Roxy Music the Lincoln Festival 27th May 1972
I will spend the next few days trying to recall as much as I can about the seven or so occasions on which I have seen Roxy Music live. I first saw a new and relatively unknown Roxy Music at the Lincoln Festival on 27th May 1972. This was their first major performance and only the seventh time the band had played together. They appeared early on the Saturday afternoon, sandwiched between sets by Locomotive GT (a Hungarian rock band who were pretty big during the ’70s) and Heads, Hands and Feet. The Roxy line-up at the time was Bryan Ferry (vocals and keyboards), Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (sax and oboe), Paul Thompson (drums), Eno (synths) and Graham Simpson (bass). I recall that there was quite a buzz about the band at the time, largely as a result of their connections with King Crimson. Bryan Ferry had auditioned as lead singer for King Crimson, and impressed Robert Fripp and Pete Sinfield, although they felt that his voice was not suitable for Crimson. They went on to help Roxy Music obtain a record contract, and Sinfield produced their first, wonderful, album. 
The sound at the festival wasn’t great; it was windy and the mix was poor. But it was obvious even at this early stage in their career that there was something new, different and unique about this band. The guys all dressed outrageously and looking at pictures of Roxy taken at the festival you would think they had come from another planet, and they all look so young! The image here is from a Sounds poster of the time and was taken at the festival. And the music sounded very different to anything else around at the time. Eno’s use of synths, Ferry’s vocals, and Mackay’s oboe all gave Roxy their own distinctive sound. Roxy Music were recording tracks for their first album at the time of this appearance, and it was well before the release of their first single “Virginia Plain”. Their short set is likely to have consisted of the following songs: 2HB; Would You Believe?; Sea Breezes, Ladytron, If There Is Something!, Re-Make/Re-Model, The Bob (Medley), Virginia Plain. Roxy provided a short interlude of majestic bright glam/art rock in what was an excellent line-up, but a very wet windy and cold weekend. Looking back, and although I didn’t realise it at the time, there were glimpses of the greatness and richness of musical texture which would follow. Foolishly, I saw Roxy Music simply as a quirky weird new band, and because of this I left it a couple of years before I saw them again, which I now regret. The next time I saw Roxy Music was on their 1974 tour, and I’ll reflect on that tomorrow.
Posts Tagged ‘concerts’
15 Apr
Roxy Music the Lincoln Festival 27th May 1972
14 Apr
A day at the Edinburgh festival with Radiohead and Franz Ferdinand (well two of them) 22nd August 2006
A day at the Edinburgh festival with Radiohead and Franz Ferdinand 22nd August 2006
The Edinburgh festival is an amazingly broad all-encompassing set of events, and we often find ourselves going along to one or two. In August 2006 we spent a day up in Edinburgh, and managed to take in two musical events, each of a different sort. David, Laura and I drove up to Edinburgh in the late morning, to make sure that we arrived for our first event, which was part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand were due to discuss lyric writing, as part of the children’s programme. Speaking at the time Kapranos said: “We are looking forward to performing for, and talking to, the kids at such a great event. We might even give a few secrets away”, and the director of the children’s programme at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Karen Mountney, added “We wanted to create a family event where young people could be inspired by the best in the business.” The event started at 4.30pm in a small theatre on the book festival village. It had sold out very quickly and the place was packed with 500 young people eager to meet some musical heroes close up. Frontman Alex Kapranos and guitarist Nick McCarthy spent an hour telling the young fans all about their songs and how they write them. They sat on a small stage surrounded by guitars and a piano, which the duo used to illustrate their points and play short pieces from their songs. Kapranos: “I have always felt that songwriting and lyrics were seen as the poorer cousins of the literature world, but that’s not necessarily the case. The greatest figure in Scottish literature was not primarily known for