Anti Nowhere League Newcastle Mayfair
Newcastle Mayfair was an important part of my youth. Along with Sunderland Locarno and Middlesbrough Rock garden, they were all great venues, and featured some classic bands throughout the 70s. Every time I pass The Gate in Newcastle, which now stands where the Mayfair once did, I think fondly of great Friday nights spent there. This ticket is for the Anti Nowhere League, but my memories are of Alex Harvey, The Groundhogs, Chicken Shack, Stray, Ian Hunter, Steppenwolf, The Clash, David Bowie, Family, Curved Air, UFO, Cockney Rebel, and many many more. And of stories of legendary gigs that I sadly didn’t attend there: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Eric Clapton. Time for my tardis again. I would love to go back in time and be standing on the balcony of the Mayfair, listening to Zeppelin’s Rock n Roll, waiting for the band to come on stage. Great memories, some of which are sadly fading as I get older. Turning to the band in question, the Anti-Nowhere League we (and still are) fronted by Animal and came along at the tail end of punk. They seemed quite outrageous in their day; their album at the time was We are the League if I remember correctly. Think I also saw them supporting the Damned. Support came from Chron-Gen and Gene October and Chelsea whose well know song was Right To Work, and always put on a good show. The Anti-Nowhere League still play to this day and were in the region recently playing at the Three Tuns in Gateshead.
Posts Tagged ‘heavy metal’
27 Mar
West, Bruce and Laing Newcastle City Hall 1973
West, Bruce and Laing Newcastle City Hall 1973
Now that WAS a rock band. Take Mountain guitar genius Leslie West, Cream super bassist Jack Bruce and powerhouse (also from Mountain) drummer Corky Laing, and you were certain to produce a great band. I’d seen Mountain the year before and had been blown away by Leslie West’s unique guitar style which moved effortlessly from very very heavy to gentle and beautiful. Mountain were very obviously influenced by Cream who I had sadly never seen (this was to be remedied many years later at their Albert Hall reunion), so I along with many others looked forward to see this power trio. My mate John and I went along to the gig, which proved to be just as good as I imagined, the set drawn from the West, Bruce and Laing album, and the Cream and Mountain back catalogue. John was a major Mountain fan, was very excited about the show and remembers it as one of the many highlights from that period in that venue.I can still picture Leslie, a giant of a man, with a Les Paul Jnr. slung low around his knees, wringing out the riffs. Great days. I was ecstatic when they closed with Sunshine of Your Love. It will be great to see Jack Bruce on Saturday. Hope he plays Theme from an Imaginary Western which Mountain also used to play (note afterwrds; Yes he did play it). 
Makes me think about Leslie who hasn’t been so well lately. Hope you’re OK big man; you also gave us some great nights in the Tyne Theatre where Jack will be on Saturday. I also looked up support Jimmy Stevens. I can’t pretend to remember his set from that gig almost 40 years ago, but he is an interesting guy, who toured with the Bee Gees, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer and was managed by Robert Stigwood at the time. He still plays in his home town on Liverpool. John remembers West, Bruce and Laing playing Why Dontcha, Pleasure, Love is with the blues, Third Degree, The Doctor, the bass solo Powerhouse Sod, Sunshine of Your Love, Politician, and possibly Mississippi Queen and Theme form an Imaginary Western. He recalls somebody, Leslie or Jack, wearing Red Platform sole boots and going out to buy some the following week! Thanks to John for the poster scan.
25 Mar
Jack Bruce Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House 2001
Jack Bruce Newcastle Tyne Theatre 2001
Jack Bruce is touring at the moment and calls into Newcastle next Saturday. I’m looking forward to the gig, and will spend a few days this week reflecting on previous Jack Bruce concerts which I have attended. Jack was last in Newcastle over 10 years ago, in 2001, when he played at the same venue. I went along to that gig with my mate Will. Jack Bruce was touring with his band The Cuicoland Expresss to promote his new album Shadows in the Air. 
The set was a mix of songs from the new album, which were quite jazzy, with lots of latin rhythms. He played quite a few favourites from his back catalogue including Sunshine of your Love (which he rerecorded with Clapton for the album), Politician, White Roon, We’re Going Wrong, and Theme from an Imaginary Western. It was a great gig, and I expect new Saturday’s gig will be too. Jack is under-rated in my view. When people think of that great band Cream, they will think of Clapton first, but many of their best songs were written and sung by Jack. I’ve got a couple more Jack Bruce concerts to recall this week, including West, Bruce and Laing, his band with Mick Taylor and Carla Bley and the Cream reunion at the Albert Hall.
