevo standing in the crowd, watching his proteges from the dancefloor. A very special night. The next time I saw Marc was at Newcastle Mayfair. By now he had gone solo, was dressed heavily in leather and very much the melodramatic torch singer. Impressive stuff. That was in 1985.

It was many years before I saw Marc Almond perform again. The next occasion was a few years ago in the magnificent surroundings of York Minster at a Jethro Tull Christmas concert. Marc was a surprise special guest. He played a lovely rendition of “Bedsitter”, the aforementioned “Say Hello Wave Goodbye” and, revealing that he was a long time Jethro Tull fan, duetted with Iain Anderson and the band on “The Witch’s Promise”. Magical.

courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

From the Glasshouse website, advertising his appearance: “Captivating. Emotional. A journey through musical brilliance. Whether with his rich solo catalogue or during his time with the iconic Soft Cell, Marc Almond has always possessed a gift for introducing songs – some lesser known, others a little forgotten by time – to new audiences. 2024 marks the anniversary of Marc Almond’s 45th year in music and a career of breath-taking diversity that’s taken in chart topping pop, cutting-edge electronica, torch songs, orchestral ballads, French chansons, historical song-cycles, jazz, flamenco, Russian folk and much more. In the spirit of the new album, ‘I’m Not Anyone’  (out July 2024) the concert tour will consist only of cover songs.”

So, we were going to be in for a treat. Mark has a diverse and eclectic taste in music, and I felt sure that he would deliver for us some wonderful uplifting and challenging songs to match his intriguing, sometimes dark, emotional, and soulful voice, performance, and character. And I was not wrong. His set comprised some of my favourite songs, each of which brought back their own special memories.

Support was from Alex Lipinski. We arrived just as he was closing his set. He certainly warmed up the crowd for the main act. Now over to Marc Almond and his songs.

courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

“Elusive Butterfly”, I love this song both by Val Doonican (yes honestly) and the original version by Bob Lind. “Dream Lover”, I had the Bobby Darin single when I was a kid in the 60s and played and played it. Another magical choice. “How Can I Be Sure” made famous by the late great David Cassidy, I recall seeing David at a crazy concert at Newcastle City Hall where the ladies screamed throughout the song (my wife and I screamed with them). What a surprise. Then “The London Boys” by David Bowie, can it get any better? And yet it does. “If You Go Away”, from the original French by Jacques Brel. Yet another classic. “The Days of Pearly Spencer” by  David McWilliams, who I once saw at the City Hall supporting 10 cc. Another favourite song of mine.

More of my favourite songs follow. “Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart” on which Marc duetted with Gene Pitney (who sang the original). “Tainted Love” as heart stopping as ever. The original was by Gloria Jones who became Marc Bolan’s backing singer and then partner and sadly drove the car during the accident in which he sadly died. Dusty Springfield’s “I Close My Eyes and Count to 10”. Marc, you are one of the few individuals who can do this song justice. And indeed you did.

Oh, and I forgot to mention “Sebastian” my favourite Steve Harley song, which Marc sung in memory of the recently passed Steve. I saw Steve close the show with that song so many times. So touching. So poignant. Another Jacques Brel song “Jacky” made famous by the enigmatic and velvet voice of Scott Walker. All great choices, Marc. Thank you for sharing your songbook with us. Dark, passion, emotion, touching deep down into your (and our) soul(s).

Thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site. Another entry complete. Many more to catch up on. Until tomorrow, or maybe the next day. Time will tell.

Setlist: I’m the Light; Gone With The Wind (Is My Love); Elusive Butterfly; Trouble of the World; A Woman’s Story; The Heel; The Boss Is Dead; Yesterday When I Was Young; What Makes a Man; I Have Lived; Terrapin; Dream Lover; One Night of Sin; How Can I Be Sure; The London Boys; Stardom Road; If You Go Away; Sebastian; The House Is Haunted; The Days of Pearly Spencer; Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart; Tainted Love; Jacky; I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten; I’m Not Anyone

7 Oct

Lindisfarne The Fire Station Sunderland 12 September 2024

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

Lindisfarne were back at The Fire Station again, almost one year since I last saw them at the Sunderland venue. In between I have also seen them at their iconic Christmas show (2023) at the equally iconic Newcastle City Hall, their (and formally my) musical home. Apologies for repetition in my blog entry, but I have seen this band so many times, repetition is inevitable.

