Looking back through my ticket stubs, I realise how much I liked Nazareth in the 70s and into the 80s. They released a series of great records throughout that period; their albums from Razamanaz onward are all strong. I recall buying Razamanaz and then hunting out their earlier lps Nazareth and Exercises. 
Their hit singles: Broken Down Angel, Bad Bad Boy, and covers such as This Flight Tonight, My White Bicycle and Love Hurts are all classics of the time. And their live shows were always fun. Dan McCafferty growling his way through the set, Manny Charlton playing great guitar, 
particularly his slide guitar on Vigilante Man (much missed from the set today), Pete Agnew bouncing about smiling away on his bass, and Darrel Sweet thumping away at the back. By the late 70s Nazareth had been joined by Zal Cleminson on second guitar. 
Although it was great to see Zal as part of the line-up I could never quite figure why the added him. They were both excellent guitarists, but in my view the Nazareth set up never really exploited the twin guitars in the way Thin Lizzy or Wishbone Ash did. 
The alliance with Zal only lasted a couple of years, and by the time Nazareth came to Newcastle City Hall in 1981, Billy Rankin was filling the second guitar slot. 
I lost touch with Nazareth after the early 1980s, and didn’t return to them for some 20 years. In 2004 I saw a Nazareth gig advertised at Newcastle Arena. At the time the Arena ran a few smaller rock gigs in the foyer of the cavernous venue, and Nazareth was one of those gigs. Support came from the Swedish band Diamond Dogs who were very Faces like, and pretty damn good actually. 
That night my interest in Nazareth was renewed. I’ve seen them a couple of times since, and hope to continue doing so for some time. Its great that these guys are still rocking, and showing no signs of stopping. Dan McCafferty and Pete Agnew keep the Nazareth brand going, and must enjoy it; long may they do so. 
There are increasingly fewer and fewer of our classic rock bands from the 60s and 70s treading the boards, we need to appreciate those that are, while we can.
Posts Tagged ‘gigs’
22 Mar
Nazareth mid 70s to early 80s
21 Mar
Nazareth Newcastle Academy March 20th 2012
Great gig by Nazareth at Newcastle Academy last night. Went along with my mate Norm to see our ageing rocker heroes. The gig was in the smaller Academy 2, and it was packed. Great to see the band in a small intimate venue. Dan McCafetty’s voice is amazing, as strong as ever. He growled his way through the gig, just as he did all those years ago. And Pete Agnew bounced around with a wry smile on his face. The set was a mix of favourites: This Flight Tonight, Bad Bad Bay, Love Hurts, Razamanaz, and newer songs including a few from their new album. They finished with (of course) Broken Down Angel. 
Setlist (something like): Silver Dollar Forger; Big Dogz Gonna Howl; This Month’s Messiah; Sunshine; Turn On Your Receiver; See Me; My White Bicycle; Radio; When Jesus Comes To Save The World Again; This Flight Tonight; Bad Bad Boy; Whisky Drinkin’ Woman; Changin’ Times; Hair Of The Dog. Encore: Enough Love (with guest rappers – SHY & DRS); Razamanaz; Love Hurts; Broken Down Angel. During the first encore the guys brought on a couple of young Scottish rappers (caleed SHY & DRS) to sing along. A bit incongruos, but fun and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Support came from Bowden and Williamson who delivered a set of raw rythm and blues.
20 Mar
Nazareth 1973 Memories of great gigs
My first Nazareth encounter was at the Lincoln Great Western Festival in 1972. They came on early on the Saturday morning to a crowd just waking up. At that time they had just released their second album Exercises. I can’t remember a lot about their set that day, except that they seemed good and played a great version of Morning Dew. I must have seen them at least five times in 1973. They played Sunderland Locarno, when Broken Down Angel was in the charts. Razamanaz, an excellent lp, had just been released. Support came from Robin Trower, making it a pretty strong double bill. The programme to the right comes from that night; I think it was given away free at the gig. They were so good that night a few of us went to see them a couple of weeks later at Newcastle Mayfair on the same tour. I also saw them supporting Deep Purple at the City Hall around the same time. 
Later on in the year they were headlining their own tour of concert halls, with The Heavy Metal Kids support. I saw them at Newcastle City Hall on the tour. My ticket (6op!) and programme are here and below. By now Bad Bad Boy had also hit the charts, and the album Loud and Proud had been released. The band was really hot at the time. The set list featured Razamanaz, Alacatraz, Morning Dew, Vigilante Man (with great slide from Manny Charlton), Woke Up this Morning, This Flight Tonight, Bad Bad Boy and Broken Down Angel.
I also saw them at the notorious 1973 Buxton festival, where it rained all day and the Hells Angel took control of the festival. The Angels were driving through the crowd on their bikes, and took to the stage while the bands were on. Highlights of the day were Alex Harvey, who jumped into the crowd to stop the Angels fighting, and Nazareth, with Dan McCafferty facing up to the angels, who came on stage and sand along with him. Pretty scary stuff at the time. I was to see Nazareth many more times through the rest of the 70s. They were always great; I never once saw them put on a poor show. I am focussing on Nazareth memories this week, as I’m going to see them again tonight at Newcastle Academy with my mate Norm. Can’t wait. More on Naz later.