his poetry, but for his song-writing – Robert Burns – and there has been a longevity to what he says. Lyrics are another side of literature.” He added: “When it comes to song writing, there are not any distinct rules – there isn’t any right of wrong way to go about it. Some of the best things you do are mistakes. I didn’t have any music training – most of song writing is messing about till it sounds good.” (from a review on http://www.gigwise.com/ at the time). I like intimate events like this one, where you get the chance to hear musicians speak, and always find them very interesting and enlightening. After the event Laura and David joined a line to get their festival brochures signed by the two guys. I had to go and move the car…
The next part of our day was very different; we were going to see Radiohead in concert at Meadowbank stadium. Support came from Beck, who we sadly missed because of our trip to the book festival (still, it was worth it). Radiohead took to the stage shortly after we arrived, and from opener ‘Airbag’ the crowd were simply enthralled. This was the first time I saw Radiohead, and to be honest I didn’t really get them at the time, although Laura and David were, and still are, massive fans of the band. The stage backdrop featured a large and fractured image of Thom Yorke, in front of which he wriggled around squeezing perfect vocals and emotion from his wiry frame. The set included classics like ‘Karma Police’ and ‘Paranoid Android’ and tracks which were new at the time such as ‘Videotape’ and ‘Bodysnatchers’. The magnificent ‘Creep’ ended their two-hour set and was the anthem of the evening. The large crowd was pretty unruly at times, with Thom having to stop the show at one point. A good gig, and a great ending to the day. Laura thought it was one of the best gigs she had been to, and was knocked out by Yorke’s vocals. I’ve seen Radiohead a couple of times since then, and I am beginning to count myself a fan now.
Setlist: Airbag; 2+2=5; The National Anthem; My Iron Lung; Morning Bell; Videotape; Nude; Lucky; The Gloaming; Where I End And You Begin; Paranoid Android; All I Need; Pyramid Song; Fake Plastic Trees; I Might Be Wrong; Idioteque; How To Disappear Completely. Encore 1: You And Whose Army?; Bodysnatchers; Just; Karma Police. Encore 2: There There; True Love Waits/Everything In Its Right Place; Creep.
It seemed to take forever before we were allowed out of the car park; they held us back until the crowds cleared. We then had a couple of hour drive home, arriving back in the early hours of the morning after a long, tiring, but exciting day.
13 Apr
Ratt Invasion of Your Privacy World Tour ’85/’86
Ratt Invasion of Your Privacy World Tour ’85/’86
I found a programme for Ratt’s “Invasion of Your Privacy” ’86/’86 world tour in my collection, but I couldn’t find a ticket stub to match. My conundrum was soon solved however, when I realised that I’d seen Ratt down the bill at Donington Monsters of Rock in 1985 and as support for Ozzy Osbourne on 12th February 1986 at Newcastle City Hall. Ratt were very much on their way upward at the time, and must have had their own tour programme, either at Donginton or alongside Ozzy’s merchandise. I have already written about the Ozzy gig, but I didn’t say much about Ratt. As I have a programme to feature here, I figured I should write a little about the band.
Ratt are an American hard rocking band, and were instrumental in the formation of the early ’80s Los Angeles glam metal scene, often referred to as the ‘Sunset Strip’ sound. Like their friendly rivals Mötley Crüe, Ratt’s sound fused pop hooks with the metal ethos along with big hair, and over the top on-stage performances and (on- and off-stage) behaviour. Ratt continue to tour and record today despite several hiatuses and many lineup changes. They were formed and led by vocalist Stephen Pearcy; at the time I saw them the line-up included Warren De Martini and Robbin Crosby on guitars, Bobby Blotzer on drums and Juan Croucier on bass. The tour programme describes Ratt as having “wiry energy”, “desperate rightness” and an attitude which guitarist Crosby calls “gladiator land-gyspies; cement pirates” [whatever that might be 🙂 ]. It tells me that the band went from “sleeping on the floor of a converted garage in Los Angeles, their pillows nestled against their Marshall amps” to massive success with their debut album “Out of the Cellar” and that “we’re finally out of the cellar and into your living rooms. Ratt cannot be exterminated”.