The Fire Station website: “Legendary 70s Tyneside folk-rock pioneers Lindisfarne present a classic five-piece line-up of long-time members fronted by founder-member Rod Clements on vocals, mandolin, fiddle, and slide guitar. With a repertoire of unforgettable songs including ‘Meet Me On The Corner’, ‘Fog On The Tyne’, ‘Lady Eleanor’ & ‘Run For Home,’ plus a second-to-none reputation for live performance, Lindisfarne’s power to galvanize audiences remains undimmed and is guaranteed to get the crowd on their feet and singing along.”

I first saw Lindisfarne supporting Van Der Graf Generator, with Genesis lower down on the bill at Newcastle City Hall in early 1971. I then attended the Lindisfarne first Christmas concert at the City Hall. Over the last 53 years I have seen Lindisfarne countless times (reminder to myself to check exactly how many times I have seen the band). Some memorable times follow in this blog entry.

Let’s start with the Lincoln Festival, and of climbing up a lighting tower to watch the bands and dancing on the top of the makeshift tent we build out of bales of hay (I do not recall where we found the hay) with about 20 “boys” from Sunderland that we met there, some for the first time who became lifelong friends. The term “boys” is particularly significant. Boys were a group of people from the town who stuck together and formed some sort of group identity, perhaps like the boys in David Bowie’s “London Boys” and Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town”.

It was at the Lincoln festival that they triumphed with the whole crowd singing along to songs from Nicely Out Of Tune and the Fog On The Tyne albums. The Grangemouth festival 1972 in Scotland where they again got the crowd singing along. Seeing them at Sunderland Top Rank around 1972 and headlining the City Hall two nights in a row, one with Genesis support and the other with Stackridge support on the Dingley Dell tour (a much-underrated album). Then the split and witnessing Lindisfarne 2 and the other offshoot Jack The Lad at festivals. The reforming of the band with a magical comeback concert at the City Hall and then back at the top with “Run for Home” and attending a sold-out concert at Redcar Coatham bowl during which we all danced on the tables and the aforementioned single was high in the charts.

The Alan Hull solo concert at the City Hall. Then all the Christmas concerts which I attended during the 1980s at the Newcastle City Hall. Travelling to Carlisle Sands Centre to see their farewell concert. I even took a copy of that evening’s Newcastle evening Chronicle along with me to the Carlisle concert; they were pictured on the cover and I got them to sign the newspaper. They were surprised as they did not know that they featured in it! Attending a ceremony outside the City Hall when a blue plaque was placed there to celebrate the life of Alan Hull. Ray Jackson’s Lindisfarne played outside at the ceremony.

And then starting to see the newly reformed band a few times, firstly with Ray Jackson fronting the band and more recently with Rod Clements as front man. I don’t know how many times I must have seen Lindisfarne, but it is on many, many occasions, most recently at the City Hall and the Fire Station.

The Fire Station was packed for this concert and the set list was very similar to those I have witnessed recently. As usual, we were treated to all the classic songs: “No Time to Lose”, “We Can Swing Together” and my personal favourite “Winter Song” performed perfectly by David Hull– Denholm, Alan Hull’s son in law. Soon, we were on the home front and the closing songs were: “Fog on the Tyne”, “Meet Me on the Corner” and “Run for Home”. The closer was, as it was in 1971 and has been ever since: “Clear White Light”. Another great concert by the North-East heroes.

Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site as usual. Next stop Newcastle City Hall Lindisfarne Christmas show this December 2024! See you soon Geordie heroes.

Setlist: Set 1: Alright on the Night; Squire; Scarecrow Song; Statues & Liberties; Lady Eleanor; Can’t Do Right for Doing Wrong; All Fall Down; Anyway the Wind Blows; Road to Kingdom Come; Walk a Crooked Mile; January Song.

Set 2: No Time to Lose; Passing Ghosts; Sundown Station; Dingley Dell; When The War Is Over; Winter Song; We Can Swing Together; Fog on the Tyne; Meet Me on the Corner; Run for Home; Clear White Light, Part 2.

4 Oct

Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve, The Glasshouse Gateshead 7 September 2024

Posted by vintagerock in Elvis Costello. Tagged: , , , , , .