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.
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!
12 Mar
UFO in the 1970s
UFO are a much under rated rock band. I spent many nights in the 70s and 80s at UFO gigs. They are appearing at Newcastle Academy next Saturday, and I intend to go along and see them, so I thought I would reminisce on UFO gigs past this week.
I first saw UFO in 1972 at Newcastle City Hall at a free gig which local promoter Geof Docherty put on, as a thank you to fans. Support came from local band Beckett, featuring Terry Slesser, and Melody Maker poll winner Lloyd Watson. At that point in 1972 I think Pink Fairies’ Larry Wallis was playing guitar with UFO. I remember the show being pretty wild with some long guitar solos, and Phil Mogg or Larry Wallis (can’t remember which) climbing up the speaker stack and onto the balcony of the venue. The music at this time would have been drawn from the first couple of lps, and was quite spacey, psychedelic stuff. The next few times I saw UFO was at Sunderland Locarno, Newcastle Mayfair, and at the 1974 reading Festival. 
By then Michael Schenker had joined the band and they had released the classic album Phenomenon, followed by Force It and Lights Out, featuring such great songs as: Only You Can Rock Me, Doctor Doctor, Love to Love, Lights Out, Rock Bottom, and Shoot Shoot. There was nothing better than a Friday night in a packed ballroom watching Schenker, Mogg and Way play Doctor, Doctor. Great guitar intro, and first class melodic heavy rock. By 1979 UFO had graduated to playing Newcastle City Hall, and Michael Schenker had left the band to be replaced by Paul Chapman. I’ll report next on some of those City Hall gigs which took me into the 80s.
4 Mar
Bryan Adams Gateshead Stadium July 12th 1992
Bryan Adams Gateshead Stadium July 12th 1992
Support: Squeeze, Extreme, Little Angels
Bryan Adams was at the height of his success at the time of this concert in 1992. He’d just had a mega hit with Everything I do. Although that particular songs is not one of my favourites, some of his others songs, and especially Summer of 69, are great. A packed Gateshead Stadium gave him a great reception that night. Setlist: House Arrest; Kids Wanna Rock; Hey Honey – I’m Packin’ You In!; Can’t Stop This Thing We Started; Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya?; Cuts Like a Knife; It’s Only Love; Touch The Hand; Heaven; Lonely Nights; (Everything I Do) I Do It for You; Run to You; When the Night Comes; Somebody; There Will Never Be Another Tonight; B-Stage: C’mon Everybody; She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’; Encore: Summer of ’69; Diana; Straight from the Heart. 
The concert also sported strong support acts in Squeeze, Extreme and Little Angels. Little Angels are a heavy rock band who come from just down the coast, in Scarborough. I can’t recall seeing them, and probably arrived after they played. I do remember seeing Extreme, and made a point of making sure I saw them. Although they are also primarily heavy rock, there best known song is the classic ballad More Than Words, which had been a hit just the year before this gig. Squeeze have some top songs and got the crowd singing along. This is the only time I’ve seen Bryan. I’m not a fan, really, and haven’t felt the need to see him again, although he has returned to the region several times, playing the Arena, Gateshead Stadium again two years later, and a recent unplugged show at the Sage.
28 Feb
Alkatraz Sunderland Polytechnic Wearmouth Hall Jan 21st 1977
Writing this blog, with a post each day based on my ticket and programme collection is an interesting exercise, particularly when I come across a ticket like this. I must admit that I have absolutely no recollection of seeing Alkatraz or even who the band were. But for completeness I am including them, and I decided to see if I could find anything out about this band. The name would suggest a mid 70s heavy metal outfit, perhaps at the start of the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal). Sure enough some googling uncovered the following album description: “ALCATRAZ – DOING A MIDNIGHT – 1976 (UK) heavy progressive. Meanwhile, after his stint in The Neutrons, Will Youatt joined up with his ex-Quicksand partner James Davies to found Alkatraz, a fabulous and all too short-lived band who we’d hoped would carry the welsh rock flag into the eighties. Their one release, Doing A Moonlight, is a really superb example of intelligent and well-executed guitar based rock.” which I found on the orexisofdeath blogspot. The Neutrons were a spin-off from Welsh rock wizards Man, and were well thought of in the 70s. So the Man connections make Alkatraz look an interesting outfit to me. Interesting also to see that DJ support came from the Dave Wood Road Show. I wonder if that was the same Dave Wood who established the local heavy metal label Neat in the late 70s? I only wish I could recall all these gigs, or go back in time and relive them!
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