Ratt are little mentioned these days, with much of the publicity and credit for the scene going to Mötley Crüe, who perhaps did out-do them in terms of outrageousness. However, Ratt were without doubt a formidable force at the time, and their shows were glorious celebrations of what is possible if you take pop and glam sensibilities and align them with the values, volume, approach and craziness of heavy metal. Their concerts were something to be experienced, and Ozzy must have found it difficult to follow them on that stage some nights.
Ratt’s line-up has changed a lot over the years; however they are now back to more or less their classic formation with Stephen Pearcy, Warren De Martini, Bobby Blotzer and Juan Croucier all once again in the fold. They are joined by Carlos Cavazo on guitar.
Setlist from 1986: Dangerous but Worth the Risk; Give It All; Wanted Man; In Your Direction; Never Use Love; Walkin’ the Dog; You Think You’re Tough; Lay It Down; You’re in Love; Sweet Cheater; Round and Round
PS Ratt made a big noise and had big hair, so I figured I’d use a bigger than usual image of their tour programme for my post today. Rock on.
12 Apr
Gerry Rafferty Newcastle City Hall 9th April 1980
Gerry Rafferty Newcastle City Hall 9th April 1980
Two years and two albums later, Gerry Rafferty was out on tour again in the UK. I saw him when the tour called at Newcastle City Hall. The massive success of Rafferty’s “City to City” album was followed by “Night Owl” in 1979, and “Snakes and Ladders” in 1980. The title track from “Night Owl” made the UK top ten, and the album also include the hit “Get It Right Next Time”. The set consisted of his hits and tracks from his four solo albums, and was another enjoyable evening spent with a musical craftsman. Support came from Richard and Linda Thompson. Richard Thompson had played on the “Night Owl” album, and Rafferty personally financed the husband and wife duo’s next album, and helped look for a record deal for them. This was not successful, although several of the songs were later re-recorded and appeared on the critically acclaimed “Shoot Out The Lights” album. Rafferty was a craftsman and a perfectionist; that can be seen in his recorded output, and was also evident in his live concerts which showcased the unique way in which the singer songwriter successfully blended pop and folk rock. 
However, fame and live performance did not sit well with Gerry Rafferty. He found the linkage between success and celebrity difficult to handle and his live performances were few and far between after his 1980 tour. The appearance of “Stuck in the Middle with You” in Tarantino’s 1992 film Reservoir Dogs brought Rafferty and his music back into the public eye and introduced a new generation of fans to the song.
Gerry Rafferty sadly passed away on 4th January 2011. His passing was marked by tributes from across the music industry, and a re-evaluation of the massive impact of his songs and the richness of his musical legacy.
11 Apr
Gerry Rafferty Newcastle City Hall 8th June 1978
Gerry Rafferty Newcastle City Hall 8th June 1978
The song “Baker Street” seemed to be playing everywhere I went in early 1978. It certainly propelled Gerry Rafferty from what seemed to be nowhere to massive stardom within the period of a month or so. Now he hadn’t come from nowhere, and I had of course heard of Gerry Rafferty before that. I knew of his collaboration with Billy Connolly in the folk duo Humblembums, and I was familiar with Stealers Wheel through the big hit “Stuck in the Middle with You”. In fact, I once saw Stealers Wheel live. It was around the time that “Stuck in the Middle” was in the charts. This was at a concert at Sunderland Polytechnic Wearmouth Hall. However, I am pretty sure that it was during the period when Gerry Rafferty was not in the band. He left Stealers Wheel during 1973 and was replaced by Luther Grosvenor, after the guitarist left Spooky Tooth and before he became the crazy glam-king Ariel Bender in Mott the Hoople. The thing I remember most about that concert was just how loud the band were. Its hard to imagine it, given the nature of their music, but it was one of the loudest gigs I have ever been too. So loud that you couldn’t hear the music, and that you had to leave the hall to speak to anyone. The place was packed to the walls and Stealers Wheel were good, but it is the sheer volume of the gig which sticks in my mind to this day. Anyway, as I say, Gerry Rafferty wasn’t in the band that night, so apologies for the ramblings and back to the point of this post.