Let’s go back 40 odd years. Marie and I are in the upstairs bar in Newcastle Polytechnic Students Union. With us is Captain Sensible of the Damned and a young guy named Elvis Costello. The occasion is, I think (my memory is hazy these days), the first Stiff Tour. The Captain is holding court, telling tales of the Damned on the road and how his favourite band is ABBA. He demolishes a packet of crisps in one go including the plastic pack itself! Elvis is quiet, drinking his pint. I’m not sure why the Captain was there, as he wasn’t appearing that night; I guess he must just have come along for the ride. This was the second time I had seen Elvis Costello live and I must admit I was very impressed, particularly by his second single “Alison”.

I had seen Elvis C a few weeks earlier at Middlesbrough Town Hall, again on the Stiff tour, which also featured (I think) Ian Drury, Wreckless Eric, Nick Lowe and others. I think it must have been around November 5th and Guy Fawkes night, as I recall we were waiting outside the venue and some young kids had their “guy” against the wall and asked Elvis “Penny for the Guy?” as he passed them on his way into the Town Hall. He threw them a few coppers. “That’s Elvis Costello” I told my mates. At the time I wondered how a young guy dared call himself “Elvis”. I was soon to find out. A few months later he was in the charts with “Watching the Detectives”. A few years ago, but I saw him in my hometown of Sunderland, at the Empire. I’ve seen him many times in between. And yet after all the years, I still remember those early, rocking, concert performances by an angry young Elvis who spat out the lyrics.

Roll forward a few years from the Sunderland Empire performance and here I was again, waiting to see Elvis Costello and his long-time keyboard player Steve Nieve at the Glasshouse. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Which Elvis would we get? The angry rocker, the middle-of-the-road crooner, or perhaps a mix? This time there was no band, the Imposters just Elvis and Steve. What sort of performance would they deliver?

The Glasshouse website described the concert as: “Masterful. Captivating. 50 years of peerless songs. Music legends Elvis Costello and long-time collaborator Steve Nieve embark on a 15-date UK & Ireland tour in September 2024, revisiting a profound 50-year songbook. From 1977’s “Watching the Detectives” to 2022’s “The Boy Named If”. Following a run of small theatre shows unearthing over 230 songs, this iconic duo is ready to rediscover and reimagine selections from Costello’s vast catalogue once more. Audiences can expect intimate interpretations and new connections shining light on both familiar favourites and rarely played gems spanning decades of peerless song writing.”

“Costello’s unique singing is of astonishing quality, the voice is always powerful, as is the piano.” Luzerner Zeitung, Lucerne, Switzerland – October 3rd, 2023.

So, as described this was a very different Elvis performance. No band, just Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve performing classics old and new in a dark, acoustic manner. This stage was set in dark lighting and the pair delivered some hits, some old favourites and also did not sing some of the rockier Elvis style songs. If you went along expecting a “normal” Elvis Costello performance you would be disappointed, as indeed my carer Elaine was. I also didn’t realise how dark (both in terms of lighting, and in the way the songs were performed) the concert would be. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the show, and it was great to hear old songs such as “Alison” and “Red Shoes” again. And Elvis’ performance of “She” is truly magnificent. Similarly, “Shipbuilding”, was performed extremely well.

Another great night spent with a true unique talent. Many thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Atalanta for manipulating the site for me.

Setlist: Watch Your Step; Waiting for the End of the World; Black Sails in the Sunset; Still Too Soon to Know; The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes; Mystery Dance; Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy; Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; Suit of Lights; A Face in the Crowd; Watching the Detectives; Dio, come ti amo / Almost Blue; She; Hey Clockface; Shot With His Own Gun; Come the Meantimes; Alison; Oliver’s Army; Shipbuilding; Indoor Fireworks; What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding

30 Sep

Texas First Direct Arena Leeds 6 September 2024

Posted by vintagerock in KT Tunstall, Texas. Tagged: , , , , , .

So, off to Leeds again this time to see Texas. This was my second visit to Leeds Arena, the first having been to see Iron Maiden. The train times don’t work out so well for me and it means missing some of the concert to catch the last direct train home. We arrived in Leeds after boarding a direct train from Durham, with plenty of time to spare.

For this concert I was accompanied once again by Jackie and Elaine, the same carers who came to see Iron Maiden with me. I always take two carers to Leeds or York to make sure we all cope with the trains. I am, of course, well covered by passenger assistance service which provides a ramp on and off the train and into a wheelchair space. Perfect.

This time, instead of taking a taxi, we walked the short journey up from the station to the Arena. It was a nice warm evening, and I easily traversed the pavements from station to venue. Leeds Arena is a lovely purpose-built, and quite large venue. I was lucky enough to attend the opening night which, before my accident, featured Bruce Springsteen and was a fantastic evening. Once we arrived at the venue, we found our seats which gave us all a magnificent view (Elaine managed to find a seat on the wheelchair ramp beside Jackie and me).