19 Mar
The Heavy Metal Kids Gigs in the 70s and 2012
The Heavy Metal Kids Gigs in the 70s and 2012
I saw The latest incarnation of The Heavy Metal Kids supporting UFO at Newcastle Academy on Saturday. It made me think about all the times I saw the band in the past during the 70s, with the late great Gary Holton on vocals. One of the first times I saw them must have been supporting Nazareth at Newcastle City Hall in 1973. I know because I’ve just been looking through a Nazareth programme, to get ready for going to see that band on Tuesday in Newcastle. The pages I’ve scanned here come from the back of the Nazareth programme. I remember wondering who the totally mad, cocky, cockney was running around the stage. Looking back their music and their act bridged the worlds of glam and punk. They dressed the part, and were full of arrogance and cheek. They also had some pretty good songs; my favourites were Its The Same from the first lp, and the single She’s No Angel; I remember them playing it on Top of the Pops. For The Cops Are Coming they would stage a scene from a Keystone Cops movie, chasing each other around the stage. 
The Kids supported lots of bands in the 70s; I saw them as support for Uriah Heep, Alice Cooper and possibly a few others. I also saw them a few times on Friday rock nights in Sunderland Locarno and Newcastle Mayfair, and at the Reading Festival. they played a lot; I must have seen them a fair few times. They were always good fun, a good laugh, and some good rock n roll, but they never quite made the step up to major headliners. A much under rated, and almost forgotten band. If you get the chance, listen to their three albums. Rolling forward to 2012, the latest Heavy Metal Kids line-up consists of original members Cosmo on guitar, Ronnie Garrity on bass, Keith Boyce on drums and new guitarist/vocalist Justin McConville. I arrived late, and missed the first few numbers of the set. They put on a pretty good show, with some nifty guitar work from Cosmo, and strong vocals from Justin. Old Kids classics Chelsea Kids, Delirious and She’s No Angel were rolled out, and pretty good versions they were too. Listening to those songs again made me realise how punky they were. Good fun, and brought back memories of Gary Holton on stage. A big character; much missed. Thanks to Sir Bawls for the set list below. The Kids setlist at Newcastle 17th March 2012 was: Hangin’ On; Blow It All Away; Hit The Right Button; Chelsea Kids; A Hundred Skeletons; Whisky; Marseilles; Rock Candy (Montrose cover); She’s No Angel; Delirious. The line-up: Justin McConville – vocals & guitar; Cosmo – lead guitar; Ronnie Garrity – bass; Keith Boyce – drums.
18 Mar
UFO Newcastle Academy March 17th 2012
UFO Newcastle Academy March 17th 2012
Its around five years since I last saw UFO, although it doesn’t seem it. I’ve been preparing myself for the gig, by blogging about UFO during the week, and by playing their live album Strangers in the Night and their classic Phenomenon lp, of which I have a signed copy, which I found at a car boot sale for 50p many years ago! (I have no way, of course, of knowing if the signatures are genuine; but they look pretty authentic to me). I arrived at the Academy early, just after 7pm so that I could catch support act The Heavy Metal Kids. I was intrigued to see what the new incarnation of the Kids would be like, particular without the charismatic Gary Holton. I’ll blog on them separately later this week. They were on stage when I arrived; Saturday gigs at the Academy start and finish early, as the venue turns into a night club at 11pm. 
UFO came on stage just after 8pm. By then the venue was packed, and the crowd gave the band a great Geordie reception. They started with Mother Mary; the set was a mix of old and new with all of the old favourites featured. Phil Mogg is lean and fit, and his voice is as strong as ever. Old timers Paul Raymond (keyboard and second guitar) and Andy Parker (drums) are still there alongside, and (now well established in the band) guitarist Vinnie Moore played some great solos, and easily matches up to the legend of Schenker and Tonka. Stand outs for me were Only You Can Rock Me, Love to Love, Lights Out and, of course, Doctor Doctor, which is one of my all time fave rock songs. Great night; from a band that never ceases to amaze. Setlist: something like (although I may well have the order wrong): Mother Mary; Let It Roll; Fight Night; a couple of songs from the new album; Wonderland; Only You Can Rock Me; Love to Love; Hell Driver; Venus; Too Hot To Handle; Lights Out; Rock Bottom. Encore: Doctor Doctor; Shoot Shoot.
17 Mar
All About Eve Newcastle City Hall 1988
All About Eve Newcastle City Hall 1988
Its taking me longer than I thought to work through my concert recollections. So far this year I’ve been blogging every day, jumping around concerts a little, but also working through the letter A, which I am almost (but not quite) through. I’ve left some bands that I’ve only seen once or twice to last…All About Eve makes me think of Martha’s Harbour and that fateful performance on Top of the Pops when the tape played away while the band sat motionless. That song, which was their biggest hit was in the charts when I saw them at the City Hall in 1988. I’d seen them a year or so before supporting The Mission at the same venue. I remember them as more melodic folk rock than being part of the goth genre, which is how they are often classified. Martha’s Harbour remains a classic beautiful song. I’m going to see UFO in Newcastle tonight, and I’m really looking forward to it.