At first Rafferty wasn’t keen to tour off the back of the “City to City” album, but as a result of the massive impact of the single “Baker Street” he agreed to do so, and a touring band, based on the musicians who accompanied him on the album, was put together. The UK tour sold out immediately, although most of the people there will only have been familiar with the hit single. Support came from Scottish folk singer Rab Noakes. The set consisted of the “City to City” album, and a few songs from Gerry’s earlier solo albums. I am pretty sure that he didn’t play “Stuck in the Middle”. The music was perfect with a certain groove that all of Rafferty’s songs seem to have; when you hear Gerry’s soft, calm vocals you just know it is him. I recall going along only really knowing “Baker Street” and coming away converted; quite a fan of his music.
Gerry’s band for the tour were Julian Litman (guitar), Tommy Eyre (keyboards), Jeff Bannister (keyboards), Raphael Ravenscroft (sax and famous “Baker Street” solo), Gary Taylor (bass) and Liam Genockey (drums). Musical production and tour direction was provided by Hugh Murphy who had also worked with Rafferty on “City to City”.
Following the “City to City” theme the programme gave us a short quirky snippet about each city that the tour called at. For Newcastle it says: “…juts outside which there is a village with the charming name of Staindrop, and a rare breeed of wild white cattle – which are not albinos but a pure strain dating back to the Ice Age.”
I saw Gerry Rafferty once more in concert, a couple of years later, and I will write about that tomorrow.
10 Apr
Reo Speedwagon Newcastle City Hall 28th October 1985
Reo Speedwagon Newcastle City Hall 28th October 1985
I saw Reo Speedwagon once, when they toured the UK in 1985 and played at Newcastle City Hall. The line-up at the time was Neal Doughty (keyboards), Alan Gratzer (drums), Gary Richrath (lead guitar), Kevin Cronin (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), and Bruce Hall (bass). They were touring off the back of their eleventh studio album “Wheels Are Turnin'”. They had been in the UK singles charts earlier in the ’80s with “Keep on Loving You” and “Take It on the Run”, and in 1984 with “Can’t Fight This Feeling”. REO Speedwagon formed in 1967 in the USA, and have had considerable success. Their 1980 album “Hi Infidelity” contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group’s best-selling album, with over ten million copies sold. Over the course of their career, the band have sold more than 40 million records and continue to play to this day. The concert was an evening of great adult-oriented pop rock. I recall lots of jangling acoustic guitars and strong harmonies. Support came from Robin George.
Thanks to Mitch for the setlist: Don’t Let Him Go, Tough Guys, I Do’ Wanna Know, One Lonely Night, Back On The Road Again, Take It On The Run, Can’t Fight This Feeling, Wherever You’re Goin’ (It’s Alright), The Unidentified Flying Tuna Trot, Shakin’ It Loose, Keep On Loving You, Keep Pushin’, Roll With The Changes.
Encores: Riding The Storm Out, Time For Me To Fly.
9 Apr
Lou Reed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 22nd April 2005
Lou Reed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 22nd April 2005
It had been a long time since I last saw Lou Reed in concert, so when he came over to play a few dates in 2005, I bought tickets for David and I to see him at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. We traveled down to Liverpool by train, and stayed at the Adelphi Hotel, just up from Lime Street station, and a short walk from the Philharmonic Hall, which is a beautiful art deco concert hall. It was good to see Lou Reed in concert again after all this time. I must admit I was hoping for a few Velvet Underground classics, but it wasn’t to be. Lou devoted the set to tracks from his solo albums, most of which were unfamiliar to me. He also played a lot more guitar solos than I recall him doing in the ’70s, and showed us that he was a pretty neat guitarist. The encore was “Perfect Day’ which made the evening for David and me. For once we didn’t have to rush for a train, or have a 3 hour drive home, so we decided to see if we could get Lou’s autograph. We went around to the stage door and joined a line of Reed fans, all of whom had the same idea as us. A guy came out and told us to wait and that Lou would come out and see us all soon. After what seemed a long wait, the guy returned, and apologised to us all. He explained that Lou was feeling tired, and wouldn’t be coming out after all, but if we gave him something for Lou to sign, he would get it signed for us. David and I gave him our tickets, and we all waited again. Soon the guy returned and gave us back our items, now signed, apparently by Lou Reed (see scan). Did Lou really sign it? I like to think so, but who knows….? Its a pretty scribbly autograph 🙂
Setlist: Adventurer; The Proposition; My House; Ecstasy; Guilty; Mad; Talking Book; Slip Away (A Warning); Charley’s Girl; Burning Embers; Vanishing Act; Why Do You Talk?; Guardian Angel; The Blue Mask. Encore: Perfect Day.