I bought a drink, a music box for my daughter (see image) and a T-shirt. We were pleased to discover that the support act was none other than fellow Scottish singer KT Tunstall. I recognised some of the songs including “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and, of course, the closing number “Suddenly I See”, her most well-known song. She also included great versions of “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics and “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the bangles. A great warmup act for Texas.

KT Tunstall Setlist:(something like) I Am the Pilot; Dear Shadow; Other Side of the World / America; The River; Black Horse and the Cherry Tree / Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This); Hold On / Walk Like an Egyptian; Suddenly I See.

“Texas is a Scottish rock band from Glasgow, founded in 1986 by Johnny McElhone (formerly of the bands Altered Images and Hipsway [I didn’t know that!]), Ally McErlaine, and Sharleen Spiteri (on lead vocals). In 1989, the band, now also featuring Tony McGovern, Eddie Campbell, Michael Bannister, and Neil Payne, released their debut EP, Everyday Now. The band’s debut single, “I Don’t Want a Lover”, was released in January 1989.” (From Wikipedia).

The story continues on the Leeds Arena website information for the event: “Who are they? They are Texas, and they make hits. Following a triumphant, stand out performance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury……. Known for their enthralling, high-energy shows, the…. band [will] play a set of classic hits from their recently released The Very Best Of 1989 – 2023.)”

“34 years since they recorded ‘I Don’t Want A Lover’, then watched, gobsmacked, as it reached Number Eight in the charts, Texas, one of the UK’s most loved bands, has gone on to produce ten studio albums, selling over 40 million records worldwide.” Myself, I have only seen Texas once before, in Hyde Park London, supporting Roger Waters as he performed Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety. On that occasion someone stupidly through a shoe at Sharleen Spiteri. She gave the guy a good mouthful and continued with the performance, which was excellent and strong support for Mr Waters.

Soon, Texas were on stage and, to our delight, started the set with a clutch of well-known hit songs including the aforementioned “I Don’t Want a Lover”, “Halo” and “summer son”. All of these were played with power and the emotional voice and tremendous stage presence of Sharleen. She stands stage centre and is clearly the focus. But this is a band that gels well together; and it really annoys me when people refer to Texas with phrases like “are you going to see her?” This show is by the band Texas, not just Sharleen, and I feel sure she would agree.

The graphics and screen effects which accompany the performance are magnificent and the size and shape of Leeds Arena allow the band to have a stage set up which covers 180° of the venue. Texas are superb and each song is catchy, rocky, and classic pop/rock. We manage to catch quite a bit of the show but, as I expected, we need to leave before the end of the performance. We are all sad that we have to leave in order to make our way back to the station. I once again race through the streets of the on the download stretch towards Leeds station.

We go straight to the platform where the friendly assistance guy soon arise with the ramp to get me onto the train back to Durham. Then it is a short journey, and our taxi is waiting for us, shortly after midnight, to take us home. My verdict about travelling to shows in Leeds remains that it is worth doing so for bands I really want to see as long as I am prepared to miss the last part of the concert. Such is life these days. I guess I can’t have everything.

Thanks to Elaine and Jackie for travelling to Leeds with me and taking the photographs. Jackie was so impressed by Texas that she decided to go to Glasgow to see them with family a week or so later, in order to experience the full performance, which she said was excellent. I was a little bit jealous. Thanks once again to Chris for manipulating the site.

Texas Setlist: I Knew These People; I Don’t Want a Lover; Halo; Everyday Now; The Conversation; Hi; In Our Lifetime; Tired of Being Alone; Keep on Talking; Summer Son; Insane; Let’s Work It Out; When We Are Together; Put Your Arms Around Me; Sleep; In Demand; Mr Haze; Black Eyed Boy; Say What You Want.

Encore: Inner Smile; Suspicious Minds.

11 Sep

Inspiral Carpets The  Fire Station Parade Ground 9 August 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8 Sep

Sons of Cream The Exchange 1856  North Shields 7 August 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Encore: Spoonful.

3 Sep

Love with Johnny Echols Gosforth Civic Theatre 24 July 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 Aug

The Monument Festival Herrington Country Park 20 July 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 Aug

AC/DC POWER UP TOUR Wembley Stadium 3 July 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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