16 Mar
Soft Cell Kirklevington 1982 Marc Almond Newcastle Mayfair 1985
Soft Cell Kirklevington Country Club 1982 and Marc Almond Newcastle Mayfair 1985
The Kirk was a legendary venue on 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 great. They had just released Say Hello Wave Goodbye. Their set was short, but spot on, great atmosphere, and Marc Almond 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.
15 Mar
UFO live Redcar Coatham Bowl 1984 and Newcastle Academy 2006
UFO live Redcar Coatham Bowl 1984 and Newcastle Academy 2006
UFO reformed in 1984 after a short break. The new band consisted of Phil Mogg on vocals, Paul Gray (ex Hot Rods and Damned) on bass, and the wonderfully named Atomic Tommy M on guitar. Davey and I went to see them at their Redcar Coatham Bowl gig in December 1984. I remember being intrigued by Atomic Tommy who was a manic Japanese guitarist. Actually they were pretty good, played the usual favourites and we all went home smiling. 
Then followed a long gap before I saw the band again. I’d all but forgotten how great UFO were, apart from times when now and then I would put Phenomenon on the turntable and play Doctor Doctor; which would remind me of a misspent youth and happy nights of a long long time ago.
So……roll on over 20 years and I’m back in Newcastle, this time the Mayfair has closed and the equivalent (if there ever could be one) is the Academy, and I’m seeing UFO again. And it was great. The power, the rock n roll, the melodies were all there. Doctor Doctor, Lights Out, Only You Can Rock Me, Love to Love. You can’t get much better for a night out. Roll on Saturday. UFO here I come. Is it really 6 years since last time? The years are catching up with me…Doctor Doctor please….
14 Mar
UFO Newcastle City Hall 1980s
UFO were touring constantly throughout the early 1980s, coming to Newcastle City Hall once or twice a year. The band released a number of albums throughout the period, several of which scored in the UK charts. However, the band had already recorded their best tracks in the 70s, including Doctor Doctor, Lights Out, Love to Love, Only You Can Rock Me, and Rock Bottom. 
The live double album Strangers in the Night captured UFO at their live best, and is often rated as one of the best live albums of all time. The shows at the City Hall were always great nights. Phil Mogg is a great show man; 
I can picture him now singing “Lights Out in Newcastle” and “Misty green and blue, love to love to love you”; the entire City Hall singing along with him. The UFO line up changed quite a lot during this period, with a couple of key members leaving the fold. First keyboard player Paul Raymond left, to be replaced by Neil Carter. Then original bass player Pete Way left to form Fastway with Motorhead’s Fast Eddie and then Waysted. At the time, I remember thinking that Pete Way’s departure marked the beginning of the end. 
Pete was so central to the band’s sound and their stage show, prowling around the stage with his bass slung low around his knees; it just wasn’t the same without him there. But continue they did recruiting Paul Gray from the Hot Rods and the Damned to take the bass slot. 
I also saw UFO headline the Reading Festival in 1980, topping the bill over Iron Maiden. 1980 was very much a New Wave of British Heavy Metal year for Reading, and UFO pulled their weight alongside the newer heavy metal bands, playing a great set on the Saturday night. My tickets and programmes tell me that I saw UFO at least a dozen times in the 70s and 80s, and I honestly can’t recall any of those gigs being anything but great. They always delivered. 
By 1983, UFO had decided to disband and the 1983 tour became a farewell event. So came the end of a great run of concerts by a great band. I went along to that last City Hall gig thinking I would never again see UFO play Doctor Doctor. 
However I should have known that the band wouldn’t stay away for too long, and a year or so later Phil Mogg would be back with yet another UFO line up. I’ll report on that line up in another post. I’m quite getting into UFO again, and I’m looking forward to seeing them later this week. I must look out my copy of Strangers In The Night!
13 Mar
Altered Images Newcastle 1981 and 1982
Bit of a guilty pleasure this. Altered Images emerged as proteges of Siouxsie and the Banshees, having supported them on tour in 1980. Think I saw that tour at Newcastle. Steve Severin from the Banshees produced their first album. By the time Marie and I saw them at Newcastle Tiffanys Happy Birthday was a massive hit, and Altered Images had transcended punkdown to become real life Top of the Pops style pop stars. The place was absolutely jam packed to the walls, the balcony was shaking, the song was in the charts that week (it reached No 2). 
They back in the North East a few months later, this time headlining and selling out the Mayfair. I could be Happy was in the charts, and a packed ballroom sang along with Clare Grogan and band. Their fame didn’t last that long, and they disbanded the following year. 
I think I have a programme upstairs somewhere, pretty sure it is a massive thing, and thus I’ve filed it away somewhere…will try to search it out, scan it in and put it up here in a few days. Note, from a few days later. I found the programme and have added to the post to the right.
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