The next time I saw Lou Reed perform was when he came on stage for a short guest spot with Gorillaz at Glastonbury 2010 and performed their song “Some Kind of Nature”.
Lou Reed sadly passed away on 27th October 2013, and we lost a big talent.
8 Apr
Lou Reed Newcastle City Hall 30th September 1973
Lou Reed Newcastle City Hall 30th September 1973
In December 1972, having left the Velvet Underground a year or so earlier, Lou Reed released “Transformer”, his seminal album, which was co-produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. The record, partly through Bowie’s success, introduced Reed to a wider audience, especially in the UK. The hit single “Walk on the Wild Side” came off the album. Bowie said of Lou Reed’s music” “I had never heard anything quite like it. It was a revelation to me.” Reed released his next album: “Berlin” in 1973 and toured the UK on what is sometimes called “The Rock And Roll Animal Tour” to promote it. I remember that Lou was dressed all in black leather, his face covered in make up. The concert was a mix of highs and lows; at times I recall thinking Reed’s performance excellent, at other times in the same show it seemed that he didn’t care at all about the songs he was singing, or the audience. The moment that sticks in my mind most of all came during his performance of the Velvet Underground classic “Heroin”. During the song, Reed wrapped a belt around his arm, and simulated injecting his vein with heroin. Pretty shocking and heavy stuff, but it underlined the lyrics and the scary message of the song. Looking at the songs he played during that tour, it includes songs which were quite new to me at the time, and are now recognised as classics: “Vicous”, “Sweet Jane”, “Waiting for the Man” (always my favourite), “Satellite of Love” and of course “Walk on the Wild Side”. According to records from the time the support act was the Persuasions, an a cappella group from Brooklyn, New York, formed in the mid-1960s. Now I remember seeing the Persuasions at Lincoln Festival in 1972, and being very impressed by them, but I have absolutely no recollection of seeing them at this gig; but hey ho that’s the way my memory is now. Maybe they did play, maybe I was in the bar during their set (quite likely for the time 🙂 ). Lou Reed’s band for the tour: Lou Reed – vocals, guitar; Steve Hunter – guitar; Dick Wagner -guitar; Ray Colcord – organ; Prakash John – bass; Pentti Glan – drums
Based on setlists from the tour, Reed is likely to have played a selection something like this: Vicious (or Sweet Jane); How Do You Think It Feels?; Caroline Says I; I’m Waiting for the Man; Satellite of Love; Walk on the Wild Side; Oh, Jim; Heroin; White Light/White Heat; Rock & Roll (possibly Sister Ray)
I also saw Lou perform at The Who’s Chartlon concert in 1974. By this point he was sporting bright white bleached hair. He again played a mix of his solo stuff and Velvet Underground classics. I deeply regret that I never got to see the Velvet Underground. I did go and see a version of the band when they were due to play at Sunderland Locarno in 1972. I am pretty sure that they didn’t turn up that night. The next time I saw Lou Reed was some 30 years later. I’ll write more about Lou Reed and about that gig in particular tomorrow.
“Said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side, And the colored girls go, Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo” (Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed, 1972). Pure magic.
7 Apr
REM London Hammersmith Apollo 19 February 2005
REM London Hammersmith Apollo 19 February 2005
I was late getting into REM, and didn’t go to see them until 2005. By then drummer Bill Berry had left the band and they were a core three piece of Peter Buck on guitar, Mike Mills on bass and Michael Stipe on vocals. Their 2005 word tour was to promote their 13th album “Around the Sun”. The tour called at arenas and during the summer reached massive outdoor venues, including an appearance in Hyde Park. Marie and I went to this intimate show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. For this tour, Stipe adopted wore a green greasepaint ring circling his head around his eyes, resembling the Green Lantern’s mask and also a blindfold. The stage show consisted of dozens of light tubes hanging above the band, displaying several colour-changes as the concert progressed: yellow for “Everybody Hurts”, and red for “Losing My Religion” in front of plates which produced a backdrop of sparks and flashes. The set was a mix of new songs and classics, with a seven song encore. A great concert, I shouldn’t have left it so long to go and see REM. 
Setlist: I Took Your Name; Animal; Undertow; The Outsiders; 7 Chinese Bros; High Speed Train; Everybody Hurts; Electron Blue; Leaving New York; I’ve Been High; Departure; Orange Crush; I Wanted to Be Wrong; Final Straw; Imitation of Life; The One I Love; Walk Unafraid; Losing My Religion. Encore: What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?; Bad Day; Sweetness Follows; Swan Swan H; Electrolite; I’m Gonna DJ; Man on the Moon.
We also saw REM play a brief set in London’s Hyde Park as part Live 8, and had tickets for their show in Hyde Park that summer. Their Hyde Park concert was postponed because of the 2005 London bombings, and we couldn’t make the new date for some reason (I don’t recall what) and obtained a refund, missing the gig. REM are sadly missed from the music scene; a great band.
6 Apr
Rip Rig and Panic Newcastle University 30th January 1982
Rip Rig and Panic Newcastle University 30th January 1982
Doing my daily blog is teaching me a hell of a lot about rock music, and refreshing my memories about the bands I have been to see. Today is a good example. I remember seeing Rip Rig and Panic at Newcastle University students union in early 1982, but have to admit to remembering very little about their performance. They performed on a Saturday night, and Marie and I were just as likely to be found in the bar as in the ballroom. I would always watch some of the band’s set, and recall Rip Rig and Panic as being an energetic band fronted by a great female lead singer, with lots of members dancing around on stage and loads of jazzy rhythms. What I had forgotten was that the lead singer was Neneh Cherry, and that the band had in part spun out of the Pop Group. Neneh would have been known to me at the time as the step-daughter of American jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, who I had seen touring with The Slits. Rip Rig + Panic were a post-punk band, founded in 1981. They had a short career, breaking up in 1983, and took their name from a 1965 Roland Kirk album. Their line-up was Sean Oliver (bass), Mark Springer (piano, sax, vocals), Gareth Sager (guitar, sax, keyboards, vocals), Bruce Smith (drums, percussion), Neneh Cherry (vocals), Flash (saxophone), Andrea Oliver (vocals), David De Fries (trumpet) and Sarah Sarhandi (viola). Rip Rig and Panic’s music mixed avantgarde elements with jazz, led by Cherry’s great pop/soul singing. Don Cherry guested on some of their recordings. They had very positive reviews from the music press at the time, which prompted me to go and see this gig. Neneh Cherry had briefly been a member of The Slits, and of course she went on to massive success, starting with her single “Buffalo Stance”. She grew up in a musical family, and said she found her voice singing along with Poly Styrene from X-Ray Spex: “Music was always there, it was like food in my house. But in my home I had never really found my own thing. I really identified with Poly, the voice. Culturally, she was mixed. I recognized her when I looked at her. One day I was singing along to their records, Germfree Adolescents or Oh Bondage Up Yours!, but I found my voice. And I’ll never forget it happening.” Cherry remembers singing with her dad, Don Cherry, in the voice she had found. “Oh look, I have a voice, it’s been born. It was like an ejection, like a release button. It was like, here you go, do your own thing.” (Wikipedia